Evergreen Park edges out Oak Lawn

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:14PM

In the span of about three minutes, Evergreen Park junior running back Victor Baker went from goat to hero Friday night.

Baker, one of the biggest reasons the Mustangs had gotten off to a 3-0 start this season made a costly fumble in the fourth quarter of Evergreen Park's South Suburban Red battle with local rival Oak Lawn.

Fortunately for Baker, the Mustangs' defense recovered an Oak Lawn fumble with 5:57 left.

Less than a minute later Baker (18 carries, 116 yards, TD) ripped off a 55-yard touchdown gallop, lifting Evergreen Park (4-0, 2-0) to a dramatic 14-10 triumph over the host Spartans.

"After that fumble, I just wanted my defense to get me the ball back," Baker said. "They did that for me and I'm definitely grateful. This was a huge win for us."

Evergreen Park coach Mike Barry knew that Baker could make amends.

"This is a kid who never gives up, he's a tremendous competitor and we knew he'd bounce back," Barry said. "This is a huge win for us because of the geographical rivalry we have with Oak Lawn and considering that a lot of our kids no each other. As a team though, we're in one hundred percent un-charted water right now. Our program hasn't been at this point for awhile."

The Spartans (0-4, 0-2) opened the scoring with 1:57 left in the opening quarter when place-kicker Fabian Martinez booted a 30-yard field goal.

Evergreen Park answered back with 1:39 left in the period when Niko Garcia scooped up an Evergreen Park fumble and rocketed 60 yards to the end zone.

Jeremy Esparza booted the first of his two extra points and the Mustangs led 7-3.

Oak Lawn took a 10-7 lead with 2:49 to go in the second when quarterback Mike Emanuelson (6-of-13, 181 yards, TD) hit running back Tom Madsen with a bullet in the back corner of the end zone for a seven-yard TD pass as Martinez chipped in the point after.

"I don't think I've ever been involved in this tough of a game," Baker said. "We only had four possessions in the first half, so it took awhile for us to get going offensively. But hats off to Oak Lawn, they never quit and gave one heck of a battle."

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