Question for catch 22
- Thread starter Goomlah
- Start date
Weird right? EP built the HS on RG land offered RG residents to have their students attend the school, but RG declined and had their students stay at East Leyden.
I don't believe EPHS is all that old, I think it was built in the 50s??? Could be wrong.
Btw, here is another fun one, Oak Park Country Club is also in River Grove.
In January, 1958, the school board decided that the new school was to be called Willowbrook (referring to a nearby creek running thru a stand of weeping willow trees).
Staying with the country club place name theme, Evanston Country Club is in Skokie, and Skokie Country Club is in Glencoe. The Chicago Club, the oldest 18 hole golf course in North America, is located in Wheaton.
How do you mean, "how"?
EP
In football, mediocre at best. Finally they are playing an entire schedule of manageable opponents, and they are finishing with 3 to 4 wins. My bro-in-law was HC from 08 to 13. When he got there, they were still playing that ridiculous home-and-home schedule, facing R-B, Ridgewood, and Fenton twice each year. The nc's were Huntley, Ignatius, Woodstock North, etc. We had no chance.
The coaching staff managed to build up the numbers in the program however, and it really helped. By year 3, lower levels were consistently fighting for conference and winning 7 games. Year 5, in 2012, it all came together with 50 on varsity, 7-2 record, Metro title, and a playoff berth. But, when those senior leaders graduated, we were right back in the toilet. The following year we had maybe 6 juniors on varsity, 16 seniors, several quitters, and no QB's in the entire school.... 1-8.
We had a kid who was a stud just as we were starting to get good. He started both ways as a soph on varsity. His junior year, he blew off a pre-season practice and was demoted to second-team on the August depth chart. "Earn it back", he was told. NOPE.... he quit! Never came back out. We had to temporarily swallow our pride and try to talk him into playing... went to his house... His parents didn't speak a word of English, and had no idea he played football... NO IDEA!
A few years later, after the playoff appearance, we were relying on another stud 2-way player who had been on varsity as a soph. Week 1 vs Chicago Academy was postponed one day due to lightning... he had concert tickets the next night, and told us he couldn't make it to the rescheduled game. WHAT??? We asked his parents to help us, and they tried... so he ran away from home. Phone off, no communication for days. Tried to return for conference, but quit before he "earned" trust and playing time. Never played a down of football senior year. Big schools with 80 kids can lose those kids and replace them with 3 others just as good. At EP, against our better judgement, we had to beg these kids to stay with us.... even the jerks.
EP has a large number of first generation Americans who know nothing about football until junior high. Before 2005-ish, there was no youth program. Fingers are crossed now that every decent athlete plays for the youth program, EP Rush. Any kids in town who can play end up going to Pat's or Fenwick. Some move to go to Leyden or Ridgewood. It really hurts when they're choosing faltering Guerin, like Richie Zacharias did. We had a QB go to Driscoll, only to return as a senior. Another stud moved out with dad after sophomore year to play hoops at Foreman. EP is never a priority. They are the last resort in most cases. We're not supposed to get the kids from Galewood in Chicago, but some can be found crossing Harlem into the suburbs each morning. Do we expose those kids and get them tossed from school? If you do that, you might lose your entire defensive backfield, (allegedly)!
Ricky Sorrentino lived in EP... Danny DiCanio lived in EP... Zacharias did for a while... St. Pat's star Jonathan Hamilton lives in EP... Remember that St. Celestine's girls team that never lost a grammar school game and were all over the news 4 years ago? The entire team lived in EP, yet not even one of their players went to EP. Heck, even GuerinFBfan lived in EP and didn't go to EP! LOL
I don't blame any of them. If I was in 8th grade right now and I was great player, I'd go to Pats or Fenwick too. At EP, the facilities are good, the coaches are solid, the uni's are sweet, and the rivalries are good. Yet, everyone goes somewhere else.
EP
In football, mediocre at best. Finally they are playing an entire schedule of manageable opponents, and they are finishing with 3 to 4 wins. My bro-in-law was HC from 08 to 13. When he got there, they were still playing that ridiculous home-and-home schedule, facing R-B, Ridgewood, and Fenton twice each year. The nc's were Huntley, Ignatius, Woodstock North, etc. We had no chance.
The coaching staff managed to build up the numbers in the program however, and it really helped. By year 3, lower levels were consistently fighting for conference and winning 7 games. Year 5, in 2012, it all came together with 50 on varsity, 7-2 record, Metro title, and a playoff berth. But, when those senior leaders graduated, we were right back in the toilet. The following year we had maybe 6 juniors on varsity, 16 seniors, several quitters, and no QB's in the entire school.... 1-8.
We had a kid who was a stud just as we were starting to get good. He started both ways as a soph on varsity. His junior year, he blew off a pre-season practice and was demoted to second-team on the August depth chart. "Earn it back", he was told. NOPE.... he quit! Never came back out. We had to temporarily swallow our pride and try to talk him into playing... went to his house... His parents didn't speak a word of English, and had no idea he played football... NO IDEA!
A few years later, after the playoff appearance, we were relying on another stud 2-way player who had been on varsity as a soph. Week 1 vs Chicago Academy was postponed one day due to lightning... he had concert tickets the next night, and told us he couldn't make it to the rescheduled game. WHAT??? We asked his parents to help us, and they tried... so he ran away from home. Phone off, no communication for days. Tried to return for conference, but quit before he "earned" trust and playing time. Never played a down of football senior year. Big schools with 80 kids can lose those kids and replace them with 3 others just as good. At EP, against our better judgement, we had to beg these kids to stay with us.... even the jerks.
EP has a large number of first generation Americans who know nothing about football until junior high. Before 2005-ish, there was no youth program. Fingers are crossed now that every decent athlete plays for the youth program, EP Rush. Any kids in town who can play end up going to Pat's or Fenwick. Some move to go to Leyden or Ridgewood. It really hurts when they're choosing faltering Guerin, like Richie Zacharias did. We had a QB go to Driscoll, only to return as a senior. Another stud moved out with dad after sophomore year to play hoops at Foreman. EP is never a priority. They are the last resort in most cases. We're not supposed to get the kids from Galewood in Chicago, but some can be found crossing Harlem into the suburbs each morning. Do we expose those kids and get them tossed from school? If you do that, you might lose your entire defensive backfield, (allegedly)!
Ricky Sorrentino lived in EP... Danny DiCanio lived in EP... Zacharias did for a while... St. Pat's star Jonathan Hamilton lives in EP... Remember that St. Celestine's girls team that never lost a grammar school game and were all over the news 4 years ago? The entire team lived in EP, yet not even one of their players went to EP. Heck, even GuerinFBfan lived in EP and didn't go to EP! LOL
I don't blame any of them. If I was in 8th grade right now and I was great player, I'd go to Pats or Fenwick too. At EP, the facilities are good, the coaches are solid, the uni's are sweet, and the rivalries are good. Yet, everyone goes somewhere else.
As for Willowbrook, I only live near there. I don't know much about why they have their successes and failures on the field. I was a house ref for their girls hoops summer shootout.... They got waxed. They invited Loyola, Ignatius, Oswego East, Montini.... C'mon Warriors, what are you thinking??? Those are not your peers. Even West Chicago whipped them.
The grammar schools in that area don't usually compete for their conference titles. I ref those leagues too. They just don't have the same talent as other suburbs seem to have. When many of your opponents are from Downers, Glen Ellyn, LaGrange, Hinsdale, and Elmhurst, it's going to be tough. Their conference colors a lot of the opinions about them. If the conference landscape was completely different, they might be playing AT, Fenton, EG, Glenbard East, Glenbard South, both Proviso's, East Leyden, West Leyden, Morton East, Morton West, R-B, etc.... Now they look a helluva lot better. That's just my view from afar.
Football, I never have a good feel for that program. They just blew out DGS, so that's good. 6-2 is good, but that league is WAY down this year. I imagine they lose players to Benet and Montini. Again, if I was an 8th-grade stud, I would want to go to Montini or Benet.
The grammar schools in that area don't usually compete for their conference titles. I ref those leagues too. They just don't have the same talent as other suburbs seem to have. When many of your opponents are from Downers, Glen Ellyn, LaGrange, Hinsdale, and Elmhurst, it's going to be tough. Their conference colors a lot of the opinions about them. If the conference landscape was completely different, they might be playing AT, Fenton, EG, Glenbard East, Glenbard South, both Proviso's, East Leyden, West Leyden, Morton East, Morton West, R-B, etc.... Now they look a helluva lot better. That's just my view from afar.
Football, I never have a good feel for that program. They just blew out DGS, so that's good. 6-2 is good, but that league is WAY down this year. I imagine they lose players to Benet and Montini. Again, if I was an 8th-grade stud, I would want to go to Montini or Benet.
WAIT...... As I re-read this, I see the question pertains to location, not talent. Dammit! That was a waste of 15 minutes. UGH
"Read the ENTIRE question carefully before you begin"
"Read the ENTIRE question carefully before you begin"
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Well you gave a couple of very interesting wrong answers.
And, unlike some public schools that have either one or no private schools drawing kids from their district, look at Elmwood Park and the number of private schools within such a short distance. Guerin, Pat's and Fenwick are all less than five miles away. So are Walther Christian and Luther North. IC Prep is less than 8 miles away. DePaul and Notre Dame are less than 10 miles from EPHS by car. I don't know if all those private schools draw kids away from Elmwood Park, but it wouldn't surprise me. DePaul and Notre Dame are a bit far, given all the other closer options, but there are lots of kids who will commute lots farther to attend the private school of their choice.
Now that I finally understand the question, I have a question in reply, and a comment…
Gooms, I knew they were in River Grove, but I didn't know why until today. My question, why isn't EP listed as "River Grove (Elmwood Park)" with the IHSA.
Also, Glenbard North is neither in Glen Ellyn, nor Lombard. But, I get it, so hold your rebuttals please
Gooms, I knew they were in River Grove, but I didn't know why until today. My question, why isn't EP listed as "River Grove (Elmwood Park)" with the IHSA.
Also, Glenbard North is neither in Glen Ellyn, nor Lombard. But, I get it, so hold your rebuttals please
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As for the EP Rush, their middleweight team has some talent there. Their QB can launch it and there were guys who could catch the ball. My bet is of the 4 teams they had maybe 10% had played organized football before (and that's maybe being nice). The community interest and support was very good though. Give them some support and some speed training and they'll be alright come high school. Whether they all stay at EP,... well that's another discussion.
If were getting technical, I was born and raised in River Grove, on O'Connor Drive, just down the block from Holy Cross. My dad went to HC, so I was going to HC. We did move to Elmwood Park when I was a junior in high school, but that changed nothing. Spent all of my grammar school education, Preschool through 8th grade, at St.Celestine so the public route was never an option.
Lou Arroyo was the best thing that happened to EPHS. He was an amazing football coach. He turned a literal doormat into a playoff team in a few years.
I do sympathize with EPHS as they get absolutely gutted by the private schools, but both elementary schools (John Mills & Elmwood) as well as the middle schools (Elm Jr. High) are full of students.
Lou Arroyo was the best thing that happened to EPHS. He was an amazing football coach. He turned a literal doormat into a playoff team in a few years.
I do sympathize with EPHS as they get absolutely gutted by the private schools, but both elementary schools (John Mills & Elmwood) as well as the middle schools (Elm Jr. High) are full of students.