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Chicago Tribune
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
With Evergreen Park trailing Tinley Park, Maddie Bruno knows exactly what to do. And how. ‘Bring that urgency.'
Maddie Bruno has been the ultimate leader in both soccer and volleyball for Evergreen Park. On the soccer field, the senior midfielder is a great communicator, organizer and motivator. But the biggest thing she provides to the team can be summed up in one word, according to fellow senior midfielder Itzel Alvarez. 'Urgency,' Alvarez said of Bruno. 'She's always like the first one to go for it and I love that. If you don't have that, people are kind of scared. But we have Maddie to bring that urgency. 'Watching her go up there, take a shot and make it, it boosts everybody else on the team's confidence.' That's exactly what happened Tuesday night. Bruno scored two of three second-half goals for the Mustangs, who rallied for a 3-2 win over host Tinley Park in a South Suburban Conference crossover game. Alvarez capped the scoring for Evergreen Park (7-5, 4-2 SSC Red). Jade Rubalcava added two assists and Gwenyth Sichelski made five saves. Alexandria Rocha and Gracie Fitzgerald each scored a goal for Tinley Park (7-5, 5-2 SSC Blue), while Maggie Stachowicz finished with 13 saves. Tinley Park held its second annual breast cancer benefit game and honored former player Christine Hermann, who died in 2023 after a battle with breast cancer. Titans coach Kelsey Neylon was Hermann's teammate at Tinley Park. 'I think the biggest thing is teaching the girls that this is so much more than just a game,' Neylon said. 'It's meshing with people that you wouldn't normally hang out with and growing these bonds that you wouldn't typically have. 'It's creating this sisterhood. That's how it was when Chrissy and I were teammates and I just want to keep that going.' On the field, though, it was Evergreen Park's night. It was thanks largely to Bruno, who scored on a shot from 15 yards just four minutes into the second half to tie the game 1-1. She then converted on a penalty kick a little less than 10 minutes later — after Rubalcava was fouled in the box — to give the Mustangs a 2-1 lead. 'I was going to do anything I could to put one in for the team,' Bruno said. 'We kind of strive on momentum, and once we get going, we can go. But it sometimes takes us a minute to get there.' After the Titans forced a 2-2 tie, Alvarez provided the game-winner on a high shot from 25 yards with 24 minutes to go. Bruno, who has five goals this season, is a four-year varsity starter in soccer who has also been a star volleyball player for Evergreen Park. She's comfortable sharing everything she has learned from all that time in the spotlight. 'Someone has to step up and be that leader,' she said. 'I'm loud on the field. I just like to talk. I try to encourage people because if it's silent out there, nobody knows where anybody is. Plus, we always need a push to get us going.' Evergreen Park coach Matt Majchrowicz knows Bruno will have the team ready to go. 'Maddie is very tough for us,' Majchrowicz said. 'She's one of the girls that keeps us going. She's very hard on us, showing up early to practice and making sure everything is the way it needs to be, but she's very positive. 'It's very, 'Hey, let's go get it.' She's a motivator for the team and she's definitely a grinder.' Bruno has seen her team grow in major ways over her varsity career. The Mustangs won the program's first regional championship last season. 'It's been awesome,' she said. 'Winning that regional last year just showed how our hard work has paid off. This season, we've just been pushing hard and we just want more. 'Before my freshman year, there had been a few seasons where they didn't win a single game, so we've come a really long way. We just want that for the school. We want to make history.'
Chicago Tribune
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
As senior season winds down, Oak Forest's Melanie Andrysiak finds fresh focus. Her sister, Nadia. ‘So excited.'
She will always remember the many pitching victories, the ton of strikeouts, even the cool nicknames. But Oak Forest senior Melanie Andrysiak had an experience Thursday that will likely top the list of greatest memories from her four-year varsity career. The Wisconsin-Parkside recruit led off the bottom of the third inning with a hit. She then watched as her freshman sister, Nadia, drove in pinch-runner Molly King with an RBI single. It was a family first in that regard. 'I was screaming at the top of my lungs,' Melanie said. 'Nadia driving in runs gets me so excited. I lost my voice the other week screaming so much for her.' Both had plenty to smile about following the Bengals' 4-1 South Suburban Conference crossover victory against visiting Evergreen Park. Melanie struck out 12 and added a pair of hits for Oak Forest (10-7, 6-4 SSC Blue). Nadia came up with a hit, a walk and scored a run, while Hailee Morin contributed a two-run homer. Maggie Troglia hit a home run and reached base twice for Evergreen Park (9-9, 5-5 SSC Red). Melanie Andrysiak's history at Oak Forest has been, in a word, colorful. She emerged as a freshman pitcher with flaming red and pink hair, earning the nickname 'Melmo' in reference to the Sesame Street character. But the hair color had a serious source. She was honoring her mother, Ninette, who has twice overcome battles with cancer. As a junior, the 'Melmo' hair was gone, replaced by her natural color. She had a stellar season, leading the Bengals to 27 wins and a Class 3A regional title. Cut to her senior year, and 'Melmo' now has another nickname. This one was given to her by Oak Forest coach Nick Fuentes, and it's catching on with the kids. Just call her 'Mel-mom.' 'She's not only a phenomenal leader, but she looks after all of our underclassmen,' Fuentes said. 'With her sister and Hailee (both pitchers), she's always working with them. She goes to their travel teams and works with them. 'Seeing her growth as a person, let alone the softball stuff, I can't even put into words how proud of her I am.' No one can speak about 'Mel-mom' better than Nadia. Melanie is the oldest of the four children in their family. When Ninette became ill, responsibilities came rushing upon her like a tidal wave. 'Mel was very strong,' Nadia said. 'She was a big help to my dad (Thaddeus). She kept her composure in front of us. She didn't really show how much it was affecting her because she wanted to keep our little brothers happy and positive.' Composure has been a key factor to Andrysiak's success as Oak Forest's ace. Thursday was typical as she ended five innings with strikeouts. In the last inning, she struck out the final two batters with two runners on base. This season, she passed the 500 mark in career strikeouts — and 600 is within reach. On offense, she's batting .436 with three doubles and 10 RBIs. Nadia, meanwhile, is hitting .300 with 10 runs and seven RBIs. She's mainly a hitter for now, but will likely share Oak Forest's pitching duties next season with Morin. 'Mel-mom' is helping pave the way. 'I take that role pretty seriously,' Melanie said. 'Honestly, I try to make sure everybody is having a good day, even if I'm not. I try to make sure everybody has their uniforms for the week. If anybody needs any equipment, I make sure they get it. 'I just want to help everyone be ready for every day.' It starts with the team group chat. 'Oh, if we have a tough game, there will be a message from Mel,' Fuentes said. 'It says, 'We're going to be better tomorrow.'' A winner's way of life continues.
Chicago Tribune
04-04-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
The first pitch takes Shepard freshman Carly Edmiston by complete surprise. But now? ‘Able to figure it out.'
The first time that freshman Carly Edmiston caught a pitch from DePaul recruit Kailey Selvage was during tryouts. And Shepard coach Bridget McDermott remembers it well. 'It was like, 'All right, let's see the freshman catching the senior,' and that first pitch, she kind of like jerked back a little bit,' McDermott said of Edmiston. 'That first one took her by surprise. 'But from there, she was able to figure it out and get used to it.' That was evident Thursday. Edmiston made her second start behind the plate and Selvage struck out 18 for a 7-1 win over Tinley Park in a South Suburban Conference crossover in Palos Heights. The left-handed-hitting Edmiston, who shares duties at catcher and third base on a game-by-game basis with Madison Scapardine, came up with a hit and three walks with two RBIs for the Astros (4-1, 1-0). Scapardine added three hits and scored two runs. Leah Cruz led Tinley Park (3-3, 0-1) with two hits. The Titans scored their only run when Loyola commit Megan Piotrowski singled home Aubrey Spilde in the fourth inning in a game that was scheduled to take place in Tinley Park but was switched because the Titans' fields were too wet. Selvage, meanwhile, has the luxury of throwing to two quality catchers. She opened the season with a perfect game in a 7-0 win over Homewood-Flossmoor with Scapardine behind the plate. But having a catcher three years younger than her is working out well, too. 'I'm sure that being a freshman up here can be scary,' Selvage said. 'When we had our first practices in the offseason in the gym, we were like, 'Who is this girl?' 'Just to see her come out and bring it right away is super cool. And as a freshman, it's important because she's only going to grow.' Growing up in Alsip, Edmiston started playing the softball when she was 4 years old and vowed to be better than her sister. Emily, by the way, is 10 years older than Carly. Carly attended Emily's games at Shepard but wasn't always watching her older sister. 'I would be playing around,' Carly said. 'I didn't pay attention.' Despite the significant age gap, Carly said she learned a lot from Emily but doesn't get to see her much anymore because her sister lives in South Carolina. 'We stay in contact,' Carly said. 'She's happy for me.' The Astros also are happy with their red-hot start to the season, which included the aforementioned 7-0 victory over H-F and a nice 10-0 win over Providence. Their only loss is a 4-0 setback to Andrew, with a big test coming up Monday against Marist. Edmiston is having fun with the success, which comes on the heels of her playing with the Chicago Cheetahs 16U team and taking second in the nation at the USSSA Tournament in Florida. Next up came the high school season, playing varsity and now occasionally catching Selvage. 'I went into that first game and I was scared,' Edmiston said. 'I knew I would be catching a D-I commit. But right at the start of warming her up, I could tell we clicked as a pitcher-catcher duo. 'When we got in the game, it was going well.' Edmiston took to being a left-handed hitter as soon as she started playing softball. 'I just went up to the plate and went to the lefty batter's box,' she said. 'I throw righty … I don't know.' She did bat right-handed once in her career, however. 'When I was 10, my coach told me to bat right-handed, so I did,' Edmiston said. 'I did get a hit, but it was a terrible swing.'
