Jack Hughes has been a part of two of the wildest celebrations in Evergreen Park sports history.
In a span of nine months, he was on the baseball field when the Mustangs won their first conference title in 37 years and on the basketball court for their first regional title in 50 years.
Both celebrations were intense. Which one did he like the best?
“I would say the baseball one,” Hughes said after Thursday’s practice. “It felt a little bit more personal because I was more of a contributor on the baseball team than the basketball team.
“Both of them were still awesome.”
What else can the senior third baseman accomplish before he heads out and plays baseball at Concordia Wisconsin?
Well, Evergreen Park’s baseball program has been around since 1956 but hasn’t won a sectional.
If Hughes and some his teammates can keep hitting like they have the first four games of the season, well, look out. Hughes is batting .692 with eight RBIs and a team-high 10 runs for the Mustangs (4-0), who have outscored opponents 60-3.
What’s even scarier is were five teammates ahead of him in batting average, including senior catcher Tyler Kummer (.833, 11 RBIs) and freshman pitcher/first baseman Cadyn Kummer (.727), Tyler’s brother.
Hughes is excited about what this season can bring.
“We have high expectations after last year,” he said. “I think the expectation is that we can break the records we set last year. We lost two main guys, but my grade is very strong and the grade under me is also really strong.
“We have two or three freshmen on the team and they are making an impact already.”
Evergreen Park’s Jack Hughes, left, applies the tag to T.F. South’s Tyler Earmsmuth at third base during a South Suburban Conference crossover game in Evergreen Park on Monday, April 4, 2022. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
First-year coach Andrew Massey, who took over for 350-game winner Mark Smyth, is glad to have the veteran presence of Hughes in the lineup and in the dugout.
“He’s a natural leader and a hard worker, and it’s such a relief having a guy like that being a leader on your team,” Massey said. “He does everything the right way.
“I would like to think of it as when talent meets hard work meets doing things the right way, you are going to get good results.”
Evergreen Park boys basketball coach Jim Sexton was happy to have Hughes back this winter after the forward didn’t play as a junior.
“I loved coaching Jack,” Sexton said. “He’s been with our guys since they were little. I’m so glad he came back and in practice and in games — he had such an influence on the team.
“Everyone in the locker room loved Jack. I’m glad he got to experience winning that regional.”
T.F. South’s Jake Stachelski slides back to third base as Evergreen Park’s Jack Hughes, left, tries to make tag during a South Suburban Conference crossover in Evergreen Park on Monday, April 4, 2022. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
Hughes said this is the first time he has gotten off to a hot start like this at the plate.
A credit to his surge could be traced to the summer and fall when he played for the Cangelosi Sparks and faced some stiff competition.
“I’ve seen plenty of arms that are going D-I,” he said. “It’s kind of a shock. They definitely got the best of me the majority of the time.
“But when you play guys like that and you get a single or get on base, it’s a good feeling. You know that you can compete with those guys.”
He also shares a name with a budding NHL star as Jack Hughes is making a big name for himself with New Jersey after being dragged first overall in 2019.
“I hear about it occasionally,” Hughes said of having the same name. “I’m familiar with hockey. Growing up, the Blackhawks were going on their Stanley Cup run and I became a fan.
“I actually wanted him to get drafted by the Blackhawks because I thought it could be pretty cool to have a jersey with my name on the back of it. It didn’t happen, unfortunately.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
