Fate makes teammates of college-bound Capotosto, Lindfors
Seniors Ashley Capotosto and Courtney Lindfors used to play at rival junior highs.
Capotosto was the top scorer for Friendship in Des Plaines while Lindfors was the leading point producer for Grove in Elk Grove.
When asked Thursday if their teams had some great battles back then, they answered in unison "Oh yeah."
In an unlikely turn of events, they both signed their Division I letters of intent at just about the same time Thursday at Elk Grove High School.
Why unlikely?
Well, the 6-foot Capotosto (18.3 ppg, 11.5 rebounds), headed to St. Bonaventure, is Elk Grove's all-time leading scorer with 1,493 points.
But the 6-4 Lindfors (15.4 ppg, 9.5 rebounds), a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit, transferred this season to Elk Grove after leading Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison to the Class 2A state title last winter.
Due to financial difficulties, Driscoll closed its doors last June, so Lindfors returned to her hometown school, giving the Grenadiers one of the tallest and most potent front lines in the area.
Lindfors played with current Grens Olivia Roback and Meaghan Amann at Grove, while Capotosto was teammates with Missy Regan at Friendship.
That quintet, all seniors, is the likely starting five for Elk Grove when it opens it season next Tuesday at home against Leyden, the alma mater of Lindfors' father Ron.
"Never did I imagine I'd be playing as teammates one day with Ashley and these girls," Courtney Lindfors said. "It's been a real smooth transition. "They've all really made me feel welcomed here."
"What a big difference it makes with Courtney here," Capotosto said. "It gives us someone to help rebounding and another person who can score inside. Courtney and I had instant chemistry when we started playing together this summer (Maine West summer league and Loyola Shoot-Out). Hopefully, that translates into a good season."
Elk Grove coach Ryan Kirkorsky has liked what he has seen with the addition of Lindfors.
"There are many factors that have made Courtney's transition smooth," said the second-year coach. "Courtney went to junior high with some of the girls and those relationships helped make her more comfortable.
"The maturity of our four returning seniors has really set the tone regarding team chemistry. They immediately accepted Courtney, and the rest of the team followed their lead."
Following an all-area volleyball season as the Grens libero, Roback will serve as the team's point guard.
"I can recall Olivia's excited reaction to some of the plays Courtney made off her passes this summer," Kirkorsky said. "Courtney has such a varied skill set for a player her size.
"Even though she entered our program with tremendous accolades and past successes, she is a very humble kid. She wants to fit in with her new team and is an extremely selfless player."
Capotosto, a Des Plaines resident who lives one block south of the Prospect boundaries and one block west of Maine West territory, was as hospitable as could be with her new fellow post player.
"As the premier player in our program the last three years, Ashley welcomed Courtney with open arms," Kirkorsky said. "Ashley wants to win, and she realizes that she and Courtney both make each other and their teammates better. Their styles of play are so different, but they are starting to work extremely well in unison.
"It helped that Courtney was with us during the summer. It took about two minutes of the first practice for her teammates to realize how much better she would make everyone around her."