MSL pride: Fremd vs. Elk Grove in state semis

EAST PEORIA - The Mid-Suburban League has produced quality softball for many years.

This season, it's really outdone itself.

For the first time in the 35-year history of the softball state finals, two MSL teams have made the semifinals.

And MSL champion Fremd (32-4) and MSL East champ Elk Grove (36-4) just happen to be meeting each other here in today's 4:30 p.m. Class 4A semifinal at the EastSide Centre.

The second semifinal at 7 p.m. matches Sandburg (38-2) and Moline (28-8).

"It certainly is a new occurrence," said Hall of Fame Elk Grove coach Ken Grams about a state semifinal bout between a pair of MSL teams. "Good for both of us. At least we'll both bring home a couple of trophies, and one no worse than second."

Fremd coach Jim Weaver is also thrilled two teams from the MSL are in the final four of the state's biggest class.

"It's great," said Weaver (239-80-1 in 9 seasons), whose team won the West this spring with a 14-2 record. "I think the Mid-Suburban West was the best I've ever seen it. Even the fifth-place team was well over 20 wins. I'm proud of our whole conference."

It's the third time this season powerhouses Fremd and Elk Grove will meet.

And "power" is no stretch.

Both teams have hit home runs at a school record pace - Elk Grove with 35 and Fremd with 31.

Junior Kristen Cetkovic (9) and senior Olivia Roback (8) lead the Grenadiers while Lauren Zaworski (7) and Megan Hubbard (6) are tops for the Vikings.

Coincidentally, the two high-powered teams played a 1-0 game, won by host Fremd, for the MSL title on May 20. The host Grens won a crossover 4-2 on April 30.

"They were two excellent games," said Grams (714-300 in 30 seasons). "They were very well-played games. I think both teams have great respect for each other. As a consequence, it's a healthy aspect for any game we play against each other no matter what the stakes are."

Both teams also feature some of the best pitching in the state, no doubt the reason 1 run wsa scored in the MSL title game.

"I don't know what kind of game to expect this time," said Weaver, whose team lost to Loyola 1-0 in 8 innings in last year's semifinal and then beat Naperville Central 3-2 for third place. "We're just here to play."

Fremd's Lena Brottman (29-2, 0.45 ERA, 288 strikeouts) is the winningest MSL pitcher of all time with 82 and has the second-most career strikeouts of any MSL hurler with 998.

Only former Elk Grove standout Megan Huitink had more (1,067).

Elk Grove has hit opponents with a pair of aces who have shared time in almost every game this spring.

Eastern Illinois recruit Stephanie Maday (18-2, 157 strikeouts, 141 innings, 0.98 ERA) has often been the starter while Dani Goranson (18-2, 179 strikeouts, 125.2 innings, 1.13 ERA) has come on in relief.

The game features 12 MSL all-conference players, including Grenadiers junior second baseman Jessica Balzano, who has hit safely in all 36 games she has played this season.

That is also an MSL record, surpassing Rolling Meadows senior Maryclare Loughery, also a second baseman, who had a streak end at 34 earlier this season.

Both team's leadoff batters have their highest averages. Balzano is at .575 while catcher Kristine Werling leads the Vikes at .512.

Moline vs. Sandburg: Coach Jim Fabianski is already 164-29 in his five years directing south suburban powerhouse Sandburg.

The Eagles, who were third in the Class 2A tourney in 2008, are led at the plate by junior Lexi Bryant (.504, 45 RBI), who has 15 of the team's 25 homers.

Senior Brit Gardner (17-2, 0.71 ERA, 200 strikeouts) and junior Lora Olson (18-0, 1.33 ERA, 116 strikeouts) are the aces.

Moline is making its fourth appearance in the final four in coach Malk Gerlach's 11 seasons. The Maroons were second in 2000 and 2005 and won it all in 2006 at 40-0.

Sophomore shortstop Brittny Drish (.479, 38 RBI, 15 doubles) and senior third baseman Olivia Aten (.449, 30 RBI, 14 extra-base hits) lead the offense.

Junior ace Jordan Kasbohm is 18-6 with a 2.22 ERA and 135 strikeouts.

School work not forgotten: Elk Grove and Fremd each have underclassmen who must finish final exams.

Elk Grove's Ken Grams said some of his players will complete finals here this morning.

"Our assistant (Dick Trent) will administer some this morning and some girls will finish them on Monday," said Grams, who guided his second team at Elk Grove in 1982 to second place in the AA state tourney at Mineral Springs Park in Pekin.

Fremd coach Jim Weaver, assisted by T.J. Valacek and former Barrington standout pitcher Christine Pedersen Vlaming, said his underclassmen will wrap up finals Monday.

Seven straight: This is the seventh straight season the MSL is represented in East Peoria.

Barrington, second in 2007, was a qualifier from 2004 to 2008 and Fremd took third last year.

160 wins: That's the combined total for today's starting pitchers for Fremd (Lena Brottman) and Elk Grove (Stephanie Maday). Both are four-year varsity hurlers.

Did you know? Fremd ace Lena Brottman is not the only softball pitcher in her family.

Her mother Jan, who grew up in New City, N.Y., was also a Viking as a three-sport prep athlete.

Jan pitched for Clarkstown High School South (West Nyack, N.Y.) where she also played volleyball and basketball. But Jan had a little different style than Lena.

Jan was slingshot pitcher which means she did not feature the full circle motion today's pitchers use.

Interestingly enough, one of the pitchers Lena recently surpassed for all-time wins in the MSL was 1987 Prospect grad Laura Stock, who won 79 games as a slingshot pitcher.

Visiting Bandit: Former Palatine all-area slugging start Nicole Pauly, now a member of the Chicago Bandits, plans to be at Monday's Mid-Suburban League Senior all-star game.

The Northwestern University All-American will be an assistant coach for Loyola University's softball team.

She'll be able watch incoming Ramblers freshman Lauren Zaworski, who will represent Fremd in the all-star game Monday.

"It will be fun," Pauly said of her trip back to Barrington's Fields of Dreams.

Pauly is spending the weekend in Texas with the Bandits, who are playing the National team.

Familiar faces: Two umpires with ties to the Mid-Suburban will be working here this weekend.

Frank Spina of Hoffman Estates, a Ridgewood High grad, is a regular on the MSL scene and he will be officiating in the state finals for the first time in his career.

Lake Park grad Dan Krueger, also of Hoffman Estates, will be the crew's chief.

Krueger worked the state finals last June.