Conant ends 37-year title drought

As a toddler, Conant coach CathyAnn Smith probably had a hard time even picking up a bat in 1974.

That’s when Barb Bostian’s Conant softball team won the first Mid-Suburban League championship game.

But 37 years later, Smith and the retired Hall of Fame coach Bostian have something in common.

They are the coaches of the school’s only championship softball teams.

Conant junior Briana Cavin threw a 2-hitter with 11 strikeouts while her sophomore sister and catcher Miranda (2-for-3) had the game-winning RBI triple as the Cougars blanked visiting Fremd 2-0 on a chilly and wet Saturday afternoon in Hoffman Estates.

“It took every little piece coming together,” said Smith, who was 2 years old when the Cougars defeated Wheeling in the first MSL title game. “The chemistry between Briana and Miranda is something words can’t explain.”

Conant (24-1, 13-2) clinched the MSL West crown, grabbing a two-game lead over 2010 champ Fremd (21-4-1, 11-4) and 2½ over Barrington (22-10, 10-4) with one game to play.

The Cougars also set the single-season school record for wins on Saturday, surpassing Smith’s 2005 team that was 23-12.

“We worked our hearts out to get this,” said Miranda Cavin, whose big one-out triple in the bottom of the sixth inning scored senior shortstop Allie Bauch, who had produced an infield single and stole second. “This was our goal.”

Miranda Cavin’s triple was Conant’s fifth and final hit off Fremd junior Rachel Doering (11-3), who struck out six.

Miranda Cavin scored the second run of the inning when junior Kim Jacobson reached on an error with one out.

“Oh my God, that (triple) felt amazing,” added Miranda. “Briana did really well at clipping the corners and she had really good defense behind her all the way.”

Briana Cavin’s 19th win is also a single-season school record.

“That was very exciting,” said Briana, who has already committed to Wisconsin-Green Bay. “It’s really great that we were able to accomplish something that hasn’t been done for such a long time at our school and now we can put a new banner up.”

Conant’s other hits in the game were back-to-back singles by Sarah Thompson and Paige Ward to lead off the bottom of the fifth.

However, Doering got out of the jam on a sacrifice bunt and 2 strikeouts.

“Rachel pitched a great game,” said Fremd coach Jim Weaver. “We had a chance in the first inning (two runners on base and one out) but we couldn’t push across a run.

“I think that would have made a difference in the game.”

One of those runners on base in the first was sophomore Mandi Matsumoto, who singled to left. She had the Vikings’ only 2 hits in the game.

“Offensively, I was happy, no complaints,” Weaver added. “I know it may sound strange saying that when we were shut out, but I thought we had good swings all day.

“Defensively there were a couple of plays we should have made. We still have a little work to do. We’ve got to tighten up the defense.”

Conant will visit Elk Grove (26-3, 14-1) on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. to decide the 38th annual Mid-Suburban League softball championship.

“We knew it would be tough playing Fremd — because of where they are and where they have been,” Smith said. “But our girls knew what they wanted do all season. This was their goal. This is a special group and I could not be more proud of them.”