With Yates in mind, Fremd vies for title in return to Normal
Fremd’s biggest fan will be at Friday’s game in spirit.
Dave Yates, the Vikings’ girls basketball coach from 2006 through 2024, died last June from an aggressive form of brain cancer diagnosed a little more than a year earlier.
When Fremd (29-5) takes the court at 1:15 p.m. Friday at CEFCU Arena in Normal to face defending Class 4A champion Loyola (34-2) in the state semifinals, Yates will be on the collective mind of the entire Vikings community — especially the players.
Yates persevered through treatment and two surgeries, not missing a practice or a game last season while guiding the Vikings to a 30-7 record and a third-place state finish.
Standing in the way of a shot at the program’s second state title was a 3-point semifinal loss to, you guessed it, Loyola.
Last season’s run epitomized an epic era for the program, beginning with hall of fame coach Carol Plodzien, continuing with Yates and picked up this season by first-year head coach James Han, a player on Schaumburg’s state title winning team in 2001.
Pushed over the top by Fremd’s 29 victories this season, the Vikings have notched more than 1,000 wins with only three head coaches. The Vikings offer proof that consistency with the coaching staff is key to any program’s success.
Under Yates, the Vikings emerged as one of the state’s premier programs in any sport, boys or girls. More than 400 of his 512 career wins came at Fremd.
The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association hall of fame honoree led Fremd to 10 Mid-Suburban League titles, 11 regional crowns, five sectional championships and five trips to the state finals.
Fremd, which won its lone state title in 2020, seeks the mountain top again with a deep, talented, experienced group hungry for another shot in Normal.
The team’s undisputed leader is Utah-bound senior Ella Todd, last season’s honorary captain of the Daily Herald Cook County All-Area Team. She’s averaging 18.9 points and 5.8 rebounds.
The beauty of the Vikings, though, is the number of players capable of stepping up in a given game. Whether it’s seniors Coco Urlacher and Ellie Thompson, juniors Greta Thompson and Bella Del Mar or sophomore Gracie Todd, there’s always an option on the court.
The problem Friday, though, is the opponent. Loyola is still Loyola.
Vanderbilt commit Aubrey Galvan, scored 17 points Monday while helping hand Huntley its lone loss of the season. And the Ramblers already beat Fremd by 25 points in January.
But this is basketball, and this is March. And this is Fremd.
With Yates in mind and heart, emotions will be at a fever pitch Friday afternoon. His final game was a win on that same court a year ago in the 4A third-place game.
A victorious return to Normal would be a pretty sweet tribute.