Elk Grove keeps smiling as title drought ends

There was about 30 seconds to play when Ashley Capotosto looked up at the scoreboard and smiled.

It wasn't the look of someone from a 12th-seeded Elk Grove team just happy to be playing for a Class 4A girls basketball regional title on its home floor Thursday night.

As the final buzzer sounded, the smiles came with celebratory hugs and pictures with the program's first regional championship plaque since 1992 after a 57-45 victory over fourth-seeded Fremd.

"It just keeps getting better and better," Elk Grove junior guard Olivia Roback said after scoring 12 of her 14 points in the first half.

"It just feels great," said Capotosto after the 6-foot junior had 24 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

"It's what we've been working hard for all season.

"Anything's possible. We're the dark horse in the tournament - but I think we've proven that (an easy game against us) is not how it's going to be."

Not after the Grenadiers (16-11) led by double digits for all but one minute of the final 18:52.

They limited Fremd (18-10) to 36.6 percent shooting (15-for-41) to advance to Monday's 6 p.m. sectional semifinal at Addison Trail against tonight's Geneva (28-0)-Proviso West (21-10) winner at West Chicago.

"They're the hot team right now," said Fremd coach David Yates of Elk Grove.

"Our kids, especially on the defensive end, have really bought into everything we wanted to do," said first-year Elk Grove coach Ryan Kirkorsky after winning the school's eighth regional title. "This time of year the team that plays good defense can continue on."

A 3-point play off a rebound by senior Kristy Ottosen started a 9-point run that put Elk Grove up to stay at 11-2.

Freshmen Katie Naughton (6 points, 2 assists) and Dani Goranson (4 points) also provided a big first-half spark off the bench.

"Everyone contributed for us," Roback said after the Grens parlayed 6 turnovers into a 12-2 burst and a 35-21 lead on Krystina Leazer's pull-up jumper.

All of Fremd's scoring to that point came from Gianna Abruzzo (18 points, 6 rebounds) and Taylor Glassmann (15 points).

"(Trailing) has never been a good position for us all season," Yates said.

"We gave them some easy points and I also think you have to credit (No.) 33 (Capotosto). We didn't have an answer for her."

Capotosto finished 8-for-12 from the field and hit all 8 of her free throws as both teams shot a combined 29-for-33.

"We have a few more people to surprise," Capotosto said with another smile. "Our motto since Tuesday is we will not play scared."