Phenomenal Fillies' State Softball Success Continues with 11th Trophy in 2025
A look at all the state tournament trips for Barrington and the Mid-Suburban League
Updated June 14, 2025
Barrington’s Fields of Dreams have been precisely that for the Fillies’ players in coach Perry Peterson’s softball program.
Pam Devins constructed a strong foundation that included the school’s trip to the first IHSA softball state tournament in 1976. Peterson has built it into one of the premier programs in any sport in the Mid-Suburban League, from a fourth-place state finish in his first year in 1993 to the trip to the 2025 state tourney with his team that finished second with a 35-4 record.
Peterson’s 1,006 career victories (990 at Barrington) now include 12 of the school’s 13 state tournament trips. This year’s team brought home the program’s 11th state trophy and the 18th for a MSL school.
We’ll take a look at the Fillies’ phenomenal run of state success and the other MSL teams that have reached the final weekend of the high school softball season. Most of the details are from the Daily Herald and the incomparable coverage of John Leusch. And a big thanks to retired Barrington assistant coach Denny Sander for some of the older photos.
1976 - One-Class Elite Eight (19-2)
Coach: Pam Devins
Quarterfinal - Tremont 2, Barrington 0 (8 inn.)
Barrington nearly won its first game in the inaugural state tournament without a hit but oddly enough it was a hit-by-pitch that kept the Fillies from winning the game in regulation against the small school located 16 miles southeast of Peoria. Tremont ace Margie Eckhoff had a no-hitter with two outs in the bottom of the seventh of a scoreless game when Barrington all-tourney pick Dana Hanna was hit by a pitch and stole second and third. Another pitch got past the catcher and Hanna slid in with the apparent winning run, but she had to return to third when the umpire ruled Terry Bagley was hit by the pitch. Eckhoff got out of the jam with a strikeout and walked to start the winning rally in the eighth on a 2-run single by Jody Vance, who came into the game hitting .077.
Eckhoff had 13 strikeouts and no walks but Barrington’s Shawne Bradley broke up the no-hitter with a two-out single to center in the eighth. She stole second and third and tried to swipe home on a return throw from the catcher to Eckhoff, but Eckhoff quickly fired the ball back to the catcher for the final out. “I was feeling a lot of despair and a lot of agony when I thought Barrington scored in the seventh,” Tremont coach Bonnie Yocum told the Bloomington Pantagraph’s Dale Haab. “But our girls finally came through. Barrington was really strong defensively and they robbed us of several hits. But it really did surprise me when they tried to score on the steal of home in the eighth.” Tremont reached the title game and lost 3-0 to Rich South.
Barrington ace Debi Dunn (15-2) went the distance and allowed only 4 hits with 7 strikeouts. The Fillies were hitting a staggering .593 as a team, but Eckhoff had showcased her abilities on the national amateur circuit with the powerhouse Pekin Lettes. “I’ve heard that their pitcher is nationally rated but I think we have some sound hitters that might give her some surprises,” Devins said in a Pantagraph preview story. “I know we’re not going to give her the game. I think we’ve got a real solid team.” Starters Jan Walstrom (.746), Mary Furst (.676), Hanna (.672), Bradley (.672), Jeanne Belknap (.564) and Bagley (.552) all hit better than .550.
One of the unique quirks was Tremont played its regular schedule in the fall and went 8-3 (all the losses with Eckhoff out with a broken thumb). In the spring, the Turks had only one practice game prior to the start of their 5 postseason games before facing Barrington. They were also dealing with tragedy as their starting shortstop was killed in a car accident in mid-May.
“The community is really behind us,” Yocum said. “The school board, teachers and a lot of kids watched us in the sectional. Even the farmers, who could have been working in the fields with the nice weather, have come to the games. We really like the tournament. I wish every team and coach could have a chance to go through it.”
Tremont would make it back in 2013 and finish second in Class 2A. Barrington would get the first of many chances to experience it under Peterson in 1993.
1993 - 4th Class AA (27-10)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Quarterfinal - Barrington 3, Oak Park-River Forest 2
Semifinal - Herrin 7, Barrington 0
3rd place - Sandburg 4, Barrington 1
Peterson had just a 16-9 season of head coaching experience at St. Viator when he took over the Barrington program after Devins retired. It was quite a debut as the team led by Daily Herald all-area captain and catcher Katie Carpenter, standout pitcher Kathy Bederske and three-sport all-area pick Ashley Berggren won the Fillies’ first regional title since 1982 and first sectional since 1976 to make it back to Pekin.
Carpenter’s go-ahead 2-run double with 2 outs in the third inning and Bederske’s 2-hitter against Oak Park put Barrington in the semifinals. Barrington got 6 hits in each of its final-day losses but could manage its only run on Carpenter’s sacrifice fly in the first inning of the third-place game. Jenny Franzese made the all-tournament team with 7 hits as the Fillies joined Elk Grove’s 1982 runner-up as MSL softball state-trophy winners. “Only four teams can walk away with a trophy and it’s a great feeling,” Peterson said. “Sandburg has a great program and this is what we want in the Northwest suburbs.”
2004 - 3rd AA (37-5)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Quarterfinal - Barrington 2, Sandburg 1
Semifinal - Lockport 9, Barrington 0
3rd place - Barrington 4, Belleville East 1
It took Peterson and the Fillies 11 years to get back to the state tournament, which was now in East Peoria, but they made sure to stay and play for both days again. Pitcher Abby Reed and second baseman Samantha Deevy were all-area co-captains and were joined on the team by outfielders Erin Lernihan, Kristen Garry and Sarah Todd and catcher Alison Twite. Reed’s 80 career victories passed BG’s Laura Stock for the most in MSL history.
Reed threw a 5-hitter with 3 strikeouts and got her 29th win of season when Lernihan drew a one-out walk in the seventh, stole second, was bunted to third by Garry and scored on Deevy’s sacrifice fly. Todd had an RBI infield single to tie it in the third against Sandburg. Lockport out-hit Barrington 12-2 in the semifinal, but the Fillies bounced back to take third as Reed threw a 4-hitter to pass Kathy Bederske for the most wins in a season at 30. Holly Heinemann had an RBI triple to put the Fillies ahead for good in a 3-run fifth in the first of the program’s three 37-win seasons. “What a way to finish our careers,” Twite said of her senior class that was 132-18. But this was only the beginning of a big run of state trips.
2005 - 3rd AA (33-8)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Quarterfinal - Barrington 1, Sandburg 0 (9 inn.)
Semifinal - Moline 5, Barrington 0
3rd place - Barrington 2, Lake Park 1
The Fillies had a lot of new faces but made it back to East Peoria behind all-area picks in the sophomore battery of pitcher Claire Voris and catcher Allie DeWitt, junior third baseman Holly Heinemann and junior shortstop Maggie Stopka. A 2-1 supersectional win over Grayslake set up another dramatic quarterfinal rematch with Sandburg. This one couldn’t get done in regulation and Barrington forced a ninth inning when catcher turned center fielder Katie Jensen cut down the potential winning run with a perfect throw to nail a runner trying to score from second on a single. Heinemann had a two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth and Kathleen Duffy ended it by stranding runners at second and third with a pair of popouts.
Unfortunately for the Fillies, their offense was silenced for a third consecutive time in the semis as they had just 3 hits against Moline. They were held to just 1 hit in the third-place game - Stopka’s bunt single to start the sixth - but that led to the winning run when Lindsay Randall reached on a forceout, moved up on Heinemann’s groundout and scored on a steal and throwing error. Duffy threw a 5-hitter and Barrington went 2-1 in the tourney despite getting only 6 hits in 3 games. “It’s incredible to finish third out of 264 teams,” Peterson said. “Only two teams finish the season with a win, and we can say we were one of them.” The Barrington baseball team also finished third in the AA tourney.
2006 - AA Elite Eight (33-7)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Quarterfinal - Sandburg 8, Barrington 2
For the third consecutive season it would be familiar quarterfinal matchup for the Fillies, who were led by all-area captain and pitcher Claire Voris and all-area picks Allie DeWitt, Kathleen Duffy, Holly Heinemann, Katie Jensen and Lindsay Randall. But this time it would be Sandburg moving on to play Saturday as it took control with a 5-run third inning. Barrington’s 5 hits were just 1 fewer than its entire 2005 state tourney output and Duffy and Erin Pianetto had 2 hits apiece but it wasn’t enough. “It was just so much fun every day,” Jensen said. “And I have no doubt that our girls coming back will step up and have another great season. Coach Peterson won’t let them do anything less.”
2007 - 2nd AA (37-4)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Quarterfinal - Barrington 2, Lincoln-Way East 1
Semifinal - Barrington 2, Downers Grove South 0
Championship - Normal Community 1, Barrington 0
The final Elite Eight of the state’s two-class system saw Barrington nearly claim the biggest trophy. All-area captain and pitcher Claire Voris and catcher Allie DeWitt became the first players in MSL history to play on four league championship and Elite Eight teams. They were joined on the all-area team by outfielder Sammie Bloomfield, second baseman Adena Gilden and shortstop M.J. Maropis. Barrington only had 2 hits in the quarterfinal win over Lincoln-Way East, but one of them was a 2-run blast by Bloomfield in the third. The team-record 30th homer was all the offense Voris needed for her state-record 35th victory in one season.
Barrington would finally be on the other end of a semifinal blanking as Voris threw a 5-hitter with 7 strikeouts for her 24th shutout of the spring against Downers South. The Fillies managed only 3 hits from Emma Sander, Devinne Wapotish and Maropis, whose single to start the sixth led to their 2 runs scoring on a 2-out error on DeWitt’s grounder. But the ball didn’t bounce their way in the title game with Normal Community as its only run scored in the third on Katie Lutes’ drive to right field that hit the top of the fence and bounced over for a homer. Voris (36-3) threw a 3-hitter but Normal’s Amber May fired a 1-hitter with 17 strikeouts. Wapotish doubled to start the sixth and got to third on Kim Cygan’s sacrifice but May escaped with a popped-up bunt and strikeout.
“If someone had told me we’d get 6 hits (the entire tournament) and get second place, I would have told them I’d be very happy,” Peterson said.
“Second in the state is great,” Voris said. “I’m so proud of everyone. I know we’ll get a state championship here eventually. I won’t be here but I’ll come back and watch. There is so much potential.”
2008 - 2nd 4A (31-7)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Semifinal - Barrington 6, Lake Park 1
Championship - Lincoln-Way Central 4, Barrington 1
The IHSA’s move to four classes also meant only two games and a guaranteed trophy for the four teams that reached the state finals. A fifth consecutive trip for Barrington required an incredible supersectional comeback where shortstop Michal Jane Maropis atoned for an error with a tying 2-run homer and freshman Kiersten Tinkoff had an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th of a 4-3 win over Crystal Lake South. Kim Cygan was the latest in the long line of standout pitchers as the all-area captain and was joined on the team by Maropis, catcher Devinne Wapotish, second baseman Jessica McGurn and outfielder Lisa Shandley.
While the Fillies had 10 new faces and three freshmen starters on their 2008 roster they made it back to the title game. They broke open a tight semfiinal against Lake Park with a 4-run seventh as Cygan (30-6) threw a 3-hitter with 9 strikeouts and no walks. McGurn went 4-for-4 with a tiebreaking homer in the fourth and Maropis had a 3-run double in the seventh. “Who would’ve thought we’d be back in this game?” Peterson asked.
The title game was scoreless through four when Lincoln-Way Central gradually pulled away with an unearned run in the fifth, another run in the sixth and 2 unearned runs in the seventh. Maropis homered in the sixth to cut the Fillies’ deficit to 2-1.
“We fought really hard for first,” McGurn said. “We didn’t want it to end this way but it was an amazing season.”
“All 38 players (in the program) did a great job and to the credit of the top 15 who were on this team, they worked so hard to go out and try to reach their goal of a state title,” Peterson said. “They came close, but it didn’t quite happen.”
2013 - 3rd 4A (36-2)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Semifinal - St. Charles East 3, Barrington 2
3rd place - Barrington 5, York 1
The Fillies ended what would be considered a lengthy state tourney drought for the program. Their offense broke 14 school records that included 54 homers - with 18 from All-Area captain Lauren Krzysko (42 career) - and their lone regular-season loss was 3-2 in 15 innings to Marengo. But the Fillies were stunned by St. Charles East’s 3-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh capped by Olivia Lorenzini’s 2-run single to deep center with 2 outs. Barrington had scratched out a 2-0 lead on Krzysko’s RBI single in the sixth and a run on a wild pitch in the seventh.
Barrington rebounded to take third as Keenan Dolezal (29-2) didn’t allow a York hit until one out in the fifth, Maggie O’Hara had 2 doubles and Raegan Fingerman and Katie Dehnert had 2 hits apiece. “It’s definitely an accomplishment but bittersweet,” said Barrington senior Sam Rosenfeld. Barrington’s 36-2 finish was the best winning percentage (.947) in program history. “It’s so difficult to win any game at the state finals,” Peterson said. “But I’m so happy how our team was so resilient on the field today.”
2015 - 4th 4A (32-8)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Semifinal - Lincoln-Way East 11, Barrington 0 (5 innings)
3rd place - Oak Park-River Forest 3, Barrington 2
Barrington finished second to Schaumburg in a year where four MSL West teams won 20 games but that competition prepared it for another run to the state tourney behind all-area picks Keenan Dolezal, Jenna Fingerman, Kelly Katis, Rachel Krzysko and Rachel Macdonald. Unfortunately for the Fillies they were no-hit in the semifinal by Lincoln-Way East’s Nikole Van Gennep and were shut out through six innings in the third-place game. Fingerman’s double started a 2-run rally that fell short and Katis had 2 hits for the Fillies. “We didn’t get the results we wanted, but to say we are fourth in the state, that’s something not too many people get to say,” Katis said.
2017 - 3rd 4A (37-4)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Semifinal - Oak Park-River Forest 5, Barrington 1
3rd place - Barrington 7, Marist 6 (9 innings)
The Fillies’ every-other-year pattern of getting to the state finals continued behind all-area captain and catcher Abbey Jacobsen and all-area picks Carly Kordich, Rachel Krzysko, Catherine McMahon and Kendall Peterson. They had a daunting semifinal task as defending 4A champion Oak Park came in at 35-1 and a 61-game winning streak against Illinois teams. Tori Meyer’s single to center was the Fillies’ only hit through 6 innings off Auburn-bound ace Chardonnay Harris but sophomore Leyden Atlas’ double set up Peterson’s sacrifice fly in the seventh.
But the Fillies put in extra work to finish third and tie the school record for wins at 37. Meyer came on in relief with no outs and a 2-0 deficit in the first inning and allowed only 1 earned run the rest of the way. Krzysko’s 2-out, 2-run single in the top of the seventh tied it at 6-6 and Kordich’s two-out RBI single in the ninth gave the Fillies a happy ending as they finished third for the fourth time. “Our coaches told us before the game there is a 100 percent different feeling getting third place instead of fourth,” Krzysko said.
2022 - 4th 4A (33-7)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Semifinal - Marist 6, Barrington 5
3rd place - Edwardsville 4, Barrington 3
The powerful Fillies came into the tourney with 78 homers, led by Allie Goodwin with 18, Emma Kavanagh and Ainsley Muno with 15 apiece and Brynn Nevers with 12, but were unable to add to that total in Peoria. They did lead in both games as Ellie Wintringer went 2-for-4 with 4 RBI against Marist and had a hit and RBI against Edwardsville. A two-out, bases-loaded rally in the seventh inning of the semifinal came up just short. “I think that getting fourth place, even though we lost both of our games, is a huge accomplishment for us,” Wintringer said. “We know we’re a good program and this proves it to us.”
2023 - 4th 4A (35-7)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Semifinal - Marist 10, Barrington 0 (5 innings)
3rd place - Oak Park-River Forest 2, Barrington 1
Barrington experienced both extremes in its 12th trip to the state tourney. The Fillies got just 1 hit in the semifinal and trailed 7-0 after the second inning to a Marist team that beat them 16-1 in early April. They rebounded quickly in the third-place game by loading the bases with no outs in the first inning and getting a run when Ainsley Muno was hit by a pitch. But they couldn’t capitalize further and a seventh-inning threat started by Reese Cullen’s single fell short. Cullen had 2 hits and Allie Goodwin threw a 7-hitter with 6 strikeouts. “One of the things I’ll remember about this team was the players’ willingness to adapt to the changes we made along the way,” Peterson said.
2025 - 4th 4A (35-4)
Coach: Perry Peterson
Semifinal - Barrington 1, Lockport 0 (10 innings)
Title game - Oswego 4, Barrington 1
Barrington had 3 shutouts and allowed only 3 runs in 5 postseason games to get back to Peoria for the third time in four years. Junior pitcher Katie Taraschewsky (31-4), Ohio State-bound catcher Reese Cullen (15 HR) and Mimi Cline (11 HR) led the way for the Fillies as they got a chance to avenge a 3-2 loss to end the regular season to Lockport in the semifinals. Taraschewsky was magnificent as she scattered 7 hits and had only 1 walk and 3 strikeouts in a duel with Lockport’s Kelcie McGraw that lasted 2 hours, 33 minutes. The Fillies finally broke through in the top of the 10th when shortstop Shannon Kenney reached on a one-out error and scored on Shaylee Hiser’s single to center and error.
Taraschewsky came back in the title game with a pair of scoreless innings against powerful Oswego, which went ahead to stay on Aubriella Garza’s 14th homer with 2 out in the third. Only 2 runs allowed by Taraschewsky were earned as the Fillies committed 5 errors. Oswego’s Jaelynn Anthony threw a 4-hitter with 8 strikeouts and Taraschewsky’s one-out single to right and two-base error in the sixth led to the Fillies’ only run on Kenney’s groundout.
“The kid is such an intense competitor,” Peterson said of Taraschewsky. “We followed her lead in pressure situations.”
MSL’s Rest of the Best
1982 - Elk Grove
One-Class 2nd (33-2)
Coaches: Ken Grams/Doug Millstone
Quarterfinal - Elk Grove 13, Metamora 3
Semifinal - Elk Grove 4, Herrin 0
Title game - Quincy Notre Dame 6, Elk Grove 0
The MSL’s first softball trophy winner was part of an incredible spring at Elk Grove where the baseball team led by future big-league pitcher Dave Otto also made the state finals. The softball team had its own dominant ace in Cindy Sunagel, who came in at 27-0 with an ERA of 0.79, along with all-MSL picks Dawn Juliano, Kathy Leyden and Karen Hellyer. Sunagel took care of Metamora and Herrin but defending champion Quincy Notre Dame ace Lori Vogel, who was the focus of what some regarded as an illegal delivery, gave up only hits to Kathy Hennelly and Jenny Antor. Not surprisingly, Millstone and Grams dismissed that as an issue. “We are a class team,” Millstone told the players going into the seventh inning down 6-0. “If we are going to lose, let’s lose with class.”
1984 - Arlington
One-Class Semifinalist (27-3-1)
Coach: Mary Welpton
Quarterfinal - Arlington 3, Andrew 1
Semifinal - Richards 6, Arlington 2
NOTE: IHSA did not play a third-place game until 1985
It was a somewhat bizarre and bittersweet trip to state for Arlington as it played its semifinal in Pekin on the same day the 62-year-old school was holding classes for the final time before closing for good. Pitcher Peggy Ellsworth captained the Daily Herald’s first all-area softball team and was joined by catcher Leslie Shoemaker and second baseman Michelle Arnoux on the squad. The Cardinals rebounded from a loss to Rolling Meadows in the MSL title game and won their quarterfinal as Ellsworth threw a 2-hitter and Arnoux drove in all 3 runs. But there was no storybook ending as Richards scored 4 runs in the top of the first and Arlington managed just 3 hits in the semifinal. “They were having a half-day at school today,” Ellsworth said. “We thought about it and then we were kind of glad we weren’t there. It would have been so emotional.”
1985 - Prospect
AA Elite Eight (25-4)
Coach: Bob Genzen
Quarterfinal - Marian Catholic 4, Prospect 1
Prospect became the third District 214 softball team in four years to make the state finals behind all-area captain and catcher Sophia Vassos, shortstop Tammy Hanke, third baseman Tracy Kostak, outfielder Karen Sievertsen, first baseman Julie Lukomski and sophomore pitcher Laura Stock, who won 79 career games. Hanke had the unique distinction of playing for two schools in the state tourney by joining the Knights after Arlington closed. But they could manage only Sievertsen’s two-out single in the sixth in the quarterfinal loss to Marian. “I’m happy that we got here,” Vassos said. “It was a big goal for us to do that. I just didn’t think it would end so soon.” Prospect won its first 27 games in 1986 before losing to New Trier in the sectional final.
1997 - Fremd
AA Elite Eight (26-12)
Coach: Rob Harris
Quarterfinal - Tazewell Morton 3, Fremd 0
Fremd became the first District 211 softball team to get to state as it benefited from a tough schedule where all its losses were to 20-win teams. Pitcher Courtney Walker, Molly Freeman and Robyn Pettinger were all-area picks for the Vikings but they had to face a team from Morton, just east of Peoria, that was making its fourth consecutive state tourney trip. Walker threw a 6-hitter but the Vikings couldn’t convert their chances against Morton’s Kristin Smith. “We just came down here to have fun, whether we won or lost,” Walker said. “We had nothing to lose. The pressure was on them.”
2000 - Fremd
4th AA (31-9)
Coach: Rob Harris
Quarterfinal - Fremd 10, Lane Tech 0 (5 innings)
Semifinal - Joliet Township 9, Fremd 2
3rd - Sandburg 8, Fremd 3
It was a big spring at Fremd as the softball and baseball teams finished fourth at their AA state tourneys. The softball team was led by all-area captain pitcher and cleanup hitter Ellen Stoddard, a sophomore whose dad Tim had a long big-league pitching career and started for the 1974 North Carolina State NCAA basketball champion. Carolyn Beata, Jenny Glonke and Becky Van Bramer also made all-area as the Vikings set the school’s victory record at 31 in the trip to DeKalb. Stoddard (20-4) threw a 2-hitter to beat Lane Tech and the Vikings took early leads in the Saturday games against a pair of south suburban powers as they joined Elk Grove (1982) and Barrington (1993) as MSL softball trophy-winners. “It’s truly an honor to get fourth place,” Stoddard said.
2001 - Fremd
AA Elite Eight (26-15)
Coach: Rob Harris
Quarterfinal - Glenbard North 2, Fremd 0
Ellen Stoddard was back along with all-area picks Becky Van Bramer and Beth Narey and the Vikings recovered from a 3-7 start to get back to the AA quarterfinals in their new venue in East Peoria. Stoddard threw a 3-hitter and gave up only 1 earned run but was robbed of a chance to tie the game in the sixth on a leaping grab of her liner to shortstop. After the game Harris told his team and the media he was retiring after 10 years as head coach. “That made it even sadder,” said catcher Ashley Ogorek. “But as for our season, Mr. Weaver (assistant coach Jim) put things in perspective. He told us we’d come a long way this season to get downstate.”
2002 - Fremd
AA Elite Eight (28-11)
Coach: Jim Weaver
Quarterfinal - Normal Community 1, Fremd 0
Weaver moved up from pitching coach and had Ellen Stoddard back to make a third consecutive trip to the state finals. Stoddard, Donna Springer, Rachel Terry and Kristin Wolski earned all-area honors as the Vikings faced defending champion Normal Community and Iowa-bound Ali Arnold, who had allowed only 29 hits with an ERA of 0.04. Stoddard scattered 7 hits and allowed only a run in the first but Arnold made it hold up in a 3-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Fremd’s best chance was second-and-third with two outs in the sixth but Arnold escaped with a strikeout. “If we get one big hit we win,” Weaver said. “But that’s how it goes. I couldn’t be prouder of these kids.”
2009 - Fremd
3rd 4A (33-5)
Coach: Jim Weaver
Semifinal - Loyola 1, Fremd 0 (8 innings)
3rd place - Fremd 3, Naperville Central 2
Fremd finished second to Barrington in the MSL West but beat the Fillies 1-0 in 8 innings for a sectional title and topped Prairie Ridge 3-1 in the supersectional to return to East Peoria with the all-area crew of pitcher Lena Brottman, Jenny Schneider, Jessica Tackett, Kelly Voigt and Lauren Zaworski. Brottman threw a 5-hitter in the semifinals but 2 eighth-inning throwing errors led to the only run as Devin Miller struck out 15 in her third perfect game and seventh no-hitter of the season. But Fremd would get its best finish ever with a school-record 33 wins and third-place finish as Brottman had 11 strikeouts and Alexa Cinquegrani had a 2-run single. “We talked to the kids all offseason that we felt our business last year was unfinished,” Weaver said. “And our business was to get here and win a state championship. I guess that business is still unfinished moving forward, but we’ll take third.”
2010 - Fremd
2nd 4A (33-5)
Coach: Jim Weaver
Semifinal - Fremd 4, Elk Grove 1
Title game - Sandburg 2, Fremd 1
2010 - Elk Grove
3rd 4A (36-6)
Coach: Ken Grams
Semifinal - Fremd 4, Elk Grove 1
3rd place - Rained out; Elk Grove and Moline received third-place trophies
The only time the MSL had two teams in the state tourney in the same year was also a league-championship rematch in the semifinals between Fremd, making its sixth trip since 1997, and Elk Grove, making its first since 1982. They split their regular-season meetings with Elk Grove winning a crossover 4-2 and Fremd taking the MSL title game 1-0.
All-area captain Lena Brottman of Fremd would finish with a MSL record 83 career wins and was joined on the all-area team by Alexa Cinquegrani, Allie Gaeding, Jenny Schneider, Kelly Voigt, Kristine Werling and Lauren Zaworski. Elk Grove was led by its all-area crew of Jessica Balzano, Dani Goranson, Stephanie Maday, Devan Parkison and Olivia Roback. In the semifinal, Brottman threw a 4-hitter with 16 strikeouts and the only run she allowed was on a homer by Kristen Cetkovic in the fifth to cut Elk Grove’s deficit to 2-1. The Vikings responded with back-to-back RBI triples by Zaworski and Voigt in the bottom of the inning. “Only two teams (in 4A) get to end with a win so that’s our goal,” Grams said.
Unfortunately for both it wouldn’t happen. Elk Grove wound up sharing third place with Moline with the game rained out. Fremd fell behind 2-0 in the first inning of the title game but got a late boost when Cinquegrani hit a towering one-out homer to center in the seventh. The Vikings would get two runners on with two outs but Sandburg held on for its first title. “It was a great run,” Weaver said. “You can’t ask for much better from a group of girls. They made every sacrifice we asked of them.”
2012 - Elk Grove
4th 4A (33-10)
Coach: Ken Grams
Semifinal - Marist 2, Elk Grove 0
3rd place - Moline 4, Elk Grove 2 (8 innings)
Grams, who set the state record for career softball coaching victories with No. 1,045 in 2025, made his third trip to the state tourney with all-area picks Dani Goranson, Devan Parkison, Krista Soesbe, Andrea Starr and Becca Walz. Goranson gave up only 5 hits with 7 strikeouts but a 2-run homer in the fifth by Maggie Gorman was all the offense Marist needed in the semis. Elk Grove had a threat in the sixth stifled after Tori Liewergen’s one-out single broke up a perfect game and Goranson doubled with two outs. The Grens couldn’t hold a 2-0 lead going into the seventh of the third-place game with Moline and Goranson was robbed of a potential tying single with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth. “I was so proud to be a part of this team,” Walz said. “I couldn’t have pictured my season ending any other way than here.”
2018 - Palatine
3rd 4A (29-6)
Coach: Nicole Pauly Capalbo
Semifinal - Plainfield North 7, Palatine 0
3rd place - Palatine 2, York 0
A stunning two-out, sixth-inning supersectional outburst of 3-run homers by freshman Kaitlyn Reed and junior Emily Parrott, the daughter of two-time Elite Eight qualifier Tammy Hanke (1984 Arlington and 1985 Prospect), put Palatine in the state finals for the first time. Pauly Capalbo, a star shortstop for the Pirates, also became the first MSL softball player to coach a team to a state trophy. Grace Huff and Maddie Craver had 2 hits apiece for all the Pirates’ offense in the semifinal loss, but they rebounded to finish third as Sarah Grossman threw a 2-hit shutout with 6 strikeouts and got the only run she needed on Amanda Stanczuk’s RBI single in the first. “If someone had told me my freshman year we’d be going to state my senior year, I would have told them they’re crazy,” said MSL West co-player of the year Maddie Craver. “I’m so amazed and thankful for this team for getting us here.”