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Elk Grove believes in OT victory

Trailing by 11 points with less than nine minutes to play Friday night, Elk Grove’s football team had some work to do.

It was time for the Grenadiers to follow their motto.

“You gotta believe,” said senior quarterback Dejan Basara. “That’s one of out mottos. That’s all it is — believing.”

But when Fremd running back Nick Storm galloped up the middle for a 56-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter for the 11-point lead, Fremd fans had to believe this night might be its second win of the season.

Basara and Co., though, were about to kick back into gear.

One quarter later, and after one round of overtime, it was the host Grens celebrating their second triumph, a 24-18 decision on Basara’s 2-yard TD run.

Elk Grove senior Stefan Skoneczka scored on a 25-yard run with 8:37 left and Barasa ran in into the end zone on a fake extra-point kick to cut the deficit to 18-15.

With 2:28 left on the clock, Barara drove the Grens (2-1) from their own 22 to the Fremd 14 before he kicked a 32-yard field goal on fourth-and-10 to tie the game at 18.

Included in the drive was a 21-yard strike from Basara to Fernando Lozano on fourth-and-12 and a 17-yard completion to Jeff Miceli with under a minute to play.

“Defensively, we didn’t hold them on that fourth-and-12 and that was the game,” said retiring Fremd coach Mike Donatucci, who was honored by Elk Grove officials at midfield before the game. “We made some great adjustments in the second half (rallying from a 7-3 deficit). We had the game but we couldn’t seal it.”

In the overtime, Elk Grove got the ball first. Basara ran the ball for 7 yards, 1 yard and then his 2-yard TD jaunt. His extra-point kick was blocked.

“That’s our bread and butter,” Basara said of the running game behind linemen Greg Johnsen, Kevin O’Malley, Dan Egan, Martin Diaz and Brian Mack. “It’s a power play with two blockers in front. The running backs do a great job of blocking in front. Stefan (Skoneczka) did a great job stepping up. He takes a big load off my shoulders.”

Fremd’s first play in overtime — which Donatucci said was miscommunication — was a pass to the end zone intercepted by defensive back Luc Dimaso (his second of the season).

“It was a huge win,” Basara said. “Coach (Brian Doll) didn’t want to say it was a must-win but I told the guys it was. We wanted to prove that we could beat a team in the (Mid-Suburban) West.”

Fremd senior running back AJ McGhee ran for 111 yards while sophomore quarterback Sam Beutler passed for 119 yards and ran for a TD behind the line of Ray Tarallo, Brad Ruehrdanz, James Burke, Kenneth Rapp and Nicolas Loden.

Vikings senior Connor Pfister caught 3 passes for 78 yards.