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RAPIDS -When the Elk Rapids girls basketball team defeated Grayling in the opening round of the district tournament it was a groundbreaking moment. At least that's how head coach Rick Sayer prefers to see it following what was a sometimes frustrating season for the Elks. The team struggled all season with injuries and illness continually forcing Sayer to alter his starting lineups as well as juggle his bench players. Just when it appeared the Elks were on the verge of turning the corner, another player would be sidelined and the process began again. But the Elks (8-13 overall, 5-9 in the league) finished strong, knocking off Grayling twice in two weeks -the biggest win coming in the districts on the Vikings' home floor. It was the first district tournament win for the Elks since 2003, and while they were eliminated by Petoskey in the next game, it was a visible sign of the progress the team had made. The Elks pulled away late in the game as Kacey Anderson triggered the surge when she converted a pass from Mikaela Sanford. She added two free throws after being fouled on the rebound, and the quick 5-0 spurt got the Elks started. Elk Rapids finished the Vikings off with a 21-10 advantage in the fourth quarter. With three sophomores already up on the varsity, Sayer pulled up sophomore Jessie Spoor and freshman Sarah Lloyd from the junior varsity. "I appreciate all the hard work and effort the girls gave this season," Sayer said. "It's encouraging for the girls to know that they did something special for the program in winning the first district game in five years." The Elks lose seniors Caitlin Orschel, Franki Price and Jocylen Fox who provided leadership on and off the court. Fox played a couple of games with a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) before finally having to go on the shelf. Price injured her shoulder in the first half of one game but demanded to go back in with the Elks down by three points at the end of the third quarter. Orschel surprised the coaching staff when she came to them asking what she could do to improve her game. Taking the advice they offered on what she should work on, Orschel became a much better player and earned a starting spot in the 11th game. "All three girls didn't expect anything to be given to them because they were seniors," Sayer said. "Having the younger kids see that example of selflessness was tremendous. It was invaluable. All three of those girls worked to earn what they got, and put the team ahead of themselves." Kacey Anderson missed a couple of games with an injury, but should receive some consideration for Lake Michigan Conference honors after averaging 15 points a game in league action. Her leadership will be key next year with the sophomores coming in as juniors still unsure of where they fit. "It should be a great year," Sayer said. "I'm excited for it to get started already. Those girls have all shown they want to work hard and help the team succeed."