With 10 returning letter-winners, including ace pitcher Makenna Kussow, Oconto Falls High School is hoping for a successful girls softball season.
The Panthers finished 8-13 (4-12 Bay Conference) and were one pitch away from reaching the WIAA Division 2 sectional finals last year.
Kussow shouldered the load on the mound as a freshman after graduated senior McKenna Larsen missed nearly the entire season due to injury.
“She has a couple more pitches this year and has worked hard this offseason,” Panthers’ coach Rochell Otto said. “I believe the experience Kussow had on the mound last year will help her as a sophomore.”
Otto will rely on senior McKenna Holman, who was named first-team all-conference last year, to lead the offense.
Holman, who batted .471 last year with a team-leading 19 RBIs, played first base but could share catching duties with senior Holly Virtues this season, Otto said.
Senior shortstop Liz Manns, who hit .440 with 27 hits and 15 RBIs en route to second-team all-conference honors, is a four-year starter that will be the left-handed leadoff hitter for Oconto Falls.
“Liz Manns has always been strong at the plate, and will have to continue to have to hit well, as she has in the past,” Otto said.
The team lost three seniors to graduation: catcher and All-Bay honorable mention Maddie Kussow, outfielder Nicolle Sparks and third baseman Ashley Terry.
“Offensively, we will need to have people step up, but defensively we will be fine,” Otto said. “It will be interesting to see how our offense responds, because we lost three batters, and two of them batted above .400.”
Other key returning letter-winners are seniors Sabrina Brasier at second base and centerfielder McKayla Johnson.
Brasier batted .226, including a double and home run, and scored 13 runs last year.
Otto also expects to give more playing time to junior outfielder Madison Helmle, who will play alongside Johnson, in an attempt to replace Sparks’ .309 batting average.
With the departure of Terry, who batted .403, junior Mikaela Thomson will get more playing time. She manned the hot corner in 12 of 21 games as a sophomore.
Otto said he also has been impressed with sophomore utility player and returning letter-winner Bailey Magnin at practice.
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