When Maddie and Makenna Kussow were growing up in Oconto Falls, it wasn’t uncommon for them to wander over to the softball diamond and play catch.
Once the elder sister Maddie reached high school, she presumed she would never play organized softball with Makenna due to the three-year age difference.
“Honestly, I didn’t think it was going to happen,” Maddie said. “I knew she was a good pitcher, and I knew it was her dream to play on varsity, but honestly I didn’t think it would be this year.”
Fast forward to this season when Panthers pitcher McKenna Larsen — who had started on the mound the last three seasons — injured the ulnar collateral ligament in her right hand.
With Larsen’s season in limbo, an open competition for the Panthers’ starting pitching spot was held by Oconto Falls coach Rochell Otto. Makenna Kussow received the nod after standing out above the competition, one year removed from playing middle school softball.
“It’s a dream of mine, but also my parents’,” Maddie said. “It’s cool to see their two daughters play, and we’ve worked so hard.”
When Makenna got word she was going to be the starter, she worked harder outside of practice to improve her game. The transition from eighth-grade summer softball to varsity was a giant leap.
“Summer ball, you’re not going to face a hitter that you do at the varsity level,” Otto said. “You can be happy with just throwing strikes in summer ball, and here you’ve got to get ahead in the count and work on location.”
Makenna knew it was going to be a challenge but was ready for the uphill climb.
“The speed of the game is a lot different and the support behind me is a lot different from my eighth-grade year,” Makenna said.
Makenna responded, adding a rise ball and changeup to her arsenal of four pitches, increasing the freshman’s chances of success.
After a rocky start to her first season where she allowed eight runs or more in seven of her first nine games, she had doubts.
“It’s really tough mentally,” Makenna said. “It really makes you think, ‘Am I good enough to be in this position?’”
“She has actually responded quite well,” Otto said. “I just told her to do her best. She has never complained. A couple of times I called timeout and I would get on her, and she handled it quite well. She’s improved all year.”
“It taught me to keep my head up, and I know that I can trust the people behind me and to stay confident no matter what, whatever the score it,” Makenna said.
Makenna became comfortable once Otto decided to switch up the defensive lineup, reuniting the sisters as battery mates, after Maddie began the season at third base.
“I was honored to catch for my sister,” Maddie said. “I caught when I was younger and do some catching for McKenna Larsen as well. To be able to catch for my sister and to be able to get that chance at the position is awesome.”
Maddie – who is the team’s third-leading hitter with a .375 average and 18 hits and two home runs (through May 18) — can calm her sister down in difficult situations. Sometimes, there is some tough love involved.
“Sometimes it’s frustrating, but I like it when she’s behind the plate because I know that she’s not going to sugarcoat it, and she’s going to tell me how it is,” Makenna said. “At times that’s rough, but at times I need that.”
“I’m extremely hard on her because I want the best for her,” Maddie said. “Playing with her, it’s calmed her, but it’s also calmed me down.”
Makenna is 4-8 on the season, throwing in 14 of her team’s 15 games (through May 18). In 88 1/3 innings, she has an earned run average of 6.89, 38 strikeouts and 67 walks.
Makenna’s most impressive game to date was a four-hit performance May 8 in a 7-1 victory over Luxemburg-Casco.
From behind the plate, Maddie has seen Makenna become a more polished pitcher as the season has progressed.
“I don’t always like to admit it because she’s my sister, but she had become stronger mentally and physically,” Maddie said. “She’s grown as a person, being able to interact with all her teammates. … She’s learned that you’ve got to work hard for something that you want, it doesn’t just come to you.”
While Makenna is fortunate for the opportunity on the varsity squad, she is more fortunate for the chance to play alongside her sister.
“It’s very special. I never thought it would happen. It’s pretty cool that we got to,” Makenna said.
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