Wauconda junior catcher Maddie May is prepared for the attention this time around.
After batting .500 during her breakout freshman season, May was a feared hitter. So she wasn’t going to surprise anyone last year.
“It was tougher last season because the coaches on the other team knew how I played and had more info on me,” she said. “I had to make more adjustments on how I was being pitched.
“I had a couple of games where I was walked intentionally. It riled me up more than it should have. It should’ve been more of an ego boost. Maybe that’s why I’m so eager to play this season. I have a lot of confidence and am ready for a special season.”
Opposing pitchers won’t be nearly as confident facing May, a two-time Class 3A all-state third-team selection who still hit .459 with four home runs and 37 RBIs last season, even after knee surgery in December 2024.
May is aiming higher as the Bulldogs (10-25) set their sights on unseating state power Antioch, which has won four straight Northern Lake County Conference titles outright since the teams tied for first in 2021 and has won five straight sectional titles.
Wauconda coach Tim Orisek also expects May will leap forward.
“Catching-wise, her leadership and aggressiveness stand out to me,” Orisek said. “She’s very aware of the situations and knows how to handle the pitching staff.
“But offensively is where she really shines. She’s getting better every season, gaining power and quicker bat speed. She can hit to all fields with power.”
The Bulldogs return six starters but have eight underclassmen on the roster, so they will rely heavily on May, a team captain. That includes Orisek.
“Maddie takes a lot off my plate in terms of managing the catching part of the game,” Orisek said.
May, who has offers from Parkside and Catawba College, agrees that she has made strides both behind the plate and at the plate.
“I definitely put a lot more work into catching,” she said. “Last year, I wanted to hit more home runs after not hitting any home runs in my freshman year. I thought that was a big improvement. I feel like I’ve gotten stronger and worked more on the mental approach of the game.”
Wauconda junior pitcher Aubrey Fetingis, who called May “one of my closest friends,” noted that May has the ability to settle her down in the circle.
“She knows when her pitchers need a minute and calls time and talks to us,” Fetingis said. “She never fails to bring up the energy.”
Wauconda sophomore first baseman/pitcher Georgia Reimers also likes having May behind the plate.
“I think what makes Maddie such a good catcher is how she is able to call games,” Reimers said. “She understands the pitches and spins well enough to know what to call on different types of batters.”
Orisek said May is already shaping into one of Wauconda’s greats.
“We’ve had some really good players go through our program in the last five years, but I would put her right up there among the best,” Orisek said. “She still has two years to go.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
