Maisto, Porto the leaders of BC's success

It doesn't seem like it's been four years since Erica Maisto and Brooke Porto started playing varsity softball at Burlington Central.

But it has.

And now, as the only two seniors playing for the program that has been the model of consistency in this area for the past four years, Maisto and Porto are the leaders of a team that is off to another hot start, sitting at 7-0 through Wednesday.

"It's our determination, said Maisto when asked how the Rockets are continuing their winning ways. "We want to show everyone that even though we lost three key seniors we still belong."

On reputation alone, that isn't a tough job. The Rockets were ranked No. 2 in Class 3A in this week's ICA state poll. They have owned the Big Northern East the past several years and are after their fourth straight conference title.

All with just two seniors on a roster that is talent-rich from top to bottom.

"They've both been part of a foundation of a program that has had a lot of success the past three-and-a-quarter years," said 10th-year BC coach Scot Sutherland. "They've been integral parts to our success. Erica is very steady and composed. Brooke is a little more of a spitfire and just a good all-around athlete."

Maisto, a right-handed pitcher and left fielder, burst onto the scene her freshman season when she was 26-3 and selected as an honorary co-captain of the Daily Herald's All-Area team. Now, as she closes out her stellar career, her 64 varsity wins are just 6 shy of tying Heather Wendt's school record of 70. Maisto has lost only 9 times in her 73 varsity decisions, and she's closing in on 500 career strikeouts. She's also thrown 37 career shutouts. She's close to .300 in career batting average and is on track to become a four-time all-area player.

"That would be a good individual goal for me," said Maisto of possibly breaking the school record for wins. "I respect Heather so much and to be in the caliber she was and to share something like that with her would be cool."

While Maisto pitched 213 innings her freshman season, leading BC to a 34-3 record, the entrance of Mackenzie Scott into the program the next year gave Sutherland what is possibly the best 1-2 pitching combo around. It also diminished Maisto's innings in the circle but allowed her to become a more rounded player.

"I can contribute more to the team than pitching," said Maisto, also a member of the school's girls golf program who hit .302 with 15 RBI last season. "I feel like I can go give it my all pitching or playing left field and hitting. It gives me a different perspective of the game to not pitch all the time. I'd like to think I've become a well-rounded player."

As has Porto. The fiery center fielder, who also played volleyball all four years for the Rockets, can play any outfield position or third base, or even catch a game if needed. Her speed in the outfield is paramount to the Rockets' defensive success, a fact never more clear than her freshman year when she made two "Willie Mays-Hayes" type catches in a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Dakota in the sectional championship game, something she still calls her favorite memory of playing softball for the Rockets.

Porto's feisty attitude also gives Sutherland the two ends of the spectrum in terms of senior leadership.

"Me and Erica both feel we're the leaders and it's our team," said Porto, who hit .319 with 19 RBI last year while earning all-area honors. "We want to do the best we can for our teammates."

Maisto and Porto have also spent four years playing with high expectations from a demanding coaching staff -- which includes Maisto's dad, Wade, and Lowell Oranger -- something they both say has been as much a key to the Rockets' 113-14 record since they first donned varsity uniforms as anything.

"You want to come out and show people you can get things done and the expectations that are placed on us help motivate me," said Maisto, who hasn't decided if she's going to play in college but will take a visit to Upper Iowa University soon.

"We want to be one of those dominating teams and show our Rocket Pride."

Porto, the team's cleanup hitter this season, also says pressure, demanding coaches and high expectations are a good thing.

"We need to have that kind of pressure on us. (The coaches) are just trying to make us be the best we can be," said Porto, the last of the sports-playing Porto family.

"That's a good attitude for seniors to have," Sutherland said. "We always talk to them about not always believing what you see and read and that you are only as good as your last game. Erica and Brooke both understand that and they've done a good job of expressing that to their teammates."

The expectations Sutherland and his staff place on their team include winning at the top of the list.

"We want to have fun and enjoy ourselves but we want to be the best and we want to win. That's what we're dedicated to," said Porto, who will attend SIU-Edwardsville next year but has no plans to continue playing sports as she studies medicine.

Maisto says the BC coaching staff, in the end, just wants what's best for the team.

"Sometimes they do lose sight of the fact that we do make mistakes at times," she said. "But it's good that they want us to play at a high level. I wouldn't want to play for a coach that says just go out and have fun. Winning is important to us."

Even though Sutherland cringes when certain reporters bring up the postseason in April, the IHSA's new 4-class system could allow the Rockets to go deeper into the postseason than ever. They've won 5 regional titles under Sutherland, including 4 straight, but have not advanced out of a sectional since 1993, when Wade Maisto was the head coach and they reached the Elite Eight.

But this year, with a potent offense led by junior leadoff hitter Kayla Oranger and promising sophomore Sam Gruner, the Rockets would appear to have all the ingredients to go far.

"Our pitching is the best of the best in this area and we have good hitters who get the job done when it's needed," said Porto. "Everybody's doing their job."

"I definitely feel we should win conference and go farther than years before," said Maisto. "Everybody would love to go Downstate and win state but if we don't get that I don't want to feel like we failed. I want us to win a sectional championship. I know we can get that."

Sutherland's expectations remain high as well -- maybe higher than his team's.

"Our expectations are higher for them than what they've set for themselves sometimes," he said. "They know there's a lot to live up to. They may moan and groan at times but they know in the long run all the hard work is going to pay dividends in the end. At the end of the day, it's winning that creates the fun."

And the Rockets have been doing an awful lot of winning and been having an awful lot of fun the past four years, with players like Maisto and Porto leading the way.