Team concept: Duehr, Mattera share captaincy
It wasn’t Olivia Duehr’s deer-in-the-headlights moment because, well, Antioch’s unflappable softball star never freezes or flinches. But, oh dear, Duehr does remembers her first impression of Megan Mattera.
They would become rivals on high school diamonds. Travel teammates. Friends. Division I recruits with rocket arms and the ability to rocket balls over fences.
They would become the best softball players in Lake County for three straight years.
“She looked muscular and fit — like a great athlete,” Duehr said. “She looked like she could take control of whatever she was doing.”
Funny thing about Lake Zurich’s big bad Bear: Once you remove the ankle guards, the cage she wears when pitching, the dark-blue shades and black sun-reflecting patches, the extra-long batting gloves (which Duehr also wears), Megan Mattera is actually a teddy bear.
“She’s just a real down-to-earth person,” Duehr said. “She’s really nice. She always wants to help people out.”
Mattera, like Duehr, loves getting batters out.
So no wonder the two power players hit it off.
“She’s probably one of the goofiest people I’ve met,” Mattera, laughing, said of Duehr. “She’s a big jokester, and sometimes I set myself up for her jokes. I’m OK with that. She is a great person to know, and I’m glad I got to meet her and be a teammate of hers.”
Lake County softball fans were lucky to watch the two play the last three years. Duehr, a Northwestern signee, and Mattera, a Miami (Ohio) recruit, are co-captains of this year’s Daily Herald Lake County All-Area softball team.
The honor is nothing new to either pitcher.
Duehr served as captain of the 2009 all-area team. Mattera captured the title last year.
“Megan and Olivia are both intimidating pitchers,” Antioch coach Jeff Tylka said. “Their presence on the mound is noticed immediately by opposing players because of the quiet confidence they both exude. Neither player is the type of girl who is screaming and yelling, but (rather) is simply going about her business with focus and a strong competitive fire.”
Tylka probably knows best. As a coach with the Illinois Chill Gold, he has coached both Duehr and Mattera during the summer.
“Each girl has the ability to win a game by herself with her pitching and hitting,” Tylka said. “Megan is more of an outside pitcher with one dominating pitch (drop curve) and the ability to throw others to keep hitters honest. Olivia mixes it up more and moves the ball side to side with the occasional rise. Both pitchers are extremely difficult to hit when they have their change-ups working.
“I think the best attribute that both players have is their ability to listen and get better each year,” Tylka added. “They are students of the game and are always striving to get better.”
Duehr’s 2011 offensive numbers included a .467 batting average with 9 homers and 45 RBI. She hit 25 career home runs; Mattera was batting .408 going into the Warren sectional, and finished the season with 10 homers and 32 RBI. She slugged 30 career dingers. Duehr won 18 games, struck out 219 batters and posted a 1.66 ERA; Mattera was a 21-game winner with 184 strikeouts and, as of last week, a 1.67 ERA.
Duehr homered off Mattera during the regular season. Mattera hit a 3-run bomb off Duehr in the North Suburban Conference championship game. LZ won in extra innings, after Duehr and her teammates claimed the title game in extras in each of the previous two seasons.
“I think we’ve both matured hitting at the top level,” Duehr said. “I think at the beginning, we both struggled. It took time for us to get our swings where they are now.”
“She’s a very strong and athletic girl, and loves the game of softball,” Mattera, whose passion for the game is equally fierce, said of Duehr. “At times, though, we’re both girly-girls, whether it be (hair) ribbons or (nail) polish.”
So good, both of them. So much in common.
“It’s been a great ride for us,” Mattera said. “We both enjoyed the high school experience, and now we’re both looking forward to college.”