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Reservoir softball senior Courtney Johnson is one of two seniors on the roster, a leader throughout her tenure.
Ahead of the Class 3A state championship against Damascus, Johnson spoke with the Howard County Times to discuss the excitement of playing in the state championship. (Editor’s note: some questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity):
What are you most excited about playing in the state championship?
I think just the atmosphere that’s going to come from playing at Maryland and just getting another game with this team because it’s a really fun group to play with. There’s no one else I’d rather get here with. Playing again and having an opportunity to do it at Maryland is just amazing because it’s what we’ve worked for.
What has been the most enjoyable part about playing alongside Maggie Frisvold?
It’s something that we’ve been looking forward to. We’ve been playing travel together our whole lives. So, we always knew we were going to come and play Reservoir softball together. I think the best part has been the success we’ve had because we know that we’ve worked hard for it. We’ve worked hard together for it, so doing everything together and then seeing the work that we’ve put in paying off.
How much is the potential of finishing the season undefeated something you and the team have thought about?
I don’t think we’re thinking about it. I think we’re just taking it one game at a time and that’s what we’ve been doing. We saw the postseason as a restart because the regular season doesn’t matter once you enter the postseason. So, it’s been about just taking it one game at a time and knowing that if we play our game we’ll be fine.
What is your favorite dugout chant?
We do one that starts the game every time because Shelby Granzow leads off. It’s, “Hey Shelby, go Shelby, hey Shelby, go Shelby.” That’s probably my favorite one because everyone does it. Everyone does all of them, but everyone is so hype with that one because it’s the first one of the game and we want to be loud. It’s just starting the game off on a good note.
Who came up with all of the dugout chants?
A lot of us have been doing for them a while as long as we’ve been playing. Different people have different ones that they know and they’ll just start them. Most people already know them. Chants have always been a thing that Reservoir softball has done and it helps the dugout stay loud and everyone knowing them helps that too.
Who was your inspiration as an athlete growing up?
I liked Trea Turner a lot. I liked the way he played and the passion that he played with. He was just really fun to watch both at shortstop and offensively as well as on the base paths.
Do you have a go-to pregame or postgame meal?
It changes but a lot of the time I’ll get an acai bowl on my way back to Reservoir.
What is your favorite pregame song?
“The Night is Still Young” by Nicki Minaj.
Who is the funniest girl on the team?
Cambell Sagin. She always knows what to say to keep the mood light and make anyone laugh at any given moment. She’s just really fun to be around.
Who is the best dancer on the team?
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Probably Andaiye Smith. She’ll just bust out a move when we’re listening to our pregame playlist and that also helps to lighten the mood because it helps us have fun.
Who on the team could you see being a coach in the future?
Probably Abbie, she’s really good at helping get better and approaches it in a good way. She’s always lifting everyone up and she’s able to help people improve in a way that still lifts them up.
Which would you prefer to help win a game, a defensive play or a walk-off hit?
Probably a defensive play because defense is my favorite, and it always has been.
What excites you most about the opportunity to continue playing softball in college at UMBC?
The program that’s there and getting to continue playing, taking my game to a higher level is exciting. Also, being with Maggie, we’ve been together forever. It’s so much fun playing with her and I’m excited to continue to do that there.