Player Spotlight: Lady County Lady Falcon Basketball’s Caren Johnson

 

JP Productions Sports Player Spotlight

Lady County Lady Falcon Basketball’s Caren Johnson

LCHS senior’s leadership preparing her for next level

Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports

As the 2024-25 basketball season begins to come to a close, Lake County’s girls are looking to fight their way to a strong finish as the postseason nears.

Leading the way for the Lady Falcons is lone senior, Caren Johnson. Johnson is a four-year starter for the Lake County girls and looks to wrap up her senior season with a good postseason.

“She’s probably the hardest worker in the gym,” Lake County Head Coach Jeff Gordon said of Johnson. “She does every single thing we ask her to do.

“Not only that but her goal is that she wants to play after high school.”

Johnson explained how much work she puts into her game on a normal day.

“First period and after school then sometimes I go to the middle school after practice,” Johnson said. “I go down there and shoot.”

In January, Johnson announced that she has committed to play at the next level with nearby Dyersburg State Community College. When it comes to inspirations to play at the next level, Johnson pointed to her head coach in middle school – former Lady Falcon standout T.T. Flowers.

“She was my middle school head coach – that’s when I decided I really want to play college ball, during my eighth grade year,” the Lady Falcon senior said.

Playing sports is something seems to come natural to Johnson – be it basketball, softball or others.

“I just like playing any kind of sport,” Johnson said. “I started playing basketball and I liked it when I started school.”

Gordon, who is in his third year as the Falcons’ – and Johnson’s – head coach, said the senior has grown in leadership.

“The leadership role we’ve really started to emphasize with her because, hopefully, when she leaves here and goes to a different school, she’s not going to wind up being the ‘best player on the team’,” Gordon explained. “Hopefully, she’ll learn that leadership role and that will help her get more responsibilities at Dyersburg State.”

Being the team’s only senior this season, it may feel like it’s all on her shoulders at times.

“Most to the time, she’s the one that starts the practice,” the Lake County head coach said. “If we start practice at two o’clock on Sunday, she knows at two o’clock it’s time to start warming up. She usually takes that lead.”

Gordon admitted it might be hard to pinpoint area where Johnson has improved the most during her senior season.

“As far as inside this school and as far as all-around athletes, she’s probably one of the best athletes we have,” Gordon added. “She can do anything.”

The Lake County head coach pointed Johnson is also a member of the Lake County softball team, of which he also serves as the head coach.

“As a matter of fact, she played softball and baseball in middle school,” Gordon recalled. “She also played football in middle school. She could also play football here because she’s just a really, really good all-around athlete.”

Looking to the future, Gordon talked about the benefits of going to a community college like Dyersburg State.

“It’s going to be good for her because it keeps her where she can drive back here,” Gordon said. “It keeps her where we can still go watch her basketball games.

“Hopefully, after that, she’ll figure out a four-year school that she wants to go to.”

Lake County’s head coach said Johnson is also a well-grounded person.

“She’s an A-plus student,” Gordon said. “She’s already taken three or four college classes so she has that under her belt.

“She’s either got an A or a B in those college classes. I think she’s ready to go.”

Being a part of the Lake County family is important for Johnson, who takes pride in wearing the green and gold.

“It’s the challenge,” Johnson explained. “Everybody looks down on Lake County. You have to work harder than most schools.”

There have been highlights for her, including the Lady Falcons’ finishing second in the district tournament and hosted a Region 7-1A quarterfinal game.

While Johnson looks forward to playing at Dyersburg State then transferring to play at a four-year school, she also knows she will be doing so as a way to get her education.

“If I transfer out, it will help me pay for it,” she explained. “I know basketball will help keep me in school.”

Johnson plans to pursue a career in athletic training.

Lake County will be in action on Tuesday night when the Lady Falcons host Gleason in District 14-1A action beginning at 6 p.m. The Lady Bulldogs just ahead of Lake County in the standings so the green and gold can make up some ground with a win over the girls from Tater Town.

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