Douglas County Fire Claims Championship in Expanded Blair Softball Showdown

6–8 minutes

By Marisa Dawson

A group photo of a softball team wearing matching white t-shirts with 'Douglas Co' printed on them, posing together on a baseball diamond while holding a trophy.

Friendly rivalries, family competition and community support took center stage Sunday, October 11, as firefighters and law enforcement officers traded emergency calls for softball bats during an expanded showdown tournament at the Blair Youth Softball Association fields.

The annual event, traditionally a matchup between Blair Fire and Blair Police Department, expanded this year to include Washington County Fire and Douglas County Fire, creating a four-team tournament that brought together first responders from across the area while raising funds to help the Blair Youth Softball Association purchase a new scoreboard.

When the final out was recorded, Douglas County Fire emerged as the champion, defeating the Blair law enforcement team in the championship game and taking home a custom trophy that will remain in Douglas County until next year’s tournament.

A group of eleven people wearing matching white shirts posed together on a baseball field, celebrating with a trophy raised high. They are showing excitement with their arms raised and smiling.

For the players, however, the day was about more than the final score. The tournament offered an opportunity to strengthen relationships among departments that regularly work together, enjoy some friendly competition and connect with the community outside their usual roles.

“This is an enormous opportunity,” said Roger Peek, assistant chief of Irvington Volunteer Fire Department, who played for Douglas County Fire. “We’ve done this. We’ve talked about this for years.”

Peek (pictured below) said the departments already work together frequently through mutual-aid calls, making the tournament a natural extension of those relationships.

A man swings a bat, hitting a softball in a sports field while a woman watches from the background.
A man in a white t-shirt and black shorts is pitching a softball on a dirt field, while another man in a black jersey with orange accents stands ready in the background.

“To be able to get out and just be able to have a fun time and be with each other and do it for the community, I think is a great opportunity,” he said.

Bennington firefighters represent both counties

With Bennington Fire & Rescue serving the Bennington district spanning both Douglas and Washington counties, the expanded tournament had a particularly familiar feel for its firefighters. Bennington personnel had representation on both fire teams, putting members of the same department on opposite sides of the field.

A softball player in a black jersey throws a yellow ball while another player in a white shirt stands on base at a softball field.
A player in a black and orange jersey swings a bat at a yellow ball on a softball field, with spectators seated in the background.

Andrew Hoffman (pictured above), a Bennington firefighter and paramedic who played for the Washington County Fire team, said the friendly rivalry made for plenty of banter between teammates.

“Oh, it was a good amount of chirping, good amount of friendly banter against each other,” Hoffman said. “Competitiveness is always there, but the love’s always there as well. So love to play with and play against your brothers.”

Kaden Ross (pictured below), a Bennington firefighter and EMT who also played for Washington County Fire, said events like the tournament provide a welcome opportunity for crew members to spend time together away from the station.

A young man swings a bat at a softball on a diamond, with spectators watching from behind a fence.
A player in a black and orange softball uniform jumps to catch a flying softball in a grassy field, with trees and a cemetery in the background.

“It’s fun just to get out, meet outside the station, so we see each other outside of work,” Ross said. “We want to get more stuff going like this.”

The competition also gave firefighters a chance to enjoy their working relationships in a different setting. Jordan Smith, a Bennington firefighter and EMT who played for Douglas County Fire, said the event offered a break from the demands of emergency response while supporting a local youth organization.

“It’s a fun community event for all of us to get together, just have some fun,” Smith said. “We mutual aid to a lot of these guys up here and down there.”

Smith (pictured below) said the opportunity to compete alongside and against people he works with made the day especially enjoyable.

A player wearing a white shirt and black shorts is throwing a softball from the infield, with a fence and trees in the background.
A young athlete swings a baseball bat during a game, with spectators sitting in the background watching the action.

“Camaraderie, brotherhood, sisterhood,” he said. “The fire department’s a big family outside of the station, so this is kind of adding that to the aspect of what we’re doing down there at Bennington and Douglas county.”

Four teams, one trophy

The tournament opened with a matchup between Douglas County Fire and Washington County Fire, putting Bennington firefighters on both sides of the field. Douglas County Fire won the opening game to advance to the championship.

The second matchup featured Blair law enforcement against Blair Fire. Nichol Johnson (pictured below), president of the Bennington Firefighters Memorial Foundation, joined the law enforcement team. Johnson works with the County Attorney’s Office in the Blair area, bringing another connection between the Bennington fire community and the opposing team.

A young female softball player in a patriotic shirt prepares to bat while a crowd of spectators watches from the stands.

The law enforcement team won the second game, advancing to face Douglas County Fire for the championship.

Washington County Fire and Blair Fire then met in the consolation game, where Blair Fire claimed the victory to finish third.

In the final matchup, Douglas County Fire defeated Blair law enforcement to secure the championship and take possession of the custom trophy. The trophy will stay in Douglas County for the coming year before returning to the tournament next year, when teams will have another opportunity to compete for it.

Nate Johnson (pictured below), a Bennington firefighter and paramedic who played for Douglas County Fire, credited his team’s performance to its coordination.

A male player running on a softball field, wearing a white shirt and black shorts. In the background, a female player in a navy top with red sleeves and other players can be seen.
A young man swinging a bat to hit a softball at a baseball field, while another person stands nearby watching.

“It was really good teamwork all around,” Johnson said. “We executed perfectly.”

Asked what the victory meant for the team, Johnson made it clear that Douglas County Fire intends to defend its title.

“Oh, this is probably just a start,” he said. “I think we’ll come back next year and win it again, so we’ll only get better from here.”

A family rivalry on the field

The championship game also brought a family dimension to the competition. Nate Johnson played for Douglas County Fire alongside his father, Mark Johnson (pictured below), also a Bennington volunteer firefighter, while his sister, Nichol Johnson, played for the Blair law enforcement team.

An adult man swings a softball bat during a game at a local park, with spectators sitting on bleachers in the background.
A player in a white shirt throws a softball while standing on a baseball field, with spectators in the background watching the game.

The family connections made for an especially memorable showdown, with the siblings facing off on opposite sides of the field.

For Nichol, the matchup was a particularly meaningful full-circle moment after spending much of her life watching her father play softball.

“It was really fun! I spent a lot of my life playing softball with my dad in the stands so it was neat being able to play against him!” Nichol said.

The family rivalry extended to the championship game’s banter, with Nate acknowledging that facing his sister gave him another reason to bring his best to the game.

“Oh, it’s fun,” he said. “It makes you want to play better. So I can try to hit a line drive at my sister,” he added with a laugh.

The matchup was a reminder that the relationships among local first responders often extend well beyond their professional roles. On Sunday, those connections played out through a little friendly competition, with family members and coworkers cheering, joking and playing against one another.

Building connections beyond emergency calls

A young male baseball player in a white shirt and grey shorts is throwing a baseball on a field. Another player is seen in the background. The scene is set on a sunny day with a grassy area and a baseball diamond.
A player in a fiery-themed jersey throws a softball while standing on an infield diamond during a game.

For Peek, the tournament’s expansion represented an opportunity to bring more of the region’s first responders together while making those relationships more visible to the public. He said community events can help residents become more familiar with the people who respond when they need help.

“It’s huge,” Peek said when asked how events like the tournament help build community. “Number one, it gets it to where everybody can see who the people are going to come to help, whether it be the fire department, the police department, the medical personnel, anything.”

Seeing first responders in a relaxed, social environment can make a difference when community members encounter them in more serious circumstances, he said.

A player in an American flag-themed shirt swings a bat at a softball during a game. Spectators watch from the bleachers in the background.
Three male softball players in action during a game, one sliding on the dirt, while the others field the ball. The scene is set on a sunny day with a grassy field and a cemetery visible in the background.

“It makes it a lot easier, makes you more comfortable as a person if you know the person that’s coming,” Peek said.

Nichol Johnson echoed that sentiment, emphasizing how events like the tournament allow community members to see the people behind the uniforms.

“I think the best part of these events is you get to see first responders in a different light and that they are also ‘people’ outside of the uniform!” she said.

That familiarity, combined with the tournament’s fundraising purpose, helped make the afternoon about more than a championship.

By bringing four teams together for a shared cause, the expanded showdown supported youth softball while celebrating the working relationships, camaraderie and community connections that unite the area’s firefighters and law enforcement officers.

And with Douglas County Fire taking home the trophy, the friendly competition now has a new benchmark for next year: defending the title.

A group of ten individuals poses on a baseball field, wearing matching white t-shirts with 'Douglas Co' printed on them. They are smiling and some hold baseball gloves. The scene is set against a backdrop of a baseball diamond and bleachers.
Douglas County Fire
A group of eleven people posing on a softball field, wearing matching jerseys with a flame design, smiling and standing together in front of a chain-link fence.
Washington County Fire
A group of softball players standing together on a field, wearing matching jerseys with red, white, and blue colors. The team poses on a dirt area near home plate, with spectators and a baseball field visible in the background.
Blair Law Enforcement
A group photo of a softball team, featuring players in matching camo jerseys and caps. They are posing on a baseball field with a fence and spectators in the background.
Blair Fire
A man in a black and orange sports jersey swinging a bat at a yellow softball in a baseball diamond, with bleachers in the background.
A coach stands behind a young player in a white shirt with red lettering, preparing to field a softball. The player is in a crouched position on a baseball field, with empty bleachers visible in the background.
A player wearing a white shirt with the name 'Johnson' and the number '79' throws a yellow softball while standing on a sandy field, with other players in the background.
A player swings a bat to hit a softball on a baseball field with bleachers in the background.
A young man in a white shirt and gray shorts swings a baseball bat at a yellow softball on an outdoor field surrounded by a chain-link fence.
A female softball player in a white t-shirt swings a bat at a yellow softball on a dirt field, with bleachers and a shelter in the background.
A player in a baseball uniform is running and catching a softball near the outfield fence, with a scoreboard in the background displaying the inning.
A baseball player in a black jersey reaches for a thrown ball while another player in a white jersey prepares to run towards first base, with spectators in the background.
A young man swings a bat at a yellow softball during a game, with spectators seated in the background.
A man in a white t-shirt catching a softball while another player in a red jersey runs towards him at a softball field.
A young athlete in a baseball uniform catching a softball at a sports field.
A young player in a baseball uniform reaches up to catch a yellow softball while playing in an outdoor field with bleachers in the background.
A player in an American flag-themed shirt swings a bat at a softball during a game, with a crowd of spectators seated in bleachers behind him.
Three players participating in a softball game on a dirt field, with one player diving to catch a yellow ball while another runs in the background.
A player striking a softball in a game while spectators watch from behind a chain-link fence.
A softball player in a black jersey swings at a pitch on a field, with spectators watching from the bleachers in the background.
A player in a black and red patterned shirt and sunglasses throws a softball while standing near a chain-link fence at a park, with a playground structure in the background.
A woman in a black and orange softball jersey swings a bat at a yellow softball on a dirt field, with spectators sitting in the background.
A male softball player wearing a black jersey and shorts is pitching a yellow softball on a dirt field, with spectators in the background.
A player crouches on the baseball field, preparing to catch a yellow softball while spectators watch from behind a fence.
A player in a black long-sleeve shirt and gray shorts is throwing a yellow softball while running on a grass field. Another player is in the background, preparing to catch the ball.
A young man in a white shirt and black shorts swings a bat at a yellow softball, while spectators watch from the bleachers in a softball field.
A female softball player swinging a bat to hit a ball during a game, with a crowd of spectators sitting on bleachers in the background.
A woman wearing an American flag-themed jersey swings a bat at a softball while a player crouches in a catching position, with seated spectators in the background.
A young woman in an American flag-themed shirt plays softball, with a baseball glove in hand, showing a defensive stance. A man in a white shirt and shorts runs towards the base, while another person in the background observes the game.
Two men playing catch on a softball field, one running with a glove and the other preparing to throw a ball.
A young person swings a bat while playing softball in a dusty field, with spectators in the background watching the game.
A young man swings a bat to hit a softball during a game at a park, while spectators watch from the bleachers.
A group of young men wearing matching white T-shirts with 'Douglas Co' printed on them stand together at a softball field, while a woman in an orange shirt is holding up a trophy.

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