Joe Morelli / Hearst Connecticut Media Mya Johnson (12) is Old Lyme’s all-time leading scorer already with 82 goals and has played in three Class S state championship games.
NORTH BRANFORD – She already stands as Old Lyme’s all-time leading scorer, yet Mya Johnson still has almost an entire season to add to her already impressive total.
Johnson has 82 goals to her credit, the last one coming in the season opener against East Lyme. No. 81 was the deciding goal in double overtime to help Old Lyme beat Holy Cross in the Class S state championship game last fall. It was the third straight S title for the Wildcats, the last two outright.
So Johnson may not play in the FCIAC, the SWC or the SCC, but she’s a well-known commodity on the Shoreline and always someone defenses pay attention to.
“We have to put two players on her. We have to make her think,” North Branford girls coach Pat Kozloski said. “If we give up on Mya, she take it and that’s when she can create havoc. She’s a great player.”
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Johnson was held scoreless in North Branford’s 1-0 win last Saturday, a rare occasion dduring her stellar career. Old Lyme has only played just two games in two weeks due to inclement weather, so it will take some time for the offense to be hitting on all cylinders.
“I think we are a very young team and we have a lot of injuries right now,” Johnson said following the loss. “We are still feeling each other out. We will get a little more comfortable with each other, a little more trusting. I think we will be seeing North Branford again (in the Shoreline tournament). Absolutely.”
North Branford beat Old Lyme in last year’s Shoreline Conference tournament final. North Branford is the only team to beat Old Lyme since 2016 and the last league team to beat the Wildcats during the regular season since 2014 – before Johnson arrived.
But even with the opposition applying the extra defensive attention, Johnson will still get her shots.
“It’s a mindset knowing Mya is on the field,” North Branford goalkeeper Allie Augur said. “She has the capability of going top corner or low corner and you need to adjust to that and know that is going to come.”
Augur and Johnson have both started for their respective programs since they were freshmen. Augur committed to playing at Boston College two years ago, while Johnson recently chose to play at Division III Conn College.
“I wanted to enjoy college as well as enjoy the game. That’s kind of why I went with the Division 3 schools and it’s also close to my hometown, so I can have my parents come and see the games and I can come home when I want so I like that comfortable sense in a college as well,” Johnson said.
