Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:53 pm
Contratulations Erin Johnson for being in the top ten. Great kid to coach and watch play.
Very nice article about a very deserving player:jetjock wrote:Contratulations Erin Johnson for being in the top ten. Great kid to coach and watch play.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincitie ... 631108.htm
Posted on Tue, Feb. 06, 2007
Farmington's Erin Johnson is on her own
Farmington's Erin Johnson has flourished without Kallie Flor at her side, leading the state with 52 goals and 85 points.
BY RAY RICHARDSON
Pioneer Press
Farmington girls hockey players Heidi Hegseth and Katie LaDue didn't need much time to come up with a subject for a recent writing exam.
Hegseth and LaDue had to write a paper on a person they admire, and both chose teammate Erin Johnson. The decision flattered Johnson and validated how the senior right winger has handled what was expected to be a challenging role this season.
"It makes me feel good to know that I can have an impact like that on somebody's life," Johnson said.
If Farmington was supposed to have a transition season after the graduation last spring of Kallie Flor, a three-time all-state performer and the state's sixth all-time scoring leader (421 career points), it hasn't happened.
Johnson stepped in and helped Farmington (19-5-1, 11-3-0 Missota Conference) maintain its stature as one of the premier programs in Minnesota girls hockey. She leads the state with 52 goals and 85 points. She has had a productive season despite drawing extra attention from opposing players who no longer have to worry about Flor, now a freshman at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn.
Johnson and Flor combined to score 193 points last season for Farmington, which lost to eventual Class A state champion South St. Paul in the Section 4A final. There was uncertainty about whether Johnson would be effective without Flor, her linemate the previous two seasons.
"Erin has answered any doubts I had in my mind," Farmington coach Keith Revels said. "She's putting up big numbers again, and she's carried us when we needed her."
Johnson has had a goal or assist in every game this season. She averages 2.08 goals a game. In games against Kasson-Mantorville, Rogers-Zimmerman and Red Wing, she had five goals in each to set up dominant victories.
Last week against Red Wing, Johnson scored four goals in the first period and one more in the second period to give Farmington an 8-0 lead. Revels gave Johnson the rest of the night off, allowing her to enjoy the remainder of the game on the bench in street clothes.
"Every time Johnson scored, I held up eight fingers to remind our girls that they need to stay with her in the (offensive) zone," Red Wing coach Scott Haley said in reference to Johnson's No. 8 jersey. "We couldn't do anything with her. We tried to shadow her, and she still scored."
Many opponents have tried a similar approach with Johnson, assigning a player(s) to shadow her as much as possible, particularly in the scoring zone. The plan has had limited success. Revels has taken Johnson out of three games this season after Farmington built big leads. He is sensitive to running up the score and doesn't want to "bury" teams.
Johnson's skill, strength and 5-foot-6 height give her an advantage over most opponents. When play gets physical along the boards, she can outwork smaller players, but she also is crafty enough with her stick handling to set up teammates for scores. Johnson had five assists in Farmington's 6-4 victory over Shakopee on Saturday morning, raising her season total to 33.
Revels and Farmington players noticed early in the season that Johnson wasn't struggling without Flor.
"It's been different not having Kallie," said Johnson, who keeps in touch with Flor. "She's missed a lot, but we have a team with new goals and a new determination. A lot of players have stepped up and improved this season. I don't take a lot of credit for what we do. It's not just me. When things are left up to me, I do what I can."
Against Shakopee on Jan. 25, Johnson's leadership and passion surfaced when she got upset over an icing call. During the play, a Shakopee player hit one of her teammates, but no penalty was assessed. Moments after the faceoff, Johnson responded by taking the puck and skating in for a tough-angle goal.
"Erin always knows where to be to help us out," said Farmington junior left winger Rachel Ripley, one of Johnson's linemates. "She's been a great leader on and off the ice. Between periods, she really keeps everybody focused and encourages us."
With the playoffs approaching, Johnson hopes to continue making impressions on college coaches. Interest from NCAA Division I programs has been minimal, which frustrates Revels.
"Whoever gets Erin will be lucky," he said.
Johnson has visited several Division III schools, including Wisconsin-River Falls, St. Benedict's, Gustavus Adolphus and St. Olaf. She said she isn't spending any time wondering about her prospects for a Division I scholarship.
"I just want to play college hockey somewhere," Johnson said. "That's been my dream, whether it's a D-III or D-I school. I've been skating since I was 4, and I want to keep doing it."
Ray Richardson can be reached at rrichardson@pioneerpress.com.