Cheverus senior Lucy Johnson finished her career with three Class A state titles and a state-record 152 goals. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald

Stories don’t always get fitting endings. That can’t be said, however, about Lucy Johnson’s field hockey career at Cheverus.

Johnson, the greatest goal scorer in Maine high school field hockey history and one of its best players ever, put a tidy bow on her unparalleled career, scoring two goals in the Class A final to lead the Stags to a 3-1 victory over Brewer that capped a final dominant season for her and her team.

Cheverus went 71-1 during Johnson’s four seasons, including three state titles and an undefeated record in regular-season and regional tournament play. Johnson finished with a Maine-record 152 career goals.

The best to ever do it? It’s not a hard argument to make.

“You can’t even describe it at this point,” she said. “I really can’t believe how my high school career went, and I appreciate everyone that’s helped me along the way. … I can’t imagine a better way to end it (than) this way.”

For her performance, Johnson is the Varsity Maine Field Hockey Player of the Year for the third year in a row. She scored 34 goals to go with eight assists this season, after breaking the state’s career goal-scoring record as a junior.

“It’s definitely insane. It’s surreal; my mom reminds me of it often,” Johnson said. “I couldn’t have done it without any of my teammates. They set me up for success.”

Indeed, Johnson has been surrounded by talent from the moment she arrived at Cheverus. But it’s also been evident how much she stands above the other 21 players on the field. Her game is well-documented; her speed allows her to blow by defensive players, her stick skills effortlessly buy her space, and she has a hard, accurate shot that she can get off at any time in the circle.

“Lucy can’t be stopped,” Gorham Coach Becky Manson said. “You can triple-team her and she can still get by you.”

The coaches who had her on their teams have known for a while the special talent she is.

“I’ve never seen a player like her before in my entire life,” said Coastal Field Hockey Coach Jen Brown. “I’ve coached her since she was 9 years old and she just blew people out of the water with her skill. … It’s insane, I’ve never seen anything like it. And I probably never will again.”

Lucy Johnson led Cheverus to a 71-1 record in her four seasons. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald

Cheverus suffered a major graduation loss when 2023 Miss Maine Field Hockey winner Lily Johnson, Lucy’s older sister, graduated, depriving the team of it’s do-it-all defensive and midfield leader. To help bridge the gap, Lucy continued her progression into an effective player at both ends, becoming a tireless defender who could also use her speed to quickly transition into her offensive skill set. Lucy is set to join her sister at Boston University next fall.

“I enjoy playing defense,” she said. “We always used to say, defense starts at the forward line. It always came really naturally to me to play defense. … Playing a little more defense this year was kind of nice. Once you play back a little bit more, you don’t get as much pressure on you if you’re marked. I also like assisting my teammates and making them look good.”

Johnson’s best defensive work may have come as her team’s flyer, where her speed and aggressiveness allowed her to derail shot chances before they began.

“She can play anywhere,” Cheverus Coach Andrea Mustante said. “Her defensive work on corners has saved us a bunch.”

Offensively, Johnson was the same she’s been since her career began. Musante said Johnson had a knack for stepping up when the team needed her most.

“She can score goals, but it’s the goals that she scores and when she scores them,” she said. “That’s what makes her so special. She scored 15 out of our 18 game-winning goals this season. She doesn’t just score, but she’s clutch.”

Lucy Johnson of Cheverus shoots in the second half of a game against Scarborough on Sept. 12. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald

The playoffs provided an example. When the Stags met a powerful Biddeford team in the South final, Johnson scored twice in a 3-2 victory. In the state final, she added two more goals.

With a chance to wrap up her career in ideal fashion, she wasn’t going to let the Stags be denied.

“It’s really sad to think about how it was my last high school game and playing with that team, because those girls mean a lot to me,” Johnson said. “But I think it was very exciting at the end, just to end that way. … I couldn’t imagine having it go a better way.”