Drew Johnson wins Travis Roy Award for Thornton Academy

Drew Johnson, a goalie for Thornton Academy, has been awarded the Travis Roy Award. This award recognizes the best senior boys hockey player in Class A. Johnson is only the second player from Thornton Academy to win this honor, following CJ Maskut in 2012. During the school year, Johnson learned more about Travis Roy through his sports English class. He read Roy's autobiography, “11 Seconds: A Story of Tragedy, Courage & Triumph.” For a class assignment, he wrote letters to Roy’s mother, Brenda. They connected, and Johnson expressed his gratitude for the award, saying it was a tremendous honor. Johnson's performance this season was impressive. He finished with a record of 15 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie, along with a 1.77 goals against average (GAA) — the lowest in Class A among goalies with at least ten starts. He helped lead his team, the Golden Trojans, to the state championship and achieved four shutouts, two of which occurred during the playoffs. Thornton Academy’s hockey coach, Jamie Gagnon, praised Johnson's abilities and leadership. He mentioned how Johnson brought a positive attitude to the team, especially after last year's semifinal loss. Johnson acknowledged the support from coaches and team leaders, which helped foster a better team environment this year. Johnson overcame strong competition for the award, beating out four other finalists, including players from Falmouth, Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle, Bangor, and Biddeford/Old Orchard Beach/Massabesic. Gagnon believes all five finalists were deserving of recognition and commended Johnson for his contributions to the team.