GoHeels Exclusive: Freshman Record Breaker

by Molly Green, GoHeels.com

As a third-grader at Maheim Township in Lancaster, Pa., Caton Johnson attended a lacrosse clinic to find out what the sport was all about. He thought of himself as a football player but the introduction to lacrosse intrigued him.

Johnson quickly developed a passion for lacrosse and it eventually led him to North Carolina where the freshman goalie has already had a profound impact on the Tar Heels, setting a school record in his first game as a starter.

About a year after he started playing the sport his team lacked a goalie, so his coach moved players in and out of the position. Once Johnson found himself in the crease, he knew it was where he belonged.

"I started playing goalie in fourth grade. I loved it and never stopped," Johnson said. "I liked the responsibility that it gives you. It kind of gives you a quarterback feel because you get to help run the defense…if a team can't score, they can't win."

Johnson flourishes as a leader on the field. Coming in for his freshman year, he knew he wouldn't immediately find himself in such a role. The Carolina team has strong senior leadership for Johnson to follow. He spent his first semester in Chapel Hill working his way through the depth chart by learning from the veterans on the team and proving his potential to his teammates.

"It's really cool to see how we hold each other accountable, and it makes us way closer along the way. It's making me a better person and it's making me a better player on the field. I think that's been the coolest part of it. We're like a big family," Johnson tells about beginning his Tar Heel career.

Specifically, Johnson finds himself being inspired by the leadership of the defensive seniors, Jack Rowlett, Jake Peden, Michael Nathan and Jack Halpert, and the defensive coordinator, Kevin Unterstein, in his first year at Carolina after many years heading up one of the nation's best defenses at Hofstra. He feeds off of their intensity. The players he looks up to are especially important to Johnson because his motto is to play for his teammates.

"I've always said, 'look to the guy to your left and your right and play for them' because they'll hold you accountable and you have to hold them accountable. I was a team captain last year in high school, and we always said 'play for each other.' That sounds kind of cliché, but that's something I've been hearing when I got here as well. We need to play for each other," Johnson explains about his motivation.

Johnson earned the opportunity in late March to show what it means to play for his teammates. The coaches told him the day before the big rivalry game against Duke on March 30 that he would be the starting goalie.

During the first game he started as a college athlete, he broke a record. Caton Johnson set the record for the most saves in a game by a true freshman in their first ever start. Johnson humbly gave the credit for his success to the defense playing in front of him. He explained that the best part about the win against Duke, was being able to do it for the seniors.

Johnson has put the excitement of his success behind him and is looking toward the team's next game against Syracuse this weekend.

"It feels like we've got a lot of work to do. It felt good to get in there and get some time against Duke, but now we've got to go out there and beat Syracuse. Our defense is working hard. We're playing well in practice. Those guys did a great job in front of me against Duke, and hopefully we can get the job done next Saturday. I believe we will," Johnson says with full confidence in his team.

Johnson places his emphasis on those who inspire him, but after his record breaking game against Duke on March 30, he will be the one inspiring others.

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Jack Halpert

Caton Johnson

Michael Nathan

Jake Peden

Jack Rowlett

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