Click here to view original story, written by Portland Press Herald Staff Writer Kevin Thomas

STANDISH — It is about a 14-mile drive from Westbrook to St. Joseph's College.

For Zach Johnson, the journey took three years, with detours through Bridgton; Newton, Mass.; and Troy, Ohio.

But now Johnson is enrolled at St. Joseph's, where he is a business major and a record-setting scorer for the Monks' soccer team.

Johnson scored one of the goals Saturday as St. Joseph's beat Norwich 4-1 for the Great Northeast Atlantic Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

The Monks, making their second NCAA appearance in three years, will play Trinity in the first round at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Babson College in Massachusetts.

"I knew we had a good group of returning players, and 13 new guys with a lot of potential," said third-year coach Steve Babineau. "They gelled together quickly."

One of the new guys was Johnson, a sophomore.

Johnson graduated in 2008 from Westbrook High, where he played soccer, hockey and baseball. Then he attended and played soccer at Bridgton Academy. From there, Johnson went to Lasell College in Newton, Mass., playing soccer for the Lasers.

Last year, at a crossroads with what he wanted to do, Johnson took up a friends' offer to play junior hockey in Troy, Ohio. He returned home earlier this year and decided to go back to school. He called St. Joseph's.

"A nice surprise," Babineau said.

Johnson set the school record for goals in a season with 17, and added four assists.

Babineau said Johnson demonstrated an all-around game, and the Monks' two center midfielders, Teddy Palmer and Mike Sanfilippo, "really control the game for us."

If St. Joseph's wins Saturday, the Monks play the Babson-Lesley winner on Sunday.