AOTW: Net-minded: Avondale three-sport standout Strauss sterling between the pipes
TO BOOT: Auburn Hills Avondale senior Andrea Strauss has had an exceptional three-sport career with the Yellowjackets and was All-State in soccer as a junior. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
AUBURN HILLS — Standing at only 5-foot-4, Andrea Strauss does not look like your prototypical standout goalkeeper.
Put her between the pipes, however, and the Auburn Hills Avondale senior quickly turns heads.
Strauss, a fourth-year varsity veteran and third-year starting goalkeeper in soccer, has been nothing short of spectacular in goal for the Yellowjackets during her career. She is in the final stages of her prep status with the state tournament beginning this week.
Strauss and Avondale, ranked eighth, drew top-ranked Birmingham Marian for a Division 2 district-opening round game May 31 at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas.
“It’s sad that it’s almost over,” said Strauss. “It seems like I was a freshman just yesterday.”
Last year Strauss played brilliantly as a junior, earning all-league, all-district and all-region honors. She also grabbed a spot on the Division 2 All-State First Team and All-Area First Team after emerging as one of the top goalkeepers in talent-laden Oakland County.
Strauss will attend Grand Valley State next fall, where she is considering walking on for a roster spot, although GVSU already has four goalkeepers on the roster.
“I’m not sure what I will do there next year,” she admitted. “We’ll see. I haven’t completely decided if I want to try out or not. But I will probably play some type of (intramural sports) if I don’t.”
Perhaps the college game will miss out on quite a talent if she chooses not to play at the collegiate level.
Strauss, who has over a 3.9 GPA and ranks in the top 25 in her graduating class of nearly 300, ranks well inside the top five in numerous school records categories for goalkeeping, including single-game, season and career marks for anything from goals-against-average to shutouts to save percentage. She is also flirting with former four-year starter Katie Bradics (1996-1999) and her many school records and those set by current Oakland University goalkeeper Shannon Coley.
“She’s tough,” smiled Muczynski. “Some of her better games in her career have been against the good teams.”
So far this season, no team has scored more than goals in a game on Strauss, who has logged nearly every minute in goal for Avondale. The Yellowjackets finished the regular season 14-6-0 and fourth out of 11 teams in the OAA Red Division and could be a team capable of making a long postseason run if they can get past the defending state champions.
Still, Strauss’ whole athletics career at Avondale has been one that few can compare with, especially in the era of specialization. Strauss, a three-sport athlete, has had a fine career at Avondale, racking up 11 varsity letters and earning countless postseason honors.
“I love to play them all,” she said. “When one season is over, I just move onto the next. It takes up a lot of my time, but I love playing. I wouldn’t give up playing anything.”
And she has starred in all three sports.
This past fall in volleyball, the setter-defensive specialist led the Yellowjackets to their first-ever district championship.
In girls basketball, the three-point marksmen led Avondale to the OAA White Division title, a 23-win season and a berth in the Class A regional finals, better known as the Sweet 16. On the basketball court, she again ranks high in several school records, and departs as the school’s all-time leaders in three-point baskets made and three-point field-goal percentage.
On the soccer field, Strauss was on the roster when Avondale made a run to the regional finals in girls soccer in 2008.
Strauss’ sophomore year, Avondale was up in Division I due to an enrollment glitch and lost in the district finals to Troy. Last year, it was Marian who ousted the Yellowjackets, 1-0, in a district final.
It was in that same game where Strauss really turned some heads, which helped her garner the aforementioned all-state honors.
Now, the three-year starter pipes hopes to have one last long run.
“I know it’s going to be tough with Marian in our districts, but we have some good young players and we hope to surprise some people,” said Strauss, quick to deflect credit to her teammates.
“She’s one of the best goalkeepers we’ve had at Avondale,” said Muczynski. “She’s the type of goalkeeper who makes the saves that she should make and usually makes a couple of those saves where people say ‘how did she save that?’ We’ll miss having her next season. She’s just a great kid, too.”
So Andrea Strauss has one thing that has eluded her in her stellar high school athletics career.
“I would love to make it to (the Final Four) and maybe play for a state championship,” dreamed Strauss, whose closest Final Four came her freshman year when Avondale lost in the Elite Eight in soccer. “If it doesn’t happen, I won’t have any regrets. I’ve had a great time playing (for Avondale).”
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Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, BWW Athlete of the Week, High School, Prep Wraps
