AOTW: Young steps up to become Troy’s offensive sniper
ALWAYS ON THE GO: Troy junior Irene Young moved into the role as the Colts' go-to player on offense this season, where she has racked up 27 goals and 12 assists for a team playing in the Final Four in Division 1. File Photo.
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
TROY — Irene Young saw an opportunity and Troy junior seized it.
Seeing that there was an opening on offense to lead the Colts, and an opening of being one of Troy’s field generals overall, Young has stepped up her game this season — in a major way.
A junior midfielder/forward, who was Division 1 All-State Honorable Mention last season as a sophomore, not only emerged as fourth-ranked Troy’s leading scorer this season, she is the OAA Red Division scoring champion in 2011.
“We knew we had the talent this season, but we needed for others to step up because we lost a lot of good players,” said Young. “I think we have done just that. A lot of girls have stepped up.”
Perhaps no one quite like Young has seen such growth as a player in a year’s time.
Young enters Wednesday’s Division 1 state semifinal against Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central with 27 goals and 12 assists 66 points, one of the best in all of talent-laden Oakland County, especially for a D-1 school.
Troy’s leading scorer last season, Madeline Young, took her talents to Bowling Green University last summer and Young moved in to take her role as a go-to player for the Colts’ offense. She has the most goals of an OAA player since Rochester’s Amanda Bowery (University of Michigan) earned Dream Team honors in 2007 and rang up 27 goals.
“She has been a force up top finishing for us,” said Troy coach Brian Zawislak. “She’s had a point in virtually every game this season. She’s scored against a lot of great teams. But the thing about her is that she’s just not a scorer. She’s a great passer. She’s just as good as setting people up. She’s big and strong and teams have a hard time stopping her.”
Young has already been named to the All-OAA Red Division, All-District and All-Region teams this season, and will learn her fate on the all-state teams next week. A likely first-team all-state and perhaps even an All-State Dream Team honoree are expected, but there’s still plenty of more important goals for young and the colts, who are making their second state semifinals appearance in three years and seventh in school history.
“Were excited about playing (in the semifinals) and hopefully get a shot at the finals,” said young, whose team lost in the regional finals last season to Novi and in the state semifinals to Utica Eisenhower her freshman year. “We’ve learned a lot in those losses and we hope we can come out (this time) and win. Our goal is to make it to the state (finals).
Young is more concerned on how the Colts (19-2-2) fare Wednesday night against Forest Hills Central, or even better, in Saturday’s championship game. Her focus is on the team aspect.
“I think we have a great shot. If we go out and play our game and do the things we’ve been able to do all season, I think we have a chance (to win it),”she said.”We’ll just take it a game at a time.
Young gave an early verbal commitment to the University of Louisville back in January, some 18 months before graduation. With several D-I school scouring her, she’s glad to get it out of the way.
A member of the Bloomfield Football club in the off-season, there’s stillplenty of soccer out of the short high school season, which last a mere three months. But she has golas of helping the Colts win their third crown in school history.
“We’ve talked about it,” she said. “You have to take it one game at a time, But I think everyone dreams of winning (a state title).”
If Troy accomplishes such a feat this year, or even next year, then it will likely get a lift from Irene young. Yet another opportunity is there for her to seize it.
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Category: BWW Athlete of the Week, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps, Troy
