AUGUST 2005

sports
taking it to
the next level
Norman Yono got an early taste of what
his football future will be like at
Saginaw Valley State University. Yono
was selected to play in the East vs. West High
School All-Star game at the University of
Michigan on July 23, a game that pits the best of
the best against each other in Michigan High
School football.
Yono, a four-year letter winner at Birmingham
Groves High School, was granted a full-ride football
scholarship to Saginaw Valley State, an
Norman Yono looks back on
a stellar high school career
BY JOE KYRIAKOZA
NCAA Division II school, where he’ll
join Groves teammate and best friend
Vlad Federmesser.
“These kids are the top athletes in the
state,” Yono said from the Michigan
State University campus where his team’s practices
were being held prior to the All-Star game.
“There’s definitely a lot of competition here.”
Yono was hand-picked by the coaches of the
East vs. West All-Star Game, which took place at
the University of Michigan stadium coined “The
Big House,” one of the largest and most historic
venues in college sports. “I’m very excited to play
there,” Yono said prior to the game. “Some great
games have been played in that stadium. It’s a real
honor.”
The preparation and the game itself helped
kick off the football season for Yono. Timing was
perfect since he reports to his first practice as a
collegian on August 4. “The practices [before the
All-Star game] were hard because I’m just getting
in shape and getting back into it,” he said.
Yono, who stands at 6-feet, 200 pounds, is
looking forward to football at the next level, but
his high school experience is irreplaceable.
“I still have dreams about it,” Yono said speaking
about his career at Groves, where he played
linebacker and halfback. “I’m still shocked
that it’s over. I will really miss high school
football. I wish I could play it for the rest of
my teenage life.”
Yono’s passion for his days as a member of
the Groves team did not go unnoticed by his
coach, Brendan Flaherty, who named Yono
team captain his senior year. “He’s a tremendous
leader,” Flaherty said. “He’s a fierce competitor;
he was the heart and soul of the team.”
Yono’s accomplishments at Groves are countless.
He holds the school record for most tackles in
a season (138) and most career tackles (361).
Since his sophomore year, Yono was on the varsity
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42 CHALDEAN NEWS AUGUST 2005