Yancich makes Orange Bowl history

MIAMI -- Trinity High School senior Mike Yancich ended his high school football career by making history in one of the sport's most famed venues.

Though the feat may be difficult for future generations to look up in a record book, on Jan. 4 Yancich made the final tackle in the famed Orange Bowl.

Playing strong-side linebacker in a 3-4 defense for the East All-Stars in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl, Yancich touched down Marvin Jones of Etiwanda, Cal., at the West's 28 after the receiver dove and caught a pass from quarterback Nate Stanley of Tahlequah, Okla., on an inside slant pattern.

Though the two-handed touch was hardly a bone-crushing tackle, it officially stopped Jones 2 yards short of a first down on a fourth-and-10 play with only two minutes remaining and helped the East clinch a 12-8 victory in the high school all-star game. It also set off an early series of fireworks from the stadium's open east end.

Since the final event at the Orange Bowl will be a flag football game between Miami Dolphins and University of Miami Hurricanes alums Jan. 26 and there are no other events scheduled in the interim, Yancich's young career has a historical footnote.

"It's amazing," Yancich said following the game. "I'm part of the last team to play on this field. We made history tonight."

Yancich also set up the winning touchdown for the East when he forced a fumble that linebacker Mike Zordich of Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio, picked up and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. That score gave the East a 12-0 lead in the third quarter.

Coincidentally, Yancich and Zordich will be teammates at Penn State next season.

Although the Orange Bowl is scheduled for demolition in March, Yancich's career is just taking off.

He led Trinity to a WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals appearance in 2007 with a 7-4 record, the most victories the Hillers have enjoyed since 1986, playing running back and linebacker in the Hillers' 4-4 defense.

On offense, he came back from a knee injury in his junior season to rush for 1,616 yards and 21 touchdowns on 212 carries.

On defense, he recorded 233 tackles in his junior and senior seasons, including 17 quarterback sacks and 21 tackles for losses as a senior.

Yancich will head to Penn State next year to play linebacker for the Nittany Lions and major in business or education.

"I think he'll be a great Sam backer," Trinity coach Ed Dalton said. "He's everything you'd want a college football player to be."

But the journey to State College by way of Miami didn't start in high school. Yancich credits his father, Tom, a former bodybuilder, with instilling a strong work ethic in the weight room.

"I started in the seventh grade. He told me it would take a lot of commitment to get to the next level," the younger Yancich said.

So every week would begin with a Sunday workout at 5 a.m.

"There are no distractions at 5 a.m.," Tom Yancich said. "I used to tell him: 'Take a look at the clock. How many other kids are doing this?'"

A muscular, 6-foot-1, 216-pound frame was the end result. Mike Yancich can bench press 375 pounds and do 24 repetitions with 225 pounds. He has been timed in the 40-yard dash at less than 4.5 seconds.

But as traditional as playing linebacker at Penn State or early morning workouts might be, Yancich makes one nod to modern-day athletic promotion.

He has his own MySpace page touting his football exploits.

"I've had an astronomical amount of posts on it. Twelve-year-old kids have sent me letters off of it and quite a few total fanatics," Yancich said.

He has more than 500 friends on the page and said the feedback he gets is overwhelmingly positive.

"People don't bash us on MySpace. I'm a likeable guy," he said.

Zordich agreed:

"He's a real good kid. We were together the whole time here in Miami.