Courtesy MiHockeyNow.com

Micah Young has made a noticeable impact in the Midwest Junior Hockey League since joining the Bloomington Jr. Blaze a year ago.

When the Jr. Blaze relocated 40 minutes away to become the Decatur Blaze for the current 2014-15 season, Young renewed his commitment for the MWJHL franchise and has led the Blaze in scoring for the majority of this season.

“I ended up playing in Bloomington last year because it was in town and I wanted to finish school at my local high school,” said Young, a 19-year-old forward and native of Towanda, Ill. “I wasn't quite ready to leave town to play juniors. I stayed this year because of the head coach, Zac Pearson, and the amount of returning players we had. Pearson knows the game of hockey and knows how to teach kids to get better.”

Pearson, a Ferris State alum and former pro player with the IHL’s Muskegon Fury and Flint Generals, has seen Young’s game progress in massive strides over the past two seasons.

“Micah is one of those players that can singlehandedly take over a game and he’s done that several times over the past two seasons for us,” Pearson said. “Once he gets in a groove, it's hard for any team to stop him. He’s a lot more than points for us in Decatur. There have been games where he doesn’t have any points, but he’ll have played 25-30 minutes a game doing all the little things like battling for pucks, blocking shots, being a leader, things like that.

“I believe Micah is one of the best all-around players in the MWJHL and he’s only getting better."

Last season, Young finished second in Bloomington scoring with 26 goals and 43 points while skating in all 42 games. Through 24 games this season, Young had posted 35 points.

“The past two years have been quite the learning experience coming from a smaller league in Central Illinois,” explained Young. “I feel as if I am developing my own personal skills along with team play. In Decatur, we have been taught where to be and when to be there during games and I know to some coaches, that isn't a big deal. The biggest part of my game is my speed. It gives me more of an advantage over many of the other players and that's something you can continue to improve over time.”

Looking ahead, Young has aspirations of playing college hockey and said he has his eyes on ACHA Division I Missouri State University for next season, “but things can always change.”

Pearson said Young, who would also have one more season of junior hockey eligibility left after this year, should have options for the 2015-16 campaign.

“I can see Micah playing a high level of college hockey next season or even getting a shot in the North American Hockey League,” said Pearson, who has scheduled scrimmages with ACHA teams to play the Blaze. “His hockey sense is tailor-made for playing at a high level and now, it’s up to him to see how far he can go in this game.”

“I am staying open to all schools, but in the meantime, I hope to continue to help out the team in every which way I can along with being a leader and developing that side of myself along with the skills,” added Young. “The mood around our team this year is positive and the chemistry is getting better all the time. A few kids from our team last year brought in players this year that they had been playing with since a young age. Brandon Adler and I grew up together and being on the same line or even just being on the ice together gives us an advantage over other players.

“The rest of the season will be the harder end of our season, I think. We are on the road against the tougher teams in the league, but I think with the chemistry that our team has established, we will be successful on the road along with being successful at home.”

Photo/Jeff Zigman