University Prep QB has record-setting game

The following text was selected from Mike White's high school football notebook from November 12:

"Akil Young knew at halftime he was having a big game. He heard an announcement at Cupples Stadium on the South Side that he already had thrown for more than 300 yards.

By the end of the game, Young unknowingly had the biggest performance throwing of any quarterback in the history of southwestern Pennsylvania high school football.

Young threw for 462 yards, completing 30 of 46 passes, to help University Prep defeat Somerset, 47-38, Friday night in a PIAA Class AAA playoff game. The 462 yards is believed to be a single-game record for any quarterback in the history of the City League or WPIAL.

"Huh. I didn't realize that," Young said.

The 462 yards also was the second most in any PIAA playoff game. The PIAA playoffs started in 1988 and the record for passing yardage in a game is 496, set a year ago by Allentown Central Catholic's Brendan Nosovitch in a game against Valley View. Nosovitch is quarterback at the University of South Carolina.

"I just took what the defense gave me," Young said.

Somerset's defense gave Young a spot in the record books. On top of his yardage, Young, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior, also threw six touchdown passes.

"A huge part was our receivers making plays," Young said. "They were getting a lot of yards after catches and that was helping me, too."

While Young's performance against Somerset was one for the ages, he has had a few other big games this season. He threw for 266 and 280 yards in two other contests. For sure, he is not your usual City League quarterback.

"The City League is known more for running the ball," Young said. "Our offensive coordinator [Laroi Johnson] just has a lot of faith in me. He knows I can make a lot of throws all over the field, and he knows I know my reads and everything. He just trusts me to make plays.""

(Photo: University Prep quarterback Akil Young threw for 462 yards Friday night in a first-round PIAA Class AAA playoff game against Somerset. Jill Knight/Post-Gazette.)