Nguyen to play at Heartland

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PRINCETON — The Princeton Tigress soccer program continues to spread its wings into the collegiate level.

Along with the departure of PHS seniors Daedra Ackerman and Sara White to Illinois Central College, teammate Lyndsey Nguyen will be taking her offensive firepower to Heartland Community College in Normal this fall. Nguyen, PHS’ offensive MVP this spring, finished the season with 10 goals and ends her career at PHS with 21 goals (fifth all-time at PHS) and five assists. She will team up at Heartland with former PHS standout Maggie Griggs, who will be a redshirt sophomore forward/mid fielder this fall. The Hawks finished the 2008 season with a 12-6-1 record, going 4-2-1 in Mid-west Athletic Conference play.

The Princeton soccer connection to Heartland also includes incoming Tigers’ Matt McClure and B.J. Arndt, who will suit up for the Hawks this fall.

• Another Tigress will be getting back into the game next season. Sydney Young, who played on PHS’ back-to-back state qualifying squads in 2006 and 2007, is transferring from Northwest Missouri State to the University of Illinois at Springfield.

The daughter of PHS coach Ed Young, she hopes to carve out a role on the Prairie Stars soccer squad, which is in its third year as a program.

“If Sydney trains hard and gets after it, she could probably earn a spot with playing time, and maybe even a leadership role,” Young said. “She could potentially have a nice career down there.”

• Biz Gray, who played coed at PHS on the boys’ team, was the first Princeton girl to play collegiately at Monmouth College. She’s been followed by Ashley Kensinger (Monmouth), Chelsea Molln (Lincoln), Austin Walters (Lincoln), Josie Gustafson (ICC), Ashley Compton (ICC), Jackie Arndt (Carthage) and Griggs.

“If they want to play in college, they can play,” Ed Young said. “They may not get a scholarship, but if they play at Princeton High School, they can play in college. To get paid for it is even better.”

• 2009 awards: Award-winners for the Tigresses this spring were Molly Harmon (team MVP), Nguyen (offensive MVP), Sara White (defensive MVP, sportsmanship), Most Improved (Stephanie Bonucci) and Paige Woolley (Butch Award).

The Butch Award is given to the girl who overcomes the most difficulties, originally given to Chelsea Molln.

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