Wayne State track and field coach Marlon Brink has announced that Jercey Irish of Lexington, Makenna Taake from Battle Creek and Reilly Young of Greeley have signed national letters of intent to compete for the Wildcat track and field teams in the 2020-21 academic year.
Irish is a sprinter from Lexington High School where she was a four-year starter in softball and three-year letterwinner and starter in track and field. As a junior last season, Irish was a Class B state qualifier in three events – 100 and 200-meter dashes and 400-meter relay. In 2018 as a sophomore, she also qualified for state in the 100 and 200-meter dashes and ran a leg on the seventh place 400-meter relay and was a state qualifier in two events – 100 meter dash and 400 meter relay (5th place) – as a freshman. In softball, Irish was a two-time All-Southwest Conference honoree in softball.
Taake is a jumper from Battle Creek High School where she lettered four years in track and field, three in basketball and two in volleyball. Taake is the reigning Class C state champion in the long jump (17-9 1/2) and was also a state qualifier in the triple jump while running a leg on the eighth place 400-meter relay team. As a sophomore in 2018, she placed fourth in the long jump (16-4 3/4) and seventh in the triple jump (35-0 1/2) and was a state qualifier in both events as a freshman in 2017 placing eighth in the long jump (15-7 1/2).
Young is a thrower from Central Valley High School where she has started four years in softball and track and field and one season in basketball. Young is a two-time Class D state runner-up in the discus as a freshman and junior and was fifth in her sophomore year at 120-11. She is also a two-time state qualifier in the shot put. Young is a Class C All-State honorable mention selection in softball, hitting 10 home runs as a senior, seven as a junior and five as a sophomore.
