Ursuline’s Donlow reflects on earning Division III Co-Defensive Player of the Year award
Donlow reflects on earning Division III Co-Defensive Player of the Year award
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At the end of the 2022 football season, Ursuline felt that defensive end and linebacker Ty'Req Donlow had a chance to be named All-Ohio Defensive Player of the Year for Division III.
He had the numbers for such an honor, but instead it went to Bloom-Carroll's Andrew Marshall, who would go on to play linebacker at Ohio University this fall.
So Donlow went to work for the 2023 season, trying to make sure that this time, there would be no doubt.
"This year, I was like, there's no way I'm not going to get it," Donlow said.
On Wednesday, it happened. Donlow was named All-Ohio Co-Defensive Player of the Year for Division III. He shared the honor with Columbus Bishop Watterson's Dominic Purcell.
"It means everything," Donlow said. "It just shows to the younger guys who are under me, not just at my school, but at every school, that you can do it. All you have to do is just work hard and stay on top of things."
After finishing 2022 with 91 tackles, 28.0 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks, Donlow duplicated and even improved on those numbers this season, finishing with 154 tackles, 22.0 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks.
"I'm not surprised because I know how good of a player he is, but I didn't expect it because you never know how it's going to go when people get together to make their selections for those awards," head coach Dan Reardon said. "I thought he deserved it last year. I'm glad that other people realized it and the people who make the selections.
"He certainly is a deserving player. He's been a fantastic football player for us since the tail end of his freshman year when he brought himself onto the field onto a really good football team that year. He's gotten better and better and just been a big producer for us ever since."
Donlow was the "heart and soul" of a defense that was Ursuline's best since Reardon returned to coach the Irish in 2019.
Ursuline went undefeated during the regular season and made it all the way to the regional final before falling to Chardon. The Irish defense allowed just 15.0 points per game this year.
"It was special because the last four years, our defense hasn't been the best, but it hasn't been the worst thing (either)," Donlow said of the unit's improvement. "Just to see our defense really take that step this year and really become a run-stopping, pass-stopping defense meant a lot to me. I take defense very seriously, so it meant the world to me."
Now that his high school career is in the rearview mirror, Donlow is looking toward his future.
In the middle of October, Donlow announced his commitment to Saint Francis (Pa.) to continue his football playing career. The Red Flash are members of the Northeast Conference in the FCS and went 4-6 this season.
"I just feel like it's not that far from home, and it's a light drive," Donlow said. "I just like the coaches and the environment (there). When I first went to tryout at Ursuline (as a freshman), there was a different feeling that I got, and when I went down to Saint Francis, I got that same feeling. So that went into my decision making.
"I'm extremely excited. I'm a very optimistic person, and I'm always looking for the answer to the unknown. So I'm excited to see what I can do."
nmadhavan@tribtoday.com