Highland Park’s Jacob Youra was ready for change. More important, he was prepared to make it happen.

Youra hardly played early last season. Then he suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him as the formerly winless Giants reeled off three straight victories to finish the season.

“I probably made it to around 90% of our workouts and lifts in the offseason, which I hadn’t done in the past,” Youra said. “Once I was done with physical therapy, I realized I had to lock in.

“I went into the offseason saying, ‘I have to play a lot. It’s my senior year, and it’s my last chance.’”

Youra, whose offseason work also included track and field in the spring, looks back at a joint practice with Libertyville over the summer as another turning point.

“That was the first competition-based playing that

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