Penn Hills’ Daequan Hardy had a memorable performance in the PIAA Class 5A championship this season. The voters on the all-state football team must have noticed, because Hardy has been named Player of the Year.
The last of the six Pennsylvania Football Writers All-State Teams were released Friday afternoon and Hardy was selected the Class 5A Player of the Year. Penn Hills coach Jon LeDonne was selected the 5A Coach of the Year after guiding the Indians to WPIAL and PIAA titles.
Hardy, a senior receiver-defensive back and kick returner, had a spectacular PIAA championship, when he scored four touchdowns three different ways — two pass receptions, an 84-yard kickoff return and a 100-yard interception return. He had three interceptions in the game. LeDonne said afterward that Hardy’s performance was “Darrelle Revis-like,” in reference to the former NFL star who had an unforgettable PIAA championship performance for Aliquippa in 2003.
Hardy was the Post-Gazette’s co-Player of the Year along with M.J. Devonshire of Aliquippa. Devonshire was selected the Class 3A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania.
Hardy was a master of the big play, scoring 25 touchdowns this season five different ways, and the average length of those scores was 45.9 yards. He had 10 scoring plays of 50 yards or more, caught 37 passes, rushed for 373 yards and had 10 interceptions.
Hardy was one of four Penn Hills players on the Class 5A all-state team. The others were senior quarterback Hollis Mathis (William & Mary recruit), senior running back Terry “Tank” Smith and receiver Dante Cephas (Kent State).
Mathis threw for 2,800 yards this season, Smith ran for 1,757 and Cephas caught 36 passes for 810 yards.
Gateway had three players on the team, including sophomore running back Derrick Davis, who already has major-college scholarship offers. The other Gateway players selected were senior receiver Courtney Jackson (Syracuse) and senior defensive back Jeremy Josephs (Miami, Ohio).
Overall, the WPIAL had 12 players selected to the 5A team, the most of any other WPIAL classification. The other players selected were Mars junior offensive lineman Michael Carmody, North Hills senior offensive lineman Lirion Murtezi (Navy), Latrobe offensive lineman Trent Holler (East Carolina), West Allegheny linebacker Mateo Vandamia (Delaware) and McKeesport defensive back Konota Gaskins (Bowling Green).
Here is the Pennsylvania Football Writers All-State Team for Class 5A:
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
Desman Johnson, Penn Wood – 6-2, 240 junior
Evan Simon, Manheim Central – 6-2, 195 junior
Hollis Mathis, Penn Hills – 6-1, 175 senior
Ian Haynes, Franklin – 6-3, 195 junior
RUNNING BACK
Dayjure Stewart, York High – 6-0, 200 senior
Christian Cole, Oil City – 6-1, 205 senior
Derrick Davis, Gateway – 6-1, 185 sophomore
Terry “Tank” Smith, Penn Hills – 5-9, 210 senior
Tyler Flick, Manheim Central – 6-0, 190 senior
Adam Houser, Shippensburg – 5-10, 180 senior
WIDE RECEIVER
Courtney Jackson, Gateway – 6-0, 170 senior
Trey Glass, Warwick – 5-8, 165 junior
Josh Burgess, Great Valley – 6-0, 190 senior
Dante Cephas, Penn Hills – 6-1, 195 senior
Kennedy Poles, Penn Wood – 6-1, 175 senior
TIGHT END
Hayden Rucci, Warwick – 6-5, 240 senior
OFFENSIVE LINE
Michael Carmody, Mars – 6-6, 280 junior
Trent Holler, Latrobe – 6-2, 290 senior
Connor Bishop, Archbishop Wood – 6-3, 260 senior
Josh Moore, Wallenpaupack – 6-6, 315 senior
Brock Gingrich, Cocalico – 6-3, 275 junior
Lirion Murtezi, North Hills – 6-3, 295 senior
ATHLETE
Daequan Hardy, Penn Hills – 5-10, 175 senior
Jaheim Morris, Cedar Cliff – 5-9, 165 junior
SPECIALIST
Gavin Dionisio, Archbishop Ryan – 5-8, 150 senior
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
Chance Smith, Wallenpaupack – 6-3, 270 senior
Nick Coomer, Warwick – 6-4, 285 senior
Justin Resto, Cedar Cliff – 6-1, 235 senior
Sam Mueller, Governor Mifflin – 6-2, 250 senior
LINEBACKER
Landan Moyer, Manheim Central – 5-9, 190 senior
Donovon Ball, Cedar Cliff – 6-0, 210 senior
Mateo Vandamia, West Allegheny – 6-2, 222 senior
Dylan Urbanowski, Archbishop Wood – 6-1, 205 senior
Matt Feeney, Exeter – 6-1, 225 senior
DEFENSIVE BACK
Jeremiah Josephs, Gateway – 5-11, 170 senior
Rob Rideout, York High – 6-0, 170 senior
Will Rivers, Manheim Central – 5-7, 145 senior
Konota Gaskins, McKeesport – 6-1, 185 senior
Jalen Goodman, Lower Merion – 5-11, 160 senior
ATHLETE
Bobby Whalen, Cedar Cliff – 6-1, 175 senior
Noah Palm, Cocalico – 6-0, 190 junior
Player of the Year: Daequan Hardy, Penn Hills
Coach of the Year: Dr. Jon LeDonne, Penn Hills
Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh
First Published: December 28, 2018, 9:56 p.m.
