TAYLOR HAMLETT
Mars/Soccer
Two years ago, Mars High School’s Taylor Hamlett was the Post-Gazette girls soccer Player of the Year. Now, she is a starter for the Middle Tennessee State women’s team and helped the Blue Raiders upset Vanderbilt, 2-1, Sunday. Vanderbilt is the defending SEC tournament champs. Hamlett had an assist in a 2-1 victory, the Blue Raiders’ first against a Power Five team since 2013. Hamlett is second on the team in scoring with two goals and two assists. Middle Tennessee State is 4-3-1.
DAEQUAN HARDY
Penn Hills/Football
When Penn Hills’ Daequan Hardy was the co-Post-Gazette Player of the Year for football in 2018, he was known mostly for his skills on offense. But Hardy has found his place on defense at Penn State. Hardy is playing in the Nittany Lions’ secondary and had an interception in a 44-13 victory against Ball State Saturday. He has four tackles in two games and is one of three WPIAL players in the secondary. The others are North Allegheny’s Joey Porter and Gateway’s Jaquan Brisker.
AUSTIN HENDRICK
West Allegheny/Baseball
Austin Hendrick is finishing his first season of play in the Cincinnati Reds minor-league system. Hendrick was the Reds’ first-round pick (12th overall) in the 2020 draft, but did not play until this season. He is with the Dayton Tortugas Class A team. Hendrick has missed some time with injuries, but has played in 63 contests entering the final week. He is hitting .211 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs. In 209 at-bats, he has struck out 100 times.
First Published: September 15, 2021, 9:45 a.m.
