Larry H. Miller Week 4 high school star athletes of the week

Football

Mason Haertel, Brighton (Sr.)

Mason Haertel continued his hot start to the season in Week 3 against Riverton.

The senior carried the ball 23 times for 144 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bengals to a 42-14 victory.

For the season, he’s racked up 74 carries for 389 yards and six TDs.

“Mason is a very hard worker and great leader on our football team. He has done a great job improving his strength, size and speed this offseason and it is showing up in his play on the field,” said Brighton coach Casey Sutera. “Whether it is on the field, in class, or in the weightroom he is always representing our program in the most positive way.”

The week prior, he rushed for 174 yards and two TDs as he was instrumental in leading Brighton past Syracuse in the fourth quarter.

Girls volleyball

Dalayni Brindley, Canyon View (Sr.)

Dalayni Brindley’s tremendous passing so far this season has played a major role in Canyon View’s 9-0 start to the season.

She’s recorded 71 assists and 20 digs so far this season as the setter is also hitting .458.

“Daylani’s commitment to her team and her personal improvement in the offseason has fueled her teammates with confidence and given us a great start to the year,” said Canyon View coach Lynette Whittaker. “She is so consistent in every aspect of the game. She can place the ball for any hitter and has really stepped up her game with tempo adjustments and finding holes on the other side of the court. I’m really proud of the way she can catch a team in transition, and she embodies the ‘next ball’ mentality we have been working on at Canyon View.”

Brindley was a third team all-stater last season, and so far she’s backing it up with an even better season this year.

“If we (as coaches) see something during the game and ask her to implement it, she does it without hesitation. She is fiercely competitive, and I believe the best setter in Utah’s 3A division. It’s a privilege to coach her,” said Whittaker.

Girls soccer

Jayla MacFarland, Mountain Ridge (Sr.)

Mountain Ridge’s perfect start to the season has been one of the best stories of the season, and the stout defending of Jayla MacFarland has been one of the catalysts.

Mountain Ridge has shut out opponents in three of its eight wins this season, including a 3-0 win over Bingham last week.

“Jayla is a huge part of our success the past three seasons. As a four-year varsity player and two-year captain she is pushing her teammates to compete at the highest level possible,” said Mountain Ridge coach Mark Osborne. “On the field her ability to defend the top offensive threat from each team and still be able to get into the attack makes her in my opinion one of the best two-way players in the state.”

Boys cross-country

Corbin Randall, Riverton (Sr.)

The season is young, but Corbin Randall is already poised to make his senior season his best yet.

Last week at the Timpanogos Invite PM race at Lakeside Park, Randall finished first with a great time of 15:50.8 in a field of 154 runners.

He helped Riverton capture the team title in the process.

Last season, Randall finished 13th in the 6A state meet and was the fifth-highest underclassman finisher in the field. He also finished 18th at the Nike Regionals.

Girls cross-country

Jane Hedengren, Timpview (Sr.)

Winning has become second nature for Timpview’s Jane Hedengren, as she routinely dominates whether in cross-country or track.

Last Friday at the Timpanogos Invite AM race at Lakeside Park, she seemed to take her dominance to a new level, winning by 32 seconds as she crossed the line with a time of 17:38.8. At the state meet last year, she won by 15 seconds.

Hedengren will be looking for a third straight 5A state championship later this fall at the state meet.

For her continued dominance, last school year she was named the Deseret News Female Athlete of the Year at the Deseret News High School Sports Awards show.

Girls tennis

Sophie Rabe, Morgan (Sr.)

The reigning 3A second singles state champion has made the jump to first singles this fall, and despite facing a schedule against almost exclusively higher classification players, she’s shown well and continues to get better each match.

Rabe owns a 7-6 record this season, which includes a 6-4, 6-3 win over Rowland Hall’s No. 1 last week, her only match against a 3A opponent so far this season.

“First singles is a tough position to play and she fights hard in every match. Sophie is mentally tough and doesn’t get rattled on the court, staying calm and level-headed,” said Morgan coach Katherine Hadley. “She has beautiful strokes and footwork, is well-conditioned, and can really put pace on the ball. Sophie is a natural leader as one of our team captains this year. She is kind and supportive to everyone. Sophie is coachable, humble and an all-around great person on and off the court.”

Boys golf

Maddox Nielsen, Orem (Sr.)

In two matches this fall, Orem’s Maddox Nielsen has picked up right where he left off last season.

The senior has shot a 68 and 69 in his two matches for the Tigers, and his 68.5 scoring average in Region 8 is four strokes better than the runner-up.

“Maddox Nielsen has been an absolute joy to coach for the last three years. He is such a hard worker. He’s always working on his game. Because of how hard he has worked on his golf game, I know he is going to have a terrific season and we have high hopes as a team,” said Orem coach Reggie Rhees. “The thing that I love about Maddox is he is such a great teammate. Every time I talk to him during a round he is always asking how others on the team are doing.”

Last week, Nielsen shot a 69 at Canyon Hills Golf Course.

Baseball

Antonio Moreno, Bryce Valley (Jr.)

One of the keys to Bryce Valley’s 9-1 start to the 2024 season has been the consistent play of junior Antonio Moreno.

So far this season, he’s batting .667 with a .698 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of 1.178. He’s also recorded 30 hits, including 13 extra base hits, to go along with his 34 RBIs in 53 plate appearances.

“He is a true team player. Has played the following positions this year: starting pitcher, relief pitcher, third base, shortstop, catcher and first base. He is phenomenal in the classroom and is the junior class president as well,” said Bryce Valley coach Tyson Brinkerhoff.

Last week in a 13-1 win over Pinnacle, Moreno went 2 for 4 with four RBIs.