Harding’s team-first approach fuels a 12-point weekend.
The Portage sophomore recorded five goals and seven assists as Bishop Noll Blue JV swept the Illiana Crossover, earning THE FINAL.’s Player of the Week honor.
Asked to pick a play he remembered from a weekend of 12 points, Hayden Harding chose an assist.
On a two-on-one rush, the Bishop Noll Blue JV forward drew the defender toward him, creating space for teammate Conley Brown. Harding sent a saucer pass across to the open player.
It was the kind of opportunity he had been working to create.
“A lot of my game play is just hustle and using everyone on the team to come ahead,” Harding said.
The Portage High School sophomore finished the October 16–18 JV Illiana Crossover with five goals and seven assists, helping Bishop Noll win all four games by a combined score of 37–2. His production and playmaking earned him THE FINAL.’s Player of the Week honor.
For Harding, the weekend started with the connections between teammates.
“I felt like we were all playing well and connected well with passing and communication,” he said.
That showed up immediately Saturday, October 17. Harding recorded three assists in a 9–0 win over Columbus, then added three more in an 8–2 victory against Momentum.
On Sunday, the opportunities changed. His approach remained rooted in finding the right play.
“I looked to pass but had more opportunities on Sunday to shoot the puck,” Harding said.
He scored twice in a 10–0 win against Westfield, then finished the crossover with a hat trick and an assist in another 10–0 victory over Carmel Blue.
His father, Derrick Harding, saw confidence behind those performances — both in Hayden’s own game and in the players around him.
“He’s a team player,” Derrick said. “Sure everyone likes to score goals, but he knows an assist is just as important as a goal. And he prides himself on being able to set up plays and make the assists.”
Thirteen different Bishop Noll players scored during the crossover. Brown finished with six goals and two assists, while Adrian Babel contributed six goals and three assists.
Harding’s passing helped feed that balanced attack. He identified teamwork as the area he had worked hardest to improve this season, with his assists and growing confidence providing evidence of that work.
Bishop Noll’s success extended to its defensive end. Goaltenders Thomas Cerrito and Jacob Fryer combined for three shutouts, allowing only two goals across the four victories. Harding credited the defense, the forwards’ backchecking and the goalies for making the saves the team needed.
The sweep reflected a group working together, something Harding returned to throughout his description of the weekend.
Finding confidence through the work
Harding’s interest in hockey began long before his 12-point weekend.
He grew up a Chicago Blackhawks fan and watched his stepfather, Mike, play. According to Derrick, Hayden began playing pond hockey with Mike around age 8 or 9 while learning the basics through Valpo Parks.
The sport now fills much of his time away from organized practices and games.
“He’s obsessed with hockey,” Derrick said. “If he’s not watching clips or highlights of a game he’s out shooting pucks in the garage.”
Harding also runs track, which he believes helps his speed and stamina on the ice. His father said he participates in cross country as well, using running to maintain his conditioning.
Derrick describes his son as passionate, caring and funny, with a determination to improve that carries into everything he does.
That determination has also meant learning how to handle mistakes.
“He’s very hard on himself because he knows he can do it better,” Derrick said. “But now he sees those moments as a challenge to overcome and learn from the next time he faces them.”
For a player building confidence, the crossover offered a weekend of tangible progress: six assists Saturday, five goals Sunday and a point in every game.
His father’s pride reaches beyond those totals. What stands out most is Hayden’s drive and his commitment to the people around him—family, friends, coaches and teammates.
Harding’s next goal follows the same direction as the pass he remembered most.
“Continue the success as a team and continue doing the best I can in every game,” he said.