Dominating Danasha
Harris wins Women蘑菇视频 Football Alliance Defensive POY Award
Those in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area marvel at the excellence of T.J. Watt, which is warranted, but the Steel City has another top defensive player, who happens to be a graduate of Uniontown Area High School.
Danasha Harris, who graduated from Uniontown in 2013, recently completed her second season as a member of the Pittsburgh Passion of the Women蘑菇视频 Football Alliance (WFA) Pro League.
The safety was named the WFA蘑菇视频 Defensive Player of the Year. Harris deserved the award, as she had 40 solo tackles, nine assists and recorded seven interceptions in the regular season to help lead the Passion to a 5-1 record in the regular season.
Harris made 12 stops (9 solo) in the postseason, but to steal a phrase from Watt蘑菇视频 head coach Mike Tomlin, her 鈥渟plash play鈥� of the year was a 103-yard interception return for a touchdown against Mile High in the quarterfinals of the WFA Pro playoffs on June 28.
The play lit up social media accounts, as Harris did her best James Harrison interception after jumping the route in the middle of the field and racing down the right side of the field. Harris benefited from a block at her own 30 before sprinting into the end zone.
鈥淲hen I got to the end zone I said, 鈥極h my God, get me some oxygen,'鈥� Harris said. 鈥淚 was running out of real estate at one point, but that huge block helped spring me to the end zone. It was an amazing feeling.鈥�
Pittsburgh went on to a 48-6 triumph over Mile City, but had its season end in the conference championship after a 35-34 setback to the D.C. Divas.
The Passion defeated the Divas, 56-27, in their first matchup in the regular season, but lost the rematch, 22-19.
鈥淚t was a disappointing finish to the season, but we had a good run and we will look to get back to the playoffs next year,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淚 always work to keep myself in good shape.鈥�
Although Pittsburgh蘑菇视频 season is over, Harris has one more game this year, as she will represent the National First Team in the All-American game on Saturday at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Harris was selected to play in the All-American game last year.
鈥淚t is really neat to be selected to play in that game for the second year in a row,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淚t is played at the field that is right next to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which makes it even more special.鈥�
Harris, 30, works as a financial assistant for Jones-Day law firm in Pittsburgh. The team holds practices at night, and that is when Harris changes from business attire to putting on the helmet and pads.
鈥淲hen I put on the pads, I feel like a superstar,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淲hen I was growing up, I would always play football in the backyard, and my grandma was a huge Steeler fan, so I was kind of a natural when it came to playing tackle football. We used to do that in our back yard.鈥�
Harris played four years of basketball at La Roche University, where she graduated in 2018 with a bachelor蘑菇视频 degree in accounting and finance.
Harris played soccer, volleyball and competed in track & field in high school. She relished playing basketball, and had played flag football after college, but tackle football was in her blood.
鈥淚 played about every sport in high school,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淲e had a good basketball squad under Jason and Vince Winfrey. I knew about the Passion because I worked for East End Community Center in high school for my senior project and we had the Passion come in. I think I just decided two years ago that it was no-or-never if I wanted to play tackle football. It has been great, and I hope to continue to play for as long as I鈥檓 able to.鈥�