Flag football has been a headliner among growing sports over the past several years, a positive trend in offering girls the opportunity to play the game at the high school level. And the trend isn’t slowing, with more states adding it to the list of officially sanctioned high school sports.
As of 2024, 28 of the 50 states have kicked off girls flag football, whether as a full-fledged competition or pilot program, and more are certainly on the way.
At the forefront of all the progress are the athletes, which brings us to the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards.
The HSSA is the country’s largest high school athletic recognition program, with 20 regional programs and one national awards program that honors athletic achievement. Part of that spotlight includes the talented flag football athletes, the trailblazers who are turning heads on the field.
Here is the 2024 watchlist for the HSSA Flag Football Player of the Year (so far).
(Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun)
Maycie Bassett — JR, ATH/LB | Canyon View High School | Waddell, Arizona
Samyah Berry — SR, RB/LB | Tri-Cities High School | East Point, Georiga
Angelina Briano — SR, QB | Roosevelt High School | Eastvale, California
Cameron Brock — JR, QB | South Forsyth High School | Cumming, Georgia
Nichelle Brown — JR, WR/DB | Bradford High School | Starke, Florida
Camille Candidate — JR, ATH/LB | Edison High School | Miami, Florida
Ella Casey — SR, ATH | Pompano Beach High School | Pompano Beach, Florida
Taylor Clark — SR, ATH | Mountain View High School | Lawrenceville , Georgia
Madison Coger — JR, WR/DB | Campo Verde High School | Gilbert, Arizona
Lahela Cornett — SR, WR | Lincoln Park Academy | Fort Pierce, Florida
Emma Corr — JR, ATH | New Smyrna Beach High School | New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Layla Crawford — JR, LB | Lennard High School | Ruskin, Florida
Kelis Durham — JR, WR | Miami Killian Senior High School | Miami, Florida
Abby Elwell — SR, ATH | Lennard High School | Ruskin, Florida
Julia Geis — SR, QB | Blessed Trinity High School | Roswell, Georgia
Liani Gill — JR, ATH | Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches | West Palm Beach, Florida
Morgan Grace — SR, DB | Chocawhatchee High School | Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Arnayshia Griffin — SO, QB | Bradford High School | Starke, Florida
Sanaa Growe — SR, ATH/WR | East Coweta High School | Sharpsburgh, Gerogia
Trinity Hall — JR, WR/DB | Auburndale High School | Auburndale, Florida
Ki’ona Hatley — JR, | Liberty High School | Henderson, Nevada
Samiyah Hopkins — SR, RB | Bellflower High School | Bellflower, California
London Jenkins — SR, WR | Fleming Island High School | Fleming Island, Florida
Katelyn Jewell — JR, QB | Canyon View High School | Waddell, Arizona
Samerria Johnson — JR, DB | Deerfield Beach High School | Deerfield Beach, Florida
Madilyn Lam — SO, QB | Esperanza High School | Anaheim, California
Taimane Laolagi-Aloy — SR, | Chapparral High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Ava Liaga — FR, WR/DB | Corona High School | Corona, California
Nadja Long — JR, LB/ATH | Osborne High School | Marietta, Georgia
Katie Meneses — SR, QB | Rosary Academy | Fullerton, California
Trystin Mitchell — JR, WR/ATH | Liberty High School | Henderson, Nevada
Kyla Moore — SR, QB/ATH | Shadow Ridge High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Jaylani Palmer — SO, WR/DB | Shadow Ridge High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Isabella Pap — SO, QB/DB | Campo Verde High School | Gilbert, Arizona
Sarah Pasquali — SR, QB/WR | Las Vegas High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Kaylie Phillips — JR, QB | Liberty High School | Henderson, Nevada
Nandi Ramessar — SR, WR | Western High School | Davie, Florida
Halley Redd — SR, QB/LB | Basic High School | Henderson, Nevada
Jaylin Schmitt — JR, QB/WR | East Coweta High School | Sharpsburgh, Georgia
Nevaeh Shedrick — SR, RB/LB | Lithia Springs High School | Lithia Springs, Georgia
Angel Shell-Nabiau — SR, WR | Tarpon Springs High School | Tarpon Springs, Florida
Nami Singer — JR, LB/RB | Marana High School | Tuscon, Arizona
Kyleigh Sizemore — SR, QB | Long County High School | Ludowici, Georgia
Shanty Sloss — JR, RB | Atlantic High School | Port Orange, Florida
Haidyn Spano — JR, QB | Robinson High School | Tampa, Florida
Makenna Sturgis — JR, WR | Alonso High School | Tampa, Florida
Manasvi Vijayaraghavan — SR, WR | Robinson High School | Tampa, Florida
Madeline West — JR, LB | Palo Verde High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Angelina Williams — JR, RB/ATH | Locust Grove High School | Locust Grove, Georgia
Grace Yager — JR, WR/DB | Bishop Gorman High School | Las Vegas, Nevada
Nominees for both the regional and national programs are posted as they are selected. Regional nominees represent the best in their respective areas, while national nominees are recognized as the top high school athletes nationwide.
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