Fall all-area series: Here are the top 2023 Savannah-area high school flag football players
Flag football is growing in popularity at the high school level in the Greater Savannah area, and teams continue to make names for themselves with their high level of play.
This season, New Hampstead and Calvary Day were at the top of the list when it came to teams in the Greater Savannah area.
Calvary Day, which won a state title in 2020 in the first year the GHSA offered flag football, won its fourth straight region title and advanced to the Elite Eight in the Division I playoffs.
New Hampstead emerged as a powerhouse as the Phoenix rolled through the regular season undefeated. The Phoenix advanced to the Division I state semifinals, where they met up with SE Bulloch, the perennial powerhouse that hasn't lost a game in three seasons.
New Hampstead gave SEB, which went on to win its third straight state title, a battle in a 20-14 loss. It was New Hampstead's only loss of the year as the Phoenix finished the season with a 19-1 record.
Calvary, New Hampstead advance How New Hampstead and Calvary advanced to flag football state quarterfinals
New Hampstead, Calvary hosting playoffs Here are the state playoff matchups for Savannah-area flag football teams
2022 All-Greater Savannah Flag Football Here's the 2022 All-Greater Savannah high school flag football team and Coach of the Year
New Hampstead's Trey Lanier is the Savannah Morning News Flag Football Coach of the Year, and four of his players — including quarterback A'Kera Jackson, were first-team selections on the All-Greater Savannah Flag Football team which is announced today.
The first-team selections will be recognized at The Coastal Empire High School Sports Awards on Friday, June 7, at the Johnny Mercer Theatre at the Savannah Civic Center, where the Flag Football Player of the Year will be announced. The show is produced with support from Chatham Orthopaedic Associates.
For more information about the show and to opt into email updates, visit its website and you can also follow it on Facebook.
Here is the 2023 All-Greater Savannah Flag Football team.
All-Greater Savannah Flag Football First Team
A'Kera Jackson, New Hampstead, sr., QB
Described as "the engineer of the Phoenix offense," by coach Trey Lanier, Jackson helped lead New Hampstead to a region title and to the Final Four of the Division I playoffs, where the Phoenix lost to three-time state champion SE Bulloch 20-14. She threw for 1,731 yards and ran for 386 yards, accounting for 35 total touchdowns for a Phoenix team that finished the season with a 19-1 record.
Gianna Brown, New Hampstead, jr., WR/LB
Brown had 513 yards receiving and caught 13 touchdown passes while anchoring the New Hampstead defense by pulling 117 flags, with three interceptions — one that she returned for a score.
Taliyah Headman, New Hampstead, jr., WR/DB
Headman had another stellar season for the Phoenix as she starred on both sides of the line of scrimmage. She had 676 yards receiving and seven touchdowns and intercepted seven passes.
Promise Cooper, New Hampstead, jr., WR/DB
Cooper was another versatile star for the Phoenix with six interceptions on defense to go along with 576 receiving yards and six touchdown catches.
Abby Walsh, Calvary Day, jr., Util.
Walsh, also one of the top soccer players in the state, did it all for the Cavs as she threw for 1,021 yards and 19 touchdowns and ran for 434 yards and seven scores, while making 30 receptions for 326 yards and three more touchdowns.
Natalie Sanders, Calvary Day, jr., WR/DL
Sanders pulled 58 flags and had 38 sacks and two interceptions for the Cavs and had 31 receptions for 801 yards and 17 touchdowns. She also ran for 65 yards and a score for a Cavs squad that reached the Division I Elite Eight and finished with a 17-3 record.
Sierra Lowery, Calvary Day, jr., ATH
Lowery picked off 13 passes and pulled 28 flags on defense, and caught 70 passes for 709 yards and 19 scores. She is a clutch player who came through in the biggest spots for the Cavaliers.
McKenzie Clayton, Calvary Day, sr., QB
The senior was a gun slinger at quarterback for the Cavaliers as she threw for 1,817 yards and 39 touchdowns on the year.
Kaiya Bryant, Jenkins, sr., ATH
Bryant was a two-way star for the Warriors and helped Jenkins advance to the second round of the Division I playoffs. She was a first-team All-Area pick on offense and defense for the Warriors.
Sofia Pablo, Savannah Country Day, sr., QB
Pablo was one of the top quarterbacks in the Coastal Empire. She completed 61% of her passes for 1,641 yards with 25 touchdowns and ran for 228 yards and five more scores for an SCD team that finished the season with a 10-2 record.
Rose Williams, St. Vincent's, sr., ATH
Williams scored touchdowns on runs, receptions, punt returns, interception returns and with a scoring throw for a Saints squad that finished the season with an 8-4 record.
Eva Beauchamp, Savannah Country Day, sr., ATH
Beauchamp was a versatile standout for the Hornets. She had 195 yards rushing with 43 receptions for 323 yards. On defense, she picked off seven passes and pulled 31 flags.
Honorable Mention
Calvary Day -- Kaelyn Allen, Carlee Hurst, Tati Modicue, Anna Roach, Kaylee Jeffcoat
Groves -- Tamiya Washington, Mia Beranger
Islands -- Adeline Bowden, Sydni Polite, Gabrielle Narvaez, Kylie Fritts
Jenkins -- Aniyah Browner, Trinity Cody, Aliyah Frazier
Johnson -- Angelique Fleming, Zaniya Allen
New Hampstead -- Taylor Anderson
Savannah High -- KeShauna Gusby
Savannah Christian -- Ava Anderson
Savannah Country Day -- Harper Judelson, Anna Shelton, Reese Bailey, Ana Miller, Hayden Anderson
St. Vincent's -- Porter Rominger, AB Smith, Willa Ciucevich
Woodville-Tompkins -- Jahnariah Massey, Shayne Cooper-Riley, Sarah Armstong, Jordan Rivers
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Here are the top 2023 Savannah-area high school flag football players
