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The Republic's 2023-24 All-Arizona high school flag football team

Logan Stanley, Arizona Republic
·5 min read

This past fall was a historic one for the Arizona Interscholastic Association as the first sanctioned flag football season was completed at the high school level. It was a long time coming for those involved with flag football at the club level, who had worked for years to make it an official sport here.

Here is The Republic’s All-Arizona flag football team for the 2023 season. This list was made with input from coaches throughout the state and observations from Republic staff.

The Republic's offensive and defensive players of the year will be selected from among these nominees. They will be announced at the Arizona High School Sports Awards event on June 17 at Arizona Financial Theater in downtown Phoenix along with players of the year in other high school sports for the 2023-24 school year.

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First team offense

Isabella Pap, QB, Gilbert Campo Verde, So.: Led the state with 4,009 passing yards, also threw for 29 touchdowns.

Katelyn Jewell, QB, Waddell Canyon View, Jr.: Tossed 55 touchdowns to lead all quarterbacks in Arizona.

Tierah Metcalf, QB, Mesa Mountain View, Fr.: Threw for 3,214 yards, third in the state.

Mountain View Toros quarterback Tierah Metcalf (7) looks to pass against the Mountain Pointe Pride during a flag football game at Mountain View High in Mesa on Aug. 29, 2023.
Mountain View Toros quarterback Tierah Metcalf (7) looks to pass against the Mountain Pointe Pride during a flag football game at Mountain View High in Mesa on Aug. 29, 2023.

Maya Evans, RB, Flagstaff, Sr.: The state leader in rushing touchdowns with 14.

Madison Coger, WR, Gilbert Campo Verde, Jr.; Her 2,417 receiving yards were 792 more yards than the No. 2 receiver.

Samaya Taylor-Jenkins, WR, Chandler Hamilton, So.; Caught 23 touchdowns to lead all receivers in the state.

Amber Ferron, WR, Gilbert Williams Field, Sr.; Recorded 107 receptions for 1,359 yards, the third-most yards in Arizona.

Brianna Jacobs, WR, Mesa Desert Ridge, Sr.; Had 8 touchdowns through the air with 768 yards.

Malaysia Roebuck, ATH, Tucson Marana, So.; Finished fourth in the state with 1,176 receiving yards to go along with 14 touchdowns.

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Aaliya Oliver, ATH, Waddell Canyon View, Sr.; Had 887 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

Nyjah Green, ATH, Waddell Canyon View, Sr.; Scored 25 total touchdowns to finish second in the state for points scored with 150.

Noral Sparks, ATH, Phoenix Mountain Pointe, Jr.; Her 17 touchdowns was tied for the fifth-most in Arizona as she scored 107 points.

Second team offense: Madison Green, QB, Glendale Mountain Ridge, Sr.; Catrina Maccagnano, QB, Chandler Hamilton, Sr.; Breana Saunders, QB, Goodyear Millennium, Jr.; Daylee Woods, RB, Chandler Hamilton, Fr.; Sadie Gardner, WR, Mesa Mountain View, Sr.; Jennah Grice, WR, Goodyear Millennium, Sr.; Sadie Christensen, WR, Mesa Mountain View, So.; Angelina Harrell, WR, Waddell Canyon View, Sr.; Makayla Martinez, ATH, Chandler, Fr.; Cadence McCanless, ATH, Mesa Red Mountain, So.; Kaylee Markle, ATH, Eastmark, So.; Teagan Martin, ATH, Flagstaff, Jr.

Honorable mention: Hannah Rouse, QB, Phoenix Xavier Preparatory Academy, So.; Mailelagi Kalama, QB, Mesa Eastmark, Sr.; Lexi Harper, QB, Mesa Desert Ridge, Jr.; Ava Taliaferro, QB, Gilbert Higley, So; Kennedi Hayes, QB/WR, Chandler, Sr.; Jalyssa Guerrero, RB, Gilbert, Jr.; Remington Douglas, RB, Chandler, So.; Kinsley McCarty, RB, Mesa Eastmark, Fr.; Satta Borbor, RB, Avondale La Joya Community, So.; Peyton Yankovich, RB, Glendale Mountain Ridge, So.; Diana Valencia Rodriguez, RB, Avondale St. John Paul II Catholic, Sr.; Jasmine Furr, WR, Bullhead City Mohave, Jr.; Hannah Droeg, WR, Queen Creek Casteel, Sr.; Maci Kerns, WR, Gilbert Higley, So.; Madeline Falls, WR, Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin, Jr.; Jayla Baca, WR, Tempe McClintock, Sr.; Kate MacDonald, WR, Phoenix Xavier Preparatory, So.; Cadence Murdough, WR, Gilbert Higley, Fr.; Madison Sauni, WR/QB, Chandler, Jr.; Mack Weston, ATH, Phoenix Xavier Preparatory, Sr.

Arizona High School Sports Awards 2023-24
Arizona High School Sports Awards 2023-24

First team defense

(Note: “R” refers to rusher as there is no defensive line in flag football).

Nami Singer, R, Tucson Marana, Jr.; Led all rushers with 34 sacks.

Carter Dillie, R/LB, Gilbert Higley, Jr.; Had 17 sacks, which was 13th in the state.

Ellie Cardiff, R, Glendale Mountain Ridge, Sr.: Recorded 27 sacks to finish fifth in Arizona.

Danae Lilavois, R, Chandler, Sr.: Her 33 sacks were just one behind the state leader.

Maycie Bassett, LB, Waddell Canyon View, Jr.; Second in Arizona with 117 flag pulls and fifth with 26 sacks.

Sammi Cocke, LB, Gilbert Campo Verde, Sr.; Finished third in the state with 102 flag pulls.

Naomi Ndayizeye, Chandler Hamilton, So.; Had 95 flag pulls, fifth in Arizona.

Hamilton's Naomi Ndayizeye cheers on her teammates during a flag football game at Chandler High School on Oct. 17, 2023.
Hamilton's Naomi Ndayizeye cheers on her teammates during a flag football game at Chandler High School on Oct. 17, 2023.

Ryland Douglas, S, Chandler, Sr.; Came down with 15 interceptions to lead the entire state, recording 390 return yards in the process.

Kayla Tacker, DB, Casa Grande, Fr.; Second in Arizona with 13 interceptions.

Jayden Jalbert, S, Gilbert Higley, Sr.; Finished tied for third in the state with 11 interceptions.

Khalia Dana, DB, Gilbert, Jr.; Had 11 interceptions and 182 return yards.

Kylee Thurman, Mesa Mountain View, Jr.; Ended with 97 flag pulls, fifth-most in the state.

Second team defense: Serena De Rosa, R, Gilbert Campo Verde, So.; Sophia Garces, R, Mesa Eastmark, Jr.; Kaitlyn Medina, R, Mesa Desert Ridge, Sr.; Abbigail Santa Cruz, R, Gilbert Highland, Sr.; Myla Robertson, LB, Gilbert Campo Verde, So.; Autumn Saavedra, LB, Chandler, Jr.; Isabella Price, LB, Mesa Desert Ridge, Jr.; Sophia Marquez, LB, Mesa Red Mountain, Jr.; Trisha Stine, DB/R, Mesa Red Mountain, Jr.; Ginny Wilson, DB, Mesa Mountain View, Fr.; Jullissa Ayala, DB, Tempe McClintock, So.; Leah Alcala, S, Mesa, Jr.

Honorable mention: Brindli Cooper, R, Mesa Desert Ridge, Sr.; Isa Ady, LB, Phoenix Xavier Preparatory Academy, So.; Deven Kircher, Tempe Corona del Sol, Sr.; Sala Baker, DB/R, Gilbert Highland, Sr.; Emily Williams, DB/R, Chandler, Sr.; Mariyazmin Valdez, DB, Maricopa, Jr.; Imani Campbell, DB, Phoenix Xavier Preparatory, So.; Arene Gaie, DB, Avondale La Joya Community, So.; Isabella Smith, DB, Tempe McClintock, Jr.; Adrian Griffin, DB, Tucson Marana, Jr.; Tessa Christensen, S, Mesa Mountain View, Sr.; Morgan Wubker, S, Phoenix Xavier Preparatory, Sr.; Margaret Garverick, S, Avondale St. John Paul II Catholic, So.; Jea Genet, Gilbert Highland, Sr; Madisyn Atchison, Chandler Arizona College Preparatory, So.; Emilee Searle, Gilbert Highland, So.

Coach of the Year

Brian Coger, Campo Verde: He led the Coyotes to a 12-4 overall record, including playoffs, and the 5A state championship. Campo Verde finished the season with an eight-game winning streak that ended with the win in the title game over a red-hot Canyon View team that had won 14 straight games up until then.

Others considered: Michael Beal, Canyon View; Jesus Arzaga, Mesa Mountain View; Whitney Warmus, Mountain Ridge; Nick Garces, Eastmark.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Republic's 2023 All-Arizona high school flag football team