Section V flag football stars rack up all-state honors
· Yahoo Sports
As high school flag football continues to grow in popularity, so does the number of Section V players earning recognition among the state's best.
The New York State Sportswriters Association put together the first set of all-state flag football teams in 2025. This year's selections include seven players at Section V schools named first team all-state, one more than last season.
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Webster Schroeder quarterback Emma Rascoe has completed her high school playing days as a two-time member of the Class B all-state first team offense.
Rascoe, the 2026 Democrat and Chronicle All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year, finished with 63 touchdown passes and 78 total touchdowns during her senior season as Webster Schroeder went 14-2. She finished with 4,729 all-purpose yards, including 3,776 passing yards, while helping the Warriors win the Section V Class B championship. The Warriors were state champions in 2025.
Bishop Kearney standout Nela Lopusanova, a three-time AGR first team member, and East Rochester defensive star Payton Kinney earned Class C first-team all-state honors for the second consecutive year.
There are 29 players in Section V who were named all-state at some level in Class A, B or C:
Section V flag football Class A all-state players
- Player of the Year: Samantha Heyman (Half Hollow Hills-Section XI).
- Section V: Sophia Puccia (Penfield quarterback) first team; Paige Dean (Hilton quarterback/receiver) fourth team; Naliah Ramos (Hilton linebacker) fifth team; Gianna Ciavarri (Penfield linebacker) fifth team.
Section V flag football Class B all-state players
- Player of the Year: Gina Iannuzzi (MacArthur-Section VIII).
- Section V: Emma Rascoe (Webster Schroeder quarterback) first team; Jazzy Ealey (Webster Thomas defensive lineman) first team; Mariah Elliott (Churchville-Chili linebacker) second team; Navaeh Jackson (Webster Thomas linebacker) second team; Jillian Pagano (Webster Schroeder receiver) third team; Kaitlyn Muniz (Eastridge linebacker) third team; Alexa Cummings (Victor quarterback) fourth team; Sadie O'Neill (Eastridge quarterback) fourth team; Lilyanna Tracz (Greece Arcadia quarterback) fifth team; Olivia Zizzo (Webster Thomas quarterback) fifth team; Emilee Montagliano (Greece Athena defensive back).
Section V flag football Class C all-state players
- Player of the Year: Ellie Edwards (Pioneer-Section VI)
- Section V: Selena Maldonado (Hornell receiver) first team; Nela Lopusanova(Bishop Kearney receiver) first team; Bles'Ng Muhammad (Aquinas linebacker) first team; Payton Kinney (East Rochester rusher/defensive lineman) first team; RaeganEvingham (Hornell quarterback) second team; Bailey Cook (Wayne rusher/defensive lineman/linebacker) second team; Ajaya Orr (Aquinas defensive back) second team; Sydney Howard (Wayne running back/receiver/quarterback) third team; Kora Button (Canisteo-Greenwood linebacker) third team; Lainey Vargas (Finney quarterback) fourth team; Ja'Yonna Willis (Mercy receiver) fourth team; Paris May (Canisteo-Greenwood utility) fourth team; Tiyanna Martino (East High defensive back) fourth team; Olivia Bucci (Geneseo linebacker) fourth team;
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James Johnson, who grew up in the city of Rochester, has worked as a full-time journalist covering high school sports for the Democrat and Chronicle since 1996. His career began as an intern during the summer of 1990, before the start of his senior year at Edison in the Rochester City School District. He has become a two-time winner of the Rochester Press-Radio Club's Sports Media Excellence Award. Follow him @jjDandC on X (Twitter). Please contact him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V flag football stars rack up all-state honors