Samaya Taylor-Jenkins of Arizona, Ariana Akey of Colorado headline state POYs.
The fall high school girls flag football season is complete and its time to unveil the MaxPreps Player of the Year in each state.
The fall selections include NFHS-member associations where girls flag football is officially sanctioned: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia and Illinois. Expanded recognition also goes to emerging programs in Indiana, Montana and North Carolina — states that have taken meaningful steps toward official sanctioning and continue to show rapid growth at the grassroots level.
Additional state players of the year will be announced at the conclusion of the winter and spring seasons.
Winter states: Nevada, Washington
Spring states: Florida, Hawaii, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee
Flag football's rise has been undeniable. From speed and precision to creativity and competitiveness, the level of athleticism on display continues to accelerate each season. The honorees below represent not only standout individual performances but also the momentum of a sport carving out its place on the national stage.
Read on for a look at each state's MaxPreps Player of the Year.
AlabamaHarrison stepped into a new role this season as the starting quarterback for the Red Devils and there was no let down. The senior tossed 80 touchdowns, ran for another 18 and was a huge reason Central secured its third consecutive state title.
Alaska
Helped lead the Wolverines to the school's first state championship in the fall. Preston threw for 56 touchdown passes and over 3,500 yards.
Arizona
The do-it-all player is the back-to-back Arizona Player of the Year after capping her career with a second-straight undefeated season and state championship. The senior hauled in 32 touchdown passes and was also a force on defense with 14 interceptions.
California
Threw for 7,934 yards with 112 touchdowns and ran for 1,149 yards with 11 more scores. She accumulated 230 passing TDs and more than 18,600 total yards in leading McClatchy to a 51-7 record over her two-year varsity career.
Colorado
Akey earns state POY honors after another perfect season capped with a state championship. She finished her two-year career with 171 touchdown passes, 35 rushing TDs, 131 flag pulls and 13 interceptions as a defensive back.
Georgia
Completed 15 of 25 pass attempts for 229 yards and five touchdowns in the state title game, guiding her team to a Division 3 championship. Cooper and the Titans finished as the top-ranked team in Georgia this fall.
Illinois
Made her case for POY honors by throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for another during her team's 26-3 win over Whitney Young (Chicago) in the state championship game.
Indiana
Led her team to an undefeated season and Indiana's first-ever state championship, throwing for over 2,000 yards and 41 touchdowns while adding another eight on the ground.
Montana
Allen walks away as a four-time state champion and a dominant player on both sides of the ball. She signed to play at Milligan University in Tennessee. Allen threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in the Class AA title game.
North Carolina
Guided her squad to a perfect 27-0 season and the school's first flag championship. Threw for 3,400 yards and 57 touchdowns while piling up 15 more on the ground.
