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.
The list of first team honorees in Class C includes Hornell receiver Selena Maldonado, who had 20 touchdown receptions, six rushing touchdowns, and one touchdown pass this season, along with five interceptions defensively, with two returned for touchdowns. Maldonado helped Hornell go 14-1 and win the Section V title in its first flag football season.
Hornell quarterback Raegan Evingham, meanwhile, was named to the all-state second team. Elsewhere in the Canisteo Valley, a pair of Chargers were named to the all-state team in Class C: linebacker Kora Button (third team) and utility player Paris May (fourth team).
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
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 JAMESJ@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Hornell, Canisteo-Greenwood flag football stars earn all-state honors
