Newsday's All-Long Island flag football team 2023
The 2023 Newsday All-Long Island flag football team. Front row, from left: Taylor Mileti of Hauppauge, Jahniya McCreary of Half Hollow Hills, Samantha Heyman of Half Hollow Hills and Melissa O'Connor of Hauppauge. Back row, from left: Olivia Moynihan of Sayville, Sofia LaSpina of Bellmore-Merrick, Jennifer Canarutto of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, Iris Hoffman of Whitman, Rachel Ganz of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, Lexi Thompson of MacArthur and Coach Alec Abramowitz of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK. Credit: James Escher
Newsday Player of the Year: Jahniya McCreary, Half Hollow Hills, RB/DB, Sr.
There were plenty of outstanding running backs and defensive backs in flag football this season. And as the sport continued to surge across Long Island, growing to 41 high school teams, one player emerged above all.
It was Jahniya McCreary.
She led Half Hollow Hills to a 31-14 win over Patchogue-Medford for the Suffolk championship. Whether it was running, receiving or defending, McCreary was the do-it-all talent for Hills. She rushed for 77 yards and four touchdowns on seven carries in the Suffolk title game.
“She is a once-in-a-lifetime type of player that has a nose for the ball; she is a game changer,” Half Hollow Hills coach Michael Lupa said. “No matter what is happening, you know she will make a play.”
McCreary had fantastic speed on the edge and once outside a defender was a tough runner to flag. She rushed for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns on 64 attempts and caught 69 passes for 1,243 yards and 13 scores.
She was the best defensive player on Long Island with astounding statistics. She recorded 150 flag pulls and 13 interceptions, including five that were returned for touchdowns.
Jahniya McCreary of Half Hollow Hills races downfield after making her first of two interceptions in the Suffolk girls flag football championship against Patchogue-Medford at Sachem East on May 25. Credit: James Escher
Nassau Player of the Year: Jennifer Canarutto, Plainview Old Bethpage-JFK, QB, Soph.
She threw for four touchdowns in a 27-7 win against Warwick Valley in the regional flag football championship at the New York Jets' Florham Park facility in New Jersey to cap a perfect season. The Hawks finished 18-0. She threw for 2,365 yards and 43 touchdowns while rushing for 703 yards and five scores. Canarutto was especially effective when she broke the pocket and scrambled for big yardage. “[Rachel Ganz and Canarutto] are the best of friends and were always getting in extra passing and catching work together throughout the season,” Plainview Old Bethpage-JFK coach Alec Abramowitz said. “The extra attention to detail and practice sharpened Ganz’s strong pass anticipation and catching abilities, which paid dividends all season long.”
Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK quarterback Jen Canarutto throws winning extra-point conversion pass in the Nassau flag football final against MacArthur on May 26. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
First team
Rachel Ganz, Plainview Old Bethpage-JFK, WR/DB, Soph.
She became Jennifer Canarutto’s favorite target and caught 31 receptions for 641 yards and 14 touchdowns for the champion Hawks. She added 202 rushing yards and one score. She was equally impactful on defense with nine interceptions and 26 flag pulls.
Samantha Heyman, Half Hollow Hills, QB/LB, Fr.
She completed 169 of 271 passes for 2,087 yards and 26 touchdowns and ran 117 times for 843 yards and 10 scores. She added 15 sacks, 51 flag pulls and an interception. A dual-threat quarterback and fierce competitor, she is going to continue to pose issues for opposing teams in the years to come.
Iris Hoffman, Whitman, WR/DB, Jr.
One of Long Island’s most elusive pass-catchers. Once she catches the ball, it becomes an unfair game of tag toward the end zone. Her route-running is spectacular, and she maximizes yards-after-catch, resulting in 93 receptions for 908 yards and 18 touchdowns. She had 19 rushes for 113 yards and two scores. She also had five interceptions in five games.
Sofia LaSpina, Bellmore-Merrick District, QB/DB, Sr.
She passed for 1,950 yards and 33 touchdowns with a 70% completion percentage and ran for 180 yards and five scores. She also had 42 flag pulls and two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown in a 24-20 playoff win over Massapequa. LaSpina threw for three scores and led the team in flag pulls against Massapequa. LaSpina led Bellmore-Merrick to the LI title with a win over Whitman in 2022.
Taylor Mileti, Hauppauge, QB/DB, Fr.
The dynamic quarterback was a deep threat all season. She passed for 1,642 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 point-after conversions. She added 270 rushing yards and three scores on 17 carries. Defensively, she had 70 flag pulls and eight interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. She also played a pivotal role on special teams as a punter, averaging 45 yards with a long of 57 yards. The Swiss army knife player archetype also has inspiring leadership qualities.
Olivia Moynihan, Sayville, QB/LB, Soph.
She was a dual threat on offense, through the air or on the run. She completed 107 of 195 passes for 1,560 yards and 18 touchdowns. She added nine rushing touchdowns and 622 yards. Her offensive prowess is equally matched by her innate defensive skills. She grabbed nine interceptions while at safety and linebacker. Most notably, she made Sayville’s two biggest plays of the season; a game-saving pass breakup in a 7-6 win against Half Hollow Hills and a game-sealing interception in a 20-13 win against Whitman.
Melissa O’Connor, Hauppauge, WR/CB, Jr.
O'Connor's ability to catch the ball in traffic and athleticism to pitch a ball flawlessly during a speed sweep makes her lethal in the open field. She caught 61 passes for 780 yards and 15 scores and added nine point-after conversions. As a cornerback, she had 32 flag pulls and seven interceptions. Alongside Taylor Mileti, she led Hauppauge to an impressive 12-1-1 record.
Lexi Thompson, MacArthur, QB/LB, Sr.
Thompson had the arm strength to be a dynamite downfield passer. She threw for 2,242 yards, 36 touchdowns and 16 point-after conversions. She added 353 yards rushing and two scores. Thompson spread the ball among a bevy of receivers. Her athleticism and field awareness helped her avoid flag pulls and buy time to allow her receivers to find open space. She also had 69 flag pulls, 11 interceptions with a pick-six and 13 pass breakups.
Coach of the Year: Alec Abramowitz, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK
He led the Hawks to an 18-0 record, including a dominant 27-7 win over Section IV’s Warwick Valley to claim the regional title. The Hawks outscored opponents 427-52 and recorded 11 shutout wins.
With Zachary Han
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
