Another season of high school flag football is underway and once again The Observer-area will be home to some of the state’s top players and teams.
Here’s a closer look at the five local teams and how they’ve started their respective seasons.
BELLEVILLE (3-1)
After a season-opening loss to then-state ranked West Orange, Belleville reeled off three consecutive wins, defeating Memorial of West New York (25-6), Millburn (13-12) and Hoboken (28-7).
Chayla Murdock and Roslyn Almodovar have quickly formed a formidable one-two punch on offense. Mudrock, a senior, has thrown for 140 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for a team-high 196 yards on a touchdown. Almodovar, a junior, has been Murdock’s top target with 16 receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Almodovar has also run for four TDs.
Sophomore Ianna Perez has emerged as a top defensive player with 11 sacks and 15 flag pulls. Sophomore Janaina Chauca, seniors McKayla Reed and Kayla Solano-Torres and freshman Isabella Campos have all made an impact in pass coverage early.
HARRISON (2-0)
The reigning NJIC champions are once again set to be one of the state’s top teams with blowout wins over Empowerment Academy Charter (26-0) and Ridgefield (48-0). Harrison is currently ranked No. 17 in the NJ.com Top 20.
Senior Rebecca Sardinha continues to be one of the state’s premier defensive players, recording five sacks and a safety. In the secondary, Mya De Jesus has two interception, one returned for a touchdown, while sophomore Nada Bana has also returned an interception for a TD.
Bana has three rushing TDs as part of the Blue Tide’s three-headed running attack along with De Jesus and sophomore Kassandra Rodriguez.
Senior Hailey Scocco has thrown for three TDs, two to De Jesus (95 yards of total offense) and one to Rodrgiuez (139 yards).
LYNDHURST (0-0)
Due to a weather postponement, the Golden Bears have yet to play their season opener, now set for Wednesday against Harrison.
Lyndhurst should once again be led by one of the state’s top receivers in senior Asya Akar, who had 32 catches for 541 yards and six touchdowns. Nikalena Iacono is set to return at quarterback after throwing for 792 yards.
Akar, Iacono and senior Alexia Marmorato are projected to lead the defense.
NORTH ARLINGTON (1-1)
After dropping its season opener, 12-7, to Garfield, the Vikings bounced back with a 19-12 victory over Wood-Ridge on April 10.
Senior Kyra Garcia has been a playmaker all over the field, completing 13-of-19 passes for 158 yards, while also rushing for a team-best 110 yards and a TD on 20 carries.
Freshman Avalee Freire (6 catches, 95 yards and a TD) and junior Lyndsay Gilbert (6-for-48 receiving) have been a dangerous 1-2 pass catching combo, while senior Shelby McCann has run for 71 yards and two TDs on 15 carries.
Garcia (12 flag pulls) has led the way on defense, alongside Freire, freshman Jaileen Henson and McCann.
NUTLEY (2-0)
The Maroon Raiders are off to a great start, defeating Teaneck, 25-6, and Paramus Catholic, 20-12, to open the season.
Freshman Havana Alavarez has been a star on defense with three interceptions, one returned for a touchdown. Fellow freshman Mia Sceppaguercio has also returned an interception for a TD, while freshman Jiana Maldonado and junior Cameron Ross have two sacks apiece.
On offense, sophomore Skylar Florie has thrown two TD passes to junior Sydney Tramontana. Tramontana has 156 yards of total offense and sophomore Thea Defabbio has led the rushing attack with 153 yards and three TDs on 12 carries.
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Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)