Monday, May 19, 2025
In its third season with the backing of the New York Jets, Nassau County girls’ flag football is growing exponentially and arguably nowhere is that more apparent than in Valley Stream, where head coach Brian Kelly had 100 at tryouts.
“The sport has grown tremendously here and it’s always hard to make cuts, but we kept 31 girls on varsity and its our second year with a JV,” Kelly said last Saturday after the District team remained unbeaten through eight games with a 39-0 victory at Freeport. “Defensively we’ve always been strong,” he said. “Now we’re finding ways to put points on the board and the girls are having a lot of fun.”
Freeport, which fell to 2-5, has also seen an increase in participation and head coach Alex Miller is expecting the birth of a JV team next spring. The Red Devils’ varsity is 24-deep and has a mix of seniors and underclassmen.
“The sport is definitely growing,” Miller said. “We have a bunch of freshmen on the team and they’ve started a youth program in the area. We’ve had our ups and downs so far this season, but we have athletic and talented kids and we’re optimistic for some more wins.”
The Red Devils returned most of their offensive starters, including junior quarterback Kaylie Jean-Lubin who took the snaps in every game last season. “She’s come a long way with reading defenses and making smart decisions, limiting interceptions and so on,” Miller said. “We’re probably a half-pass, half-run offense and Kaylie can run it also.”
Jean-Lubin threw four touchdown passes April 2 against Westbury as the Red Devils won 24-0. She hit sophomore Maddy Harris on a 67-yard strike to open the scoring early in the contest and also connected with senior Ashley Blanco and sophomore Sabrina Ligonde in the first half on scoring tosses. Then in the second half it was senior Nalani Galley on the receiving end of a Jean-Lubin touchdown throw.
Two weeks later, Jean-Lubin led a 32-0 blowout of Hempstead with three scores through the air and one on the ground. Freshman receiver/safety Janiyah Eady had a touchdown catch and a pick-6.
Harris, coming off a huge basketball season, is contributing plenty on both sides of the ball. She’s a receiver and has played just about every position on defense. Ligonde, also a key member of the basketball squad, earned All-County football honors last year and as a result is finding defenses keying on stopping her, Miller said. Junior Sanai Hines is making noise at receiver and cornerback.
Junior Sophia Rodriguez worked her way into the starting center job early last season and hasn’t relinquished it, Miller explained. “She’s a wonderful success story,” he noted.
Defensively up front, rushers Blanco, Galley and fellow senior Layla Alexis provide the pressure. “The pass rush has been one of our strengths,” said Miller, who also counts on senior Suri Rashid and sophomore Kayla Holley.
