Photo Courtesy of Irvington Athletic Director John Taylor From left are Irvington High School girls flag head coach Kyle Steele, Irvington senior Janasia Wilson and IHS assistant coach Lawrence Bender at the girls flag football All–American game in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Dec. 18. Steele and Bender served as coaches in the game.
From left are Irvington High School girls flag head coach Kyle Steele, Irvington senior Janasia Wilson and IHS assistant coach Lawrence Bender at the girls flag football All–American game in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Dec. 18. Steele and Bender served as coaches in the game.
IRVINGTON, NJ — Janasia Wilson showed she is one of the best high school girls flag football players in the nation.
The Irvington High School senior quarterback, playing for the East team all-stars, was named the Most Valuable Player in the inaugural U.S. Army All-American girls flag football game in Frisco, Texas, on Dec. 18.
Also coaching in the game were IHS girls flag football head coach Kyle Steele and assistant head coach Lawrence Bender.
Wilson, as a sophomore in the spring 2022, helped the IHS girls flag football team capture the state championship with a win over Hawthorne High School in the final held at the New York Jets facility in Florham Park. In 2021, Irvington played in the inaugural state girls flag football championship game held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, falling to Passaic County Tech of Wayne.
The U.S. Army All-American boys football game also was held on the same night and at the same site. IHS senior defensive back and Penn State signee Vaboue Toure participated in the game. Ashley “Smoke” Pierre coached in the game as well. Pierre recently stepped down after eight highly successful years as the IHS head football coach.
Thus, five IHS representatives were at the all-American games.
This was the second year that an IHS player participated in the U.S. Army All-American game. Last year, defensive back Adon Shuler, who is now playing at Notre Dame, represented IHS.
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association recently approved girls flag football as a pilot status for two years, which is a step closer to varsity status. Girls flag football, which is played in the spring, started in 2021 as a club sport. Girls flag football could be graduated to varsity status in December 2025.
Wilson, a point guard, is also a standout player for the IHS girls basketball team this winter. Last season, she eclipsed 1,000 career points.
This past spring, Wilson played in the inaugural state girls flag football All-Star game held at Kean University in Union. She threw for two touchdowns, including an 11-yard scoring pass on the final play of the game to lift the North all-stars to a 20-14 victory. Wilson also added a rushing TD.
Photos Courtesy of Irvington HS Athletic Director John Taylor
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