The Ledger has announced its flag football Player of the Year, highlighting standout performances in the sport. The recognition comes amid competitive matchups, including a recent semifinal game featuring Haines City and Winter Haven.
Key points
The Ledger announced its flag football Player of the Year.
Haines City won 45-26 against Winter Haven in the semifinal.
The semifinal game occurred on April 21, 2026.
Stephen Stansbury and Matt Timmons are the coaches of Haines City and Winter Haven, respectively.
Mentioned in this story
Stephen StansburyMatt Timmons
Haines CityWinter Haven
Who is The Ledger's flag football Player of the Year?
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
Q&A
Who was named The Ledger's flag football Player of the Year?
The Ledger's flag football Player of the Year has not been specified in the provided content.
What teams were involved in the recent semifinal game?
The recent semifinal game featured Haines City and Winter Haven.
When did the semifinal game between Haines City and Winter Haven take place?
The semifinal game took place on April 21, 2026.
Who are the coaches of Haines City and Winter Haven?
The coach of Haines City is Stephen Stansbury, and the coach of Winter Haven is Matt Timmons.
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Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
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Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
1 / 8
Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
2 / 8
Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
3 / 8
Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
4 / 8
Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
5 / 8
Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
6 / 8
Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
7 / 8
Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
8 / 8
Haines City flag football wins semis over Winter Haven
Featuring Haines City's Zebrielle Canaday (3) and Winter Haven's Quin Sanders (7) and led by Haines City's Stephen Stansbury (white hat) and Winter Haven's Matt Timmons (black shirt), Haines City won 45-26 in the semifinal game over Winter Haven Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Haines City High School.
Polk County flag football 2026 is wrapped up.
And the best players in the county have already displayed what they can do. With the season coming and going, below are the candidates of The Ledgerâs Player of the Year.
Haines City senior quarterback Zebrielle Canaday has won the last two Player of the Year awards. This year she is deserving once more thanks to her 901 yards passing and six touchdowns as well as her 1,156 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns. Defensively, she also put up 50 flag pulls en route to a 9-4 season and a third straight district championship and a trip to the regional quarterfinals before facing the No. 2 team in the nation.
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
Haines City flag football won its third straight district title Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School.
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Haines City flag wins 3rd straight district title
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
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Haines City flag wins 3rd straight district title
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
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Haines City flag wins 3rd straight district title
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
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Haines City flag wins 3rd straight district title
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
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Haines City flag wins 3rd straight district title
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
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Haines City flag wins 3rd straight district title
Haines City flag football won 33-12 over a very good George Jenkins team in the district championship game Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School. In these pictures are No. 3 Zebrielle Canaday, No. 23 Nyla Brinson and No. 1 Myah Batts.
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Haines City flag wins 3rd straight district title
Haines City flag football won its third straight district title Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Haines City High School.
A formidable opponent for Canaday in 2026 was George Jenkinsâ sophomore quarterback Myah Batts, who led the high-flying Eagles to a tremendous season thanks to her 1,213 yards passing with 19 touchdowns and 1,054 yards rushing, 15 touchdowns and 34 flag pulls, which led her team to a 12-4 record â a fourth straight winning season â and a district championship appearance against Haines City.
Then there is Winter Haven senior wide receiver Quin Sanders. Sanders, with her 54 receptions for 819 yards and 13 touchdowns and 24 flag pulls, helped the Blue Devils to a 9-4 record and a district seminal appearance before running into Haines City.
Another worthy candidate is Ridge Community senior wide receiver Abegael Benoit â the Bolts leading receiver on the team. In 2026 she racked up 57 receptions for 640 yards, 11 touchdowns and 20 flag pulls, which helped Ridge to a 9-7 record in 2026.
A worthy opponent for everyone all year was Auburndale, which went 12-4 after finishing the season in the regional quarterfinals against the No. 1 team in the nation. Leading this team was senior athlete Janae Blocker, who threw for 461 yards and seven touchdowns, rushed for 768 yards and nine touchdowns and pulled 20 flags in 2026.
Davenport played some of these Polk elite teams tough in 2026, including Winter Haven and Auburndale, and this helped the team eventually get to 7-4-1. And at the helm of this was senior quarterback Alannah Hariston, who posted 1,030 yards passing and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 198 yards and four touchdowns.
All these players worked hard and performed well, which translated to team success. Now you can vote on who the Player of the Year should be. This vote will end Friday, May 22.
