JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jasmine Cross started playing flag football long before many players even knew it was a high school sport.
The experience showed.
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Cross, the Varsity 4 All-News4JAX flag football player of the year, was a do-it-all offensive star all four seasons at Fletcher. But she learned it long before high school.
Cross fell in love with the sport during elementary school when she played alongside her father, Justin. What started out as father and daughter just playing catch evolved into them playing on a flag team together at the beach. And for Cross, it was a learning experience that would shape her athletic future.
“I was the only girl on the team. There wasn’t really a lot of girls in the sport [back then]. I was the girl and I was the quarterback, so it was kind of like a weird experience,” Cross said. “But I played third [grade] to probably middle school, honestly, as much as I could. And then when I saw they had it in high school, I jumped on it really quick.”
And that was good for the Senators.
The momentum and visibility of flag football has boomed. Last year’s All-News4JAX player of the year London Jenkins spent her freshman season at Florida Gateway College and is now a member of the US National flag football team and looking to earn a spot in the US lineup for the 2028 Olympics. Cross said she’s been amazed by the boom of flag football and how popular it has become.
Previous All-News4JAX flag football players of the year
| Year | Player | School |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jasmine Cross | Fletcher |
| 2024 | London Jenkins | Fleming Island |
| 2023 | Mykala Maddox | Fleming Island |
Cross accounted for 148 total touchdowns over the last three seasons and is one of only two local players to earn All-News4JAX honors each season the team has existed (Bradford’s Ar’Nayshia Griffin is the other).
Cross considers herself an athlete more than just a quarterback and that athleticism is what helped Fletcher rack up three straight playoff appearances. Cross was a massive threat passing the football or running it. She also contributed on defense, picking off four passes in her final season.
“I think because of my prior experience it was definitely a lot easier,” she said.
She wound up as a four-year player for the Senators, blending a dynamic mix of running and passing to lift Fletcher to the best stretch in program history. The Senators went a combined 45-18 during her four seasons and went to the postseason in three of those.
She passed for 2,111 yards and 30 touchdowns in her final season. But Cross was so much more than just a passer. Her ability to keep it and go made Fletcher so difficult to defend. Cross added a career-high 1,316 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
“Our play style and a lot of it was just me discovering 7 on 7, how much I can run, and that really helped us,” she said. “And being able to have that option really made me and my running back [Helena Jaeger] click.”
That athleticism wasn’t just confined to the football field. Cross played basketball, too, starting all four seasons for the Senators and averaging 8.3 points per game. But Cross said she was far more comfortable playing flag because she’d played it for longer than basketball.
“With basketball, I wasn’t really recognized for much because I’m on the shorter end (she’s 5-5),” she said. “But in flag football, I got a bunch of exposure. I know quarterback is a special kind of position. You have to have certain assets, but I didn’t really think it was going to give me all these shout outs and stuff like that.”
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX flag football team
Athlete, school, year, notable
Catherine Brewer, Stanton, Sr.
Safety/receiver was top playmaker for Blue Devils. Had 445 receiving yards, 10 TDs on 51 catches, but a bigger threat on defense. Had 30 flag pulls, 15 interceptions for 10-7 Stanton.
Nichelle Brown, Bradford, Sr.
Two-time All-News4JAX selection had 132 catches for country-best 2,220 yards. Had 44 total TDs, including 34 receiving. Added five rushing TDs and 563 yards. On defense, Brown had 10 interceptions.
Julia Conroy, Ponte Vedra, Fr.
Had team-high 16 TD catches (72 receptions, 786 yards). Stellar on defense, too. Led Sharks with 16 interceptions and fourth on team with 32 flag pulls.
Jasmine Cross, Fletcher, Sr.
Three-time All-News4JAX selection. Offensive machine. Passed for 2,111 yards, 30 TDs and rushed for 1,316 yards and 15 TDs to power Senators to 14-3 finish. On defense, she had 20 flag pulls and four picks.
Adelynn Curry, Tocoi Creek, Fr.
Accounted for 1,509 yards on offense and special teams for first-year Toros. Had 33 flag pulls, nine offensive TDs, eight pass breakups and seven interceptions.
Treasure Curry, Paxon, Jr.
Always making plays for the Golden Eagles, especially on defensive side of the ball (114 flag pulls, 8 sacks, 5 INT). Added 283 rushing yards, 414 receiving yards and five TD catches.
Carlincea Dillon, White, Sr.
Led the Commanders with 75 flag pulls and a staggering 36 sacks as area’s top pass rushing threat.
Daisy Fletcher, Fleming Island, Jr.
Strong player at linebacker for 12-4 Golden Eagles. Had 105 flag pulls and eight sacks. As a receiver, had 200 yards and a TD on 17 catches.
Yuliana Garcia, Clay, Sr.
Receiver/defensive back had 48 catches for 765 yards and 16 TDs, all totals that led the team. Added three picks on defense for 14-1 Clay.
Arnayshia Griffin, Bradford, Jr.
Three-time All-News4JAX selection. Passed for 3,288 yards, 33 TDs. Added 10 rushing TDs and 632 yards on the ground. Wicked tough on defense with 25 interceptions
Peyton Gruver, Ponte Vedra, Fr.
Another of the Sharks’ two-way stars, she had 861 yards receiving and seven TDs on 78 catches. Added eight interceptions from her safety position.
Lily Holden, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Excellent goalkeeper in soccer was a big target for the second-year Bears. Had 120 catches for 1,247 yards, 15 TDs. Had 33 flag pulls on defense and led Bears with 10 picks.
Kyra Jackson, White, Jr.
Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Passed for 1,782 yards, 32 TDs and rushed for 681 yards, eight TDs. On defense, had team-best eight picks for 13-6 Commanders.
Kamilya Johnson, Yulee, Sr.
Do-it-all athlete for the Hornets in 12-5 season. Had 18 TD catches (79 receptions, 1,050 yards) and rushed for eight more scores (53 carries, 532 yards). Menace in the secondary with 10 interceptions.
Reese Holman, Mandarin, Sr.
Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Had 103 catches, 1,327 yards, 17 TDs in first season with Mustangs after starring previously at Paxon. Passed for 1,367 yards, eight TDs. On defense, had 53 flag pulls and nine interceptions.
Teaghan Moses, Clay, Jr.
Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Blue Devils QB missed four games of season while returning from knee injury. Passed for 1,571 yards, 21 TDs to lead area’s top team to regional finals.
Elissa Murdock, University Christian, Jr.
Multi-sport star led first-year Christians to 10-1 record with 1,939 passing yards, 24 TDs, 530 rushing yards, seven TDs.
Izzy Murray, Ponte Vedra, So.
Excellent first season for the Sharks and she was a significant reason for it. Passed for 2,863 yards and 36 TDs and rushed for 223 yards and five TDs. Led defense, too, tallying 85 flag pulls and 10 interceptions.
Elyanna Perez, Paxon, So.
Led Golden Eagles passing with 1,937 yards, 26 TDs and also in rushing (702 yards, four TDs) en route to 11-6 finish.
Kaila Pierce, Bartram Trail, Jr.
Breakout season for Bears passer. Led area with 3,504 passing yards, 42 TDs as second-year program made the playoffs for the first time.
Emily Poucher, Fleming Island, So.
Had 48 catches for 650 yards and nine TDs for Golden Eagles. Added eight extra-point plays. On defense from her linebacker spot, she had 75 flag pulls, nine interceptions and a pick six. Had nine of her 24 punts downed inside the 20.
Honorable mention
Player, school, class
Abree Abbott, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Riley Abelon, Bartram Trail, So.
Charlotte Andrus, Clay, Jr.
Danyelle Bell, West Nassau, Jr.
Narissa Blocton, Ridgeview, Jr.
Taniya Booker, Ridgeview, Jr.
Grace Brown, Mandarin, So.
Taylor Burke, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
Caelyn Carter, Paxon, So.
Jada Celestine, Paxon, Sr.
Mariah Coleman, West Nassau, Jr.
Paola Cruz, Crescent City, Sr.
Lylian Curtis, White, So.
Kirra Dodson, Clay, Sr.
Devyn Dudones, Fleming Island, Sr.
Audrey Ellis, Fleming Island, So.
Shelby Gaines, Bishop Snyder, Jr.
Janyiha Gilliard, Menendez, Jr.
Charlotte Glavin, Clay, Fr.
Aniyamarie Gray, Jackson, So.
Kennis Gray, Riverside, Sr.
Kirsten Gudmalin, Sandalwood, Jr.
Akaylah Hewett, Tocoi Creek, So.
Rheyna Hilton, Yulee, Jr.
Alee Horton, Keystone Heights, So.
Helena Jaeger, Fletcher, Sr.
Jordan Janssen, Tocoi Creek, So.
Lily Kalil, Clay, Sr.
Nina Kamma-Hill, Paxon, Sr.
Zykeria Luellen, White, Fr.
Bridget Martinez, Mandarin, So.
Rachel McCroy, Fletcher, Fr.
Bralynne McDonald, Bartram Trail, Fr.
Cora Parker, Clay, Jr.
Ashley Purdy, Sandalwood, Sr.
Shadae Reid, Mandarin, Sr.
Araniya Riggins, Jackson, So.
Jahkaylah Robinson, University Christian, Sr.
Jahniyah Robinson, University Christian, So.
Isabella Romero, Bartram Trail, Fr.
Mia Sanchez, Tocoi Creek, Fr.
Riley Shuford, Keystone Heights, So.
Arabella Thomas, Fletcher, Sr.
Kayla Tiner, Tocoi Creek, So.
Ezira Ward, Riverside, Sr.
Tatum Waugh, Clay, So.
Jules White, Middleburg, Sr.
Olivia Wiggins, West Nassau, Fr.
