HAINES CITY ― As soon as Haines City’s Zebrielle Canaday finished up with the girls’ basketball season, she immediately turned to the flag football season to avenge her feeling of losing in district action.
The Hornets went down early in districts. But she turned the page and reminded herself the love she has for flag football, imposing her will as one of the top players in the state: Canaday, just a sophomore, led the Hornets to the school’s first-ever Class 2A District 11 Championship thanks to the program dominating Winter Haven by a score of 33-6 Thursday night at Haines City High School.
“It feels good. I wouldn’t be able to do it without my team,” Canaday said after the game.
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Canaday’s team helped her rack up 102 passing yards and 101 rushing yards with two rushing touchdowns, a passing touchdown and also a pick-six.
The game was out of hand early, as the starting quarterback dazzled with a 23-yard rushing touchdown, an 11-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Amari Thomas, a 43-yard pick-six and an 18-yard touchdown run.
Winter Haven’s only score was a 62-yard touchdown dash from senior running back Dreana Simpson early in the fourth quarter.
But this game was all about Canaday’s vision following the district tournament loss as the second-leading scorer on the girls’ basketball team weeks back. As the current best player on the girls’ flag football team, Canaday would arduously train three hours a day during the weekdays and on the weekends.
This rigorous work has Canaday at 1,260 yards rushing, 815 yards passing and 40 touchdowns on the year. She also has five pick-sixes on the year.
Haines City’s Swiss-Army knife wasn’t even a quarterback at first. She’s actually the fifth option at quarterback because of folks quitting the team because of not liking the sport, transferring to another school or playing another sport.
Just ahead of the eighth game of the season, Haines City head coach Stephen Stansbury asked Canaday if she wanted to play quarterback. Canaday swiftly responded and said she can play it.
Since taking over as the starter, Haines City fans have seen Canaday use a dual-threat approach, as her legs are just as deadly as her arm. When she scrambles, she’s always fighting for the extra yard. And when the throws, the ball is placed where’s its needed to be.
“She understands the game in every aspect. Sit back and waiting, she’s reading the field; I haven’t called a play in six games,” Stansbury said. “If you have someone like that who knows the game, you can just let her run. … She’s super knowledgeable. That girl needs to get a scholarship playing somewhere.”
Canaday has led her team as the No. 1 seed in the district tournament. Haines City had a bye before blasting Lakeland 35-6 in the semifinals before another blow out in the championship game against the No. 2 seed. The next step for Haines City is the state tournament, which will begin April 18.
2024-04-12 04:11:36
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