Section V Offensive/Defensive Player and Coach of the Year Awards for East Upper School and James Monroe Upper School Football Team Members

Zymier Jackson

(November 15, 2023) The Rochester City School District congratulates the following football athletes and coaches who have been honored with Player of the Year and Coach of the Year Awards from Section V.

Zymier Jackson, a Senior at East Upper School, was named Class A Offensive Player of the Year. In the team’s Section V Championship win over Brighton last weekend, Jackson completed 12 of 21 passes for 160 yards. The team has a 21 – 1 record since Jackson took over as quarterback starting his junior year. The sectional title last weekend was the team’s first since 2005.

Ervin Wiggins, Jr.

Ervin Wiggins, Jr., a senior at East Upper School, was named Class A Defensive Player of the Year. In the Sectional game win against Brighton, Wiggins had a touchdown reception.

Robert Arnold/Messiah Hampton

Robert Arnold, a sophomore at James Monroe Upper School, was named Class B Defensive Player of the Year. He currently has 21-and-a-half sacks and 77 tackles this season. Messiah Hampton, a sophomore at Monroe Upper School, was named Class B Offensive Player of the Year. He has 39 catches for 535 yards and 19 touchdowns this season.

Terrell Cunningham, the head football coach at James Monroe Upper School, was named Class B Coach of the Year. His Monroe Red Jackets (10 – 0) have outscored their opponents this season by an astonishing margin, tallying an impressive 470 points while conceding just six in the first week of the season when Honeoye Falls-Lima scored a touchdown.

James Vann and Steve Flagler, football coaches at East Upper School, were named Class A Coaches of the Year. East (11-0), will face Clarence from Section VI in the Class A Far West Regionals in Buffalo on Friday, November 17, at 8:00 p.m., and Monroe will face a charter school from Buffalo in the Class B Far West Regionals on Saturday, November 18, at 3:30 p.m. Both games will take place at Williamsville South High School.

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