Experienced Madi Barnyk takes makes strong debut at QB for Seneca Valley flag football vs North Allegheny
JACKSON TWP — Madi Barnyk made her first varsity start at quarterback Tuesday night.
The Seneca Valley senior flag football player had been helping steer the Raiders for much longer.
Barnyk was a 2026 Jerome Bettis Leadership Award winner, an honor that factors in “leadership, character and community service, which align with our three values here,” Seneca Valley coach Chris Eden said.
Along with starting at strong safety — “basically our captain of the defense,” Eden said — Barnyk previously played receiver, then was transitioned to signal caller Monday. The Raiders trailed 32-13 at home to neighboring rival North Allegheny when the game was postponed due to lightning with 7:43 remaining.
The remainder of the game will be completed at a time and date to be determined.
Barnyk threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Madison Voynik in the first quarter, giving the Raiders (0-3) their only lead of the day. Voynik avoided a flag pull after reeling in Barnyk’s short throw and traversed up the right sideline to score.
On the following Seneca Valley possession, Barnyk floated a deep pass to freshman Rylie Lesack on fourth down. Lesack came down with it in traffic before turning around to polish off the rest of the 25-yard touchdown grab.
Eden was impressed with Barnyk’s composure as a passer.
“It’s extremely difficult, because you have a blitzer at 7 yards coming after you, and you have about 2.1-2.4 seconds to get rid of the football,” Eden said. “So we have to create concepts for our players to make quick decisions, quick reads.”
Barnyk, who joined the team during her sophomore year, has an offer from Penn State Harrisburg and has also visited Radford. She said she’s been a football fan her entire life — she roots for the Dallas Cowboys — but didn’t envisioned herself playing for years.
“I just want to empower my teammates,” Barnyk said. “We always say, ‘Allow the playmakers to be playmakers. Get them the ball and let them do their jobs.’ I think, at quarterback, I can do that. ... They make my job very easy if I go out there and I can just toss them the ball, if I can just pitch them the ball, I trust them that they’re gonna get up field and they’re gonna make their moves.
“That’s one of my biggest goals, is giving opportunities to people who don’t necessarily get them all the time.”
In the offseason, Eden prepped Barnyk to throw the ball out of a tailback-type position in the Raiders’ up-tempo, RPO attack. Through their first three games — all losses — the Raiders had turned the ball over 18 times and thrown five pick-sixes, prompting Eden to give the keys to Barnyk.
Barnyk is also a longtime softball player and still plays shortstop for Seneca Valley’s slow-pitch team, which she’s been on since eighth grade.
The Raiders face Cathedral Prep on Wednesday, seeking their first win of the campaign.
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The Seneca Valley flag football team celebrate after a touchdown in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Seneca Valley flag football team celebrate after a touchdown in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Rielle Geisel (21) runs the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Madison Voynik (16) runs the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley kicker Anna Iaquinta (39) punts the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Jenna Berg (26) runs the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Denali Pitell (23) runs the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Savannah Inman (18) runs the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Rylie Lesack (22) runs the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Jenna Berg (26) scrambles to recover the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Rylie Lesack (22) runs the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Seneca Valley flag football team line up for the start of a play in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Abbi Speicher (24) grabs North Allegheny's Brynn Hughey's (15) flag in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Savannah Inman (18) pulls North Allegheny freshman Bella Devennie's (8) flag in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley quarterback Madison Barnyk (3) looks for an open teammate to pass to in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Rylie Lesack (22) leaps for the ball in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Jenna Berg (26) attempts to pass the ball while North Allegheny's Danika Hogan (3) leaps to block her in a flag football game against North Allegheny on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
