Hines Furniture Athlete of the Year begins

After another year of excellent performances that earned recognition in the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week, it’s time for the end-of-year contest to begin!
Voting opens on Tuesday for the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Year. All 32 winners of the weekly award, which are listed below, will be slotted into a bracket for our readers to vote on. The first round will be open through May 4 at noon, and the second round will begin at 12:01 a.m. on May 5. The rounds will last three days until the bracket gets down to the final four.
Unlike our past Athlete of the Year brackets, the final four will not move to a championship. Instead, voters will decide on the winner from the final four candidates. Voting for the final four will open on May 11 and run through May 17.
The Hines Furniture Athlete of the Year will be announced at the Bobbys, The Sumter Item’s new sports award show, at The Sumter Opera House on June 15.
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS (listed alphabetically):
AJ Danzy, Lee Academy
Ariana Somcheen, Laurence Manning
Ashley Rae Hodge, Laurence Manning
Bayleigh Donhauser, Thomas Sumter
Carter Hill, Thomas Sumter
Connor Smith, Wilson Hall
Divon Woods, Lakewood
Dominick West, Crestwood
Eli Tomlinson, Lee Academy
Fendley Kimbro, Thomas Sumter
Gatlin Kimbro, Thomas Sumter
Jack Poag, Wilson Hall
Jamie Richardson, Ragin Prep
Jasiah Oaks, Crestwood
Justin Rembert, Crestwood
Keziyah Sanders, Sumter High
Khalil Moody, Crestwood
London Vaughn, Crestwood
Lyza Prickelmyer, Laurence Manning
Maggie Norris, Wilson Hall
Maliah Wright, Crestwood
Myla Ardis, Sumter High
Natalie Pitts, Lee Central
Olivia O’Clair, Crestwood
Rickell Brown, Sumter High
Rosandra Bennett, Scott’s Branch
Ryen Ridgill, Lakewood
Shamira Andrews, Sumter High
Sidney Berry, Clarendon Hall
Simone Wells, Sumter High
Taliya Harris, Crestwood
Teon Tindal, Crestwood