The 2024-25 high school sports year is complete, which means it’s time to vote for some of the top players and teams from the area this past year before the 2025-26 season arrives.You can vote for the Cellcom Post-Crescent high school girls athlete of the year until 3 p.m. Aug. 1. You don’t have to be a subscriber to vote. You can vote as often as you like, but only once per hour per device.

Here are the nominees. Be sure to vote in the poll below.

Ana Flanagan, Appleton North

The senior for the Lightning was a state swimming champion last fall in Division 1 in the 100-yard breaststroke. She also placed seventh in the 50-yard freestyle and swam the final leg on the 200 freestyle relay team that placed third at state. She also took first place in three events at the Neenah sectional and was the swimmer of the year in the Fox Valley Association.

Celia Gentile, Neenah

The sophomore was a three-sport standout for the Rockets. She was a state qualifier in tennis in the fall and won one match at state, finishing with a 28-3 record. In basketball, she earned honorable-mention all-Fox Valley Association honors and made the all-FVA defense team. This spring, she won WIAA Division 1 state track and field titles in the long jump and the triple jump. She also placed fourth at state in the 400-meter relay and was seventh in the 100-meter dash.

Claire Helmila, Freedom

The senior was a state qualifier in Division 2 cross-country in the fall for the Irish after finishing eighth at the Kiel sectional. In track and field this spring, she was the D2 state champion in the 800-meter run to earn first-team all-state honors. She also placed eighth at state in the 1,600 relay and the 3,200 relay.

Hannah Huza, Hortonville

The junior placed 11th at the Division 1 state cross-country meet in the fall for the Polar Bears, earning second-team all-state honors. In the winter, she was the Fox Valley Association girls wrestler of the year and a state qualifier, placing sixth at state in the 126-pound weight class. In track and field this spring, she placed fourth at state in Division 1 in the 800 to earn all-state honors, was seventh in the 1,600 and 11th in the 3,200 relay.

Karly Meredith, Kaukauna

The senior softball standout for the Ghosts was the Gatorade Wisconsin player of the year this season for the third year in a row and was the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Division 1 state player of the year. She was also voted the Fox Valley Association player of the year for the fourth year in a row after leading the Ghosts to the WIAA Division 1 state championship for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

Mazie Olkowski, Neenah

The senior finished in fourth place at the Division 1 state cross-country championships in the fall, earning first-team all-state honors and helping the Rockets win the team title for the first time since 1983. She was also the Stevens Point sectional champion and the Fox Valley Association runner of the year. In track and field this spring, she placed third at state in Division 1 in the 3,200 and sixth in the 1,600 and earned all-state honors in the 3,200.

Emily Vogel, St. Mary Catholic

The senior was a three-sport standout for the Zephyrs. In the fall, she was a state qualifier and won one match at state with partner Nadia Alexander in Division 2 doubles after earning first-team all-conference. In basketball, she was unanimous first-team all-Big East North and the league’s player of the year. She also earned first-team WBCA all-state in Division 4. This spring, she earned second-team all-Big East North honors in softball as an infielder.

Olivia Witkowski, Weyauwega-Fremont

The senior was a three-sport standout for the Warhawks. She earned unanimous first-team all-Central Wisconsin Conference East honors in volleyball in the fall. She was also unanimous first-team all-CWC East in basketball during the winter and became the school’s all-time leading scorer. This spring, she was unanimous first-team all-CWC East in softball as a pitcher and shortstop.

EL CENTRO –  The San Diego and Imperial Small Business Development Center (SBDC) awarded one lucky young adult $2,000 toward staring a business. Aikel Franks presented his business plan for a custom videography business, focusing on Imperial Valley events, community events, and commercials for Valley businesses.

Five finalists out of around 12 young adults participated in the SBDC Young Entrepreneurship Academy this summer. The youths ranged from 17 to 22 years of age.

“I want to recognize the hard work and commitment,” said Viridiana Rosales-Trujillo. “Along with San Diego State University, we want to award you your certificate of completion.”

The original plan was to award the full amount of roughly $3,000 to one winner however after consulting, the three judges made an announcement.

Rosales-Trujillo announced, “We have decided to award the winner $2,000 and split the remaining money in the form of $250 towards each one of the remaining four participants, which will be enough to at least get you started with your licensing and permitting that we talked about.”

During the three week program, participants crafted a business plan, including cost overhead and marketing plans. The five finalists’ businesses included year round swimming lessons, a flight school, a flower shop boutique, interior design, and videography business.

The students were given certificates of recognition from the offices of California Senator Steve Padilla, 36th District of California Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez, and Senator Raul Ruiz (CA-D).

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) – Area tournaments began play for legion baseball teams in Class B & C on Friday.

Area C-5

#4 Albion def. #5 East Butler, 4-2

#3 Sutton def. #6 Wood River, 8-0

#2 Ord def. #7 DTG, 9-2

Area C-6

#1 Loomis def. #6 Ravenna, 15-0

#5 Overton def. #2 Cambridge, 14-0

#3 St. Paul, def. #4 DCB, 9-1

Area B-4

#2 Central City def. #7 Aurora, 9-1

#3 York def. #6 Fairbury, 9-8

Area B-6

#1 Holdrege def. #6 O’Neill, 9-0

#2 Broken Bow def. #5 LWW, 5-1

#3 McCook def. #4 Minden, 7-2

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There’s nothing tangible here yet, but Joe Tipton of Rivals thinks that Duke leads for Jordan Smith.

Tipton: “Everything I’ve heard up to this point is that the Blue Devils will be difficult to beat.”

Smith of course goes to Paul VI in Fairfax, and Duke has seen several players from there in recent years including Jeremy Roach, Trevor Keels and currently Patrick Ngongba and Darren Harris.

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Obviously they could give him a comfort level that would be hard to find anywhere else.

Smith is a 6-3 shooting guard who would fit well into Jon Scheyer’s offensive scheme. He’s also getting interest from Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisville and Syracuse.

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