Area all-star athletes honored during awards show – Sports – The … – Progress Index

First-ever sports awards show hosted by The Progress-Index and Colonial Orthopaedics

ETTRICK Student-athletes from 11 different schools in the Tri-Cities region were honored on Saturday evening at the first Colonial Orthopaedics-Progress-IndexBest of PrepsSports Awards show.

Over 130 athletic standouts received accolades across 23 prep sports from the groundbreaking event, held in its first year at the Virginia State University Multipurpose Center in Ettrick. Over 350 people attended the show.

"This is a great opportunity to bring our communities together and celebrate our people. We are proud to be organizing this event, said Craig Richards, publisher of The Progress-Index. This is just one example of the stellar young men and women who make us the great region we are.

"I'd like to personally thank Colonial Orthopedics for sponsoring this event, Richards said. Without their generous support, this particular celebration of our area youth would never have happened."

Awards were presented to athletes who were chosen and/or approved by their coaches and athletic directors as being the best in their sport at their respective schools. Additionally, the best athletes in the region for each sport and the Male Athlete of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year were announced.

Our region in particular is a special place, said Nicholas Vandeloecht, sports editor of The Progress-Index. There are so many amazing athletes who have come through here from Jackie Bradley Jr. to Frank Mason to C.J. Prosise and amazing athletes who are still here now. This is an area teeming with talent, and the athletes here deserve to be noticed andrecognized by the entireregion for their accomplishments and dedication.

Schools featured were Appomattox Regional Governors School, Carver, Colonial Heights, Thomas Dale, Dinwiddie, Hopewell, Life Christian Academy, Matoaca, Petersburg, Prince George and West End Christian.

Student-athletes received awards in the sports of golf, football, boys and girls volleyball, field hockey, boys and girls cross country, cheerleading, boys and girls basketball, wrestling, boys and girls swimming, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls track and boys and girls lacrosse.

Richards was the host of this year's event. Emcees for the sports awards show were Michael Bish of FOX Sports Radio 1340 AM (Hopewell) and Nicholas Vandeloecht, sports editor of The Progress-Index.

See this year's Male Athlete of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year on page B1!

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Area all-star athletes honored during awards show - Sports - The ... - Progress Index