The second week of Athlete of the Year voting is in the books as the last six finalists have been chosen.

This week, the final round of voting begins, and the six boys and six girls finalists will go against each other to determine this year’s male and female Athletes of the Year. 

Athlete of the Year voting will run each week starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday until 10 p.m. on Monday. Vote daily on our website!

Here is how the voting process works:

• June 19-23: Vote any athlete of your choice from 12 male and 12 female nominees; top three from each move on.
• June 26-30: Vote any athlete of your choice from a new set of 12 male and 12 female nominees; top three from each move on.
• July 3-7: Vote for the male and female Athletes of the Year from the remaining 12 nominees.
•  July 10: Winners announced!

Below is more information about each of the second week’s winners. 

Sam Burks - Northside Christian 

Northside Christian’s Sam Burks is a multi-sport athlete who really excelled on the football field last season. 

Burks had an explosive senior season, earning Region Offensive Player of the Year. He crossed major personal milestones, including 2,000 career rushing yards and 50 touchdowns. 

The 2024 football season was one of the most successful in school history. Burks was the spark plug on offense, leading the team in yards and touchdowns.  

Cooper James - Gilbert

Gilbert’s Cooper James shined on the baseball and football fields this season. 

James was the Indians' starting quarterback in 2024 and helped the team finish second in its region after many productive outings. He helped the team overcome a 1-3 start last season and advance to the third round of the playoffs. 

On the baseball field, James was a consistent piece and earned All-Region honors. 

Brandon Cromer - Lexington

Lexington’s Brandon Cromer had another strong season on the baseball diamond for the Wildcats. 

The senior was one of the team’s go-to hitters as they tried to defend their 2024 state championship. While Lexington fell short in the end, Cromer’s play helped the team advance back to the title series for the second year in a row. 

An injury to his throwing arm limited his production in the field and on the mound, but even so, he was still a reliable two-way player. 

Cromer’s next stop is college ball, where he is set to play close to home at the University of South Carolina. 

Breana Borges - American Leadership Academy

American Leadership softball star Breana Borges is an Athlete of the Year nominee after a successful campaign with the Patriots. 

The rising senior was the team’s best batter last season, hitting 0.425 with 31 hits. 

Ciara Williams - Lexington

Lexington track star Ciara Williams had another strong year running for the Wildcats. 

She placed second at states for the girls long jump and won the event at the Lexington County Championships. Williams recently competed in the Adidas Outdoor Nationals and placed fourth in the long jump. 

As a rising junior, Wimmas has at least two more years to build on her success and add to her already impressive resume. 

Aubri Dunigan - Brookland-Cayce

Brookland-Cayce Aubri Dunigan played for both the Bearcats’ volleyball and softball teams in 2024-25. 

Dunigan was a key part of both teams and led in many statistical categories. On the volleyball floor, she was second in kills, first in Aces and first in digs. 

On the softball field, she led the team in batting average and RBIs.