Cleveland Sports Awards finalists announced

Finalists have been announced for the 21st Greater Cleveland Sports Awards. The winners will be announced during the awards show, which will be aired at 7 p.m. March 4 on WKYCTV 3 and SportsTime Ohio. Here are the finalists: • Male High School Athlete of the Year: Tyler Hong, St. Ignatius, swimming; Joe

Labas, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, football; Kentrell Marks, Valley Forge, football

• Female High School Athlete of the Year: Paige Floriea, Mentor, track and field; Ella Gilson, Hawken, cross country, track and field and swimming; Shelby Sallee, Strongsville, soccer

• Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year: Dustin Crum, Kent State, football (Midview); Dillon Dingler, Ohio State, baseball (Jackson); Michael Rose, Iowa State, football (Brecksville-Broadview Heights)

• Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year: Kelly Brennan, Baldwin Wallace, cross country (Walsh Jesuit), Camryn Brown, High Point, basketball (Revere), Naz Hillmon, Michigan, basketball (Gilmour)

• Professional Athlete of the Year: Shane Bieber, pitcher, Indians; Myles Garrett, defensive end, Browns; Collin Sexton, guard, Cavaliers

Other awards:

• Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Courage Award: Camryn Colahan, Vermilion High School, volleyball and basketball

• Humanitarian of the Year and Best Moment in Cleveland sports: TBA

Last year, Brenton Dill’s first year of high school bowling ended at the District Tournament.

This year, Dill guaranteed himself another week of bowling, as the Avon sophomore rolled a 718 on Feb. 21 at Stonehedge Lanes to qualify for the Division I State Tournament.

“It feels really good especially since I didn’t do so well last year,” Dill said. “This year I was able to get it done.”

Dill, who finished with games of 255, 236 and 227, had the highest score of any individual bowler not on a state qualifying team.

Dill’s performance was a far cry from his district showing last year where he struggled out of the gate en route to a 544 series. This year, Dill found his mark early and didn’t deviate from it.

“I tried not to get too ahead of myself while I was bowling but I realized how I was doing,” Dill said. “It was awesome to have such a good first and second game but I still tried to keep my cool throughout that third game.”

With the berth, Dill became the first Avon bowler in the program’s two-year history to make it to the state tournament. Dill became the program’s first sectional champion Feb. 14 with a 747 series.

“I’m proud to represent my school and my team,” Dill said. “I’m happy that I can make it for my teammates and represent them while I’m out there.”

After having postseason bowling on back-toback weekends, Dill gets a break before the State Tournament, which will be held March 6 at Webb’s Columbus Bowl.

“Not much is going to change,” Dill said. “It gives me more time to perfect a game plan for the state tournament while also helping me get accustomed to what’s going to be there.”