Each year, the Rockford Register Star and the Freeport Journal-Standard recognize the best of the area’s top high school sports with Rock River Valley High School. Sports awards.

This is a nine-month student-athlete recognition program that is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the nation’s largest high school sports recognition program. It concludes with a star-studded on-demand show Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the event website, featuring the biggest names in professional sport and the best student-athletes in the Rockford area. The Register Star, first with the NIC-10 Banquet and now with the Sports Awards, has been honoring local high school athletes for over 50 years.

The show will be free to watch on any smartphone or computer.

After:Cadence Diduch of Freeport wins State Women’s wrestling title, Boylan’s Netavia Wickson takes 2nd

This year list of online presenters include three-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, All-Pro linebacker TJ Watt, Baseball Hall of Fame Chipper Jones, nine-time Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova and five-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Katie Ledecky.

The winners of 25 state-sanctioned sports will be announced throughout the year in the Rockford Register Star, the Journal-Standard of Freeport and on the event’s website at sportsawards.usatoday.com/ rockrivervalley.

Also:Winnebago Girls Rank 2nd in State, Led by 1,600m State Champion Natalia Martino

This year’s women’s athletics team is:

Hannah Bilodeau, Jr., Harlem

Madelyn Bishop, So., Boylan

Maddie Dutz, So., Belvidere North

Grace Erb, So., Winnebago

Michelle Gasmund, Jr., Guilford

Sophia Hedges, Fr., Hononegah

Natalia Martino, Sr., Winnebago

Cali Minkie, Sr., Dakota

Christine Nielsen, Sr., Hononegah

Brenna Noon, Sr., Oregon

Gloria Oteng-Bediako, Sr., Belvidere Nord

Kaylee Woolery, So., Winnebago

Jay Taft: [email protected]; @JayTaft