Five finalists from five different high schools make up this year's finalists for the high school female athlete of the year. This year's finalist are Tara Huebner, of Douglas High School, Michelle Sosa, of Rapid City Central, Tarra DeCastro of Rapid City Christian, Amy Sykora, of Rapid City Stevens, and Annie Bloom of St. Thomas More.

Huebner earned nine letters during her high school career while being named the co-captain of the fall and winter cheerleading squads. She won the Douglas all-around cheerleading and leadership awards, and is a member of the Universal Cheerleader Association National Team.

On the track, she tied for third place in pole vault in the Black Hills Conference, and was named the most improved female track athlete for Douglas in 2007.

Sosa is also a nine-time letterwinner while captaining the volleyball and basketball teams. Sosa helped lead the basketball team to the state tournament and a tie for the conference championship as she was named the Top Cobbler in both volleyball and basketball.

DeCastro earned seven letters for Rapid City Christian winning the coaches award for the volleyball team, a team she co-captained. She was also named the most improved in both basketball and track.

Sykora was a team captain and MVP of both the Raiders' volleyball and basketball teams. She helped lead the volleyball squad to a state title earning first team Greater Dakota Conference all-conference honors in volleyball and third team recognition in basketball.

Sykora's other volleyball honors included being named 2007 first team AA All-Tournament team and the 2007 AA All-State volleyball team. She was selected for the 2008 South Dakota All-Star volleyball team, won the Miss Volleyball in South Dakota, and was a candidate for the 2007-2008 Outstanding Female Athlete Elite 15 Award.

Sykora earned seven letters in her high school career.

Bloom earned 16 letters for the Cavaliers and was a captain or co-captain of both the soccer and basketball teams. She was the conference champion in the 100-meter dash, the 400 and the 4-by-100 relay to help lead her team to the Black Hills Conference championship.

Bloom would go on to be part of two state-winning relay teams and was the runner-up on anther to help her team win the Class A title. Bloom earned another state title in soccer and was named first-team all-state. She also helped lead the St. Thomas More basketball team to a conference championship earning all-conference honors.

A final vote made by the Officials, a subcommittee of the Rapid City Sports Council, determined the winner. The announcement will be made at the 36th Annual Rapid City Sports Recognition Banquet May 12 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.