La Crosse athlete vying for final spot in 3-Point Championship competition

CHICAGO (AP)- A La Crosse athlete is one of 16 high school students nationwide competing in the American Family Insurance 3-Point Championship.

Taylor Theusch, from Aquinas High School, is one of the contestants in the girls 3-point shooters contest vying for a finalist position. American Family Insurance and Intersport today announced that the final contestants will be determined by a public online voting contest.

The American Family Insurance “#DreamFearlessly Fan Vote” is a four-week digital media contest that will match up 16 of the top high school dunkers, boys 3-point shooters and girls 3-point shooters in the nation in a bracket-style competition to determine the final participants in each category.

Fans can vote for their favorite player online here. The athlete with the most votes will move on to the next round.

“American Family is proud to support these amazing athletes who provide such a great example of what it means to be a fearless dreamer by working hard every day to be their very best,” said Judd Schemmel, American Family Insurance associate vice president of community investment. “We’re pleased to sponsor the #DreamFearlessly Fan Vote contest that allows family, friends and fans to support their favorite players. Best of luck to all these deserving student-athletes.”

Video highlight reels of each competitor is available on the website. Voting begins Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 12 p.m. and concludes Friday, March 13 at 12 p.m. Fans can vote daily at www.amfam.com/fanvote.

The schedule for each voting round will go as follows:

•Round One: Feb. 11 at 12 p.m. through Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. (16 Players)
•Quarterfinals: Feb. 19 at 12 p.m. through Feb. 26 at 12 p.m. (8 Players)
•Semifinals: Feb. 27 at 12 p.m. through March 5 at 12 p.m. (4 Players)
•Finals: March 6 at 12 p.m. through March 13 at 12 p.m. (2 Players)

The player that ultimately receives the most votes in the final round will be selected to compete in the American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, an event featuring some of the best high school dunkers and three-point shooters in the country, held annually in the Final Four host city. The 2020 American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships will air on CBS during Final Four weekend in Atlanta on April 5 at 1:30 p.m.

The following are the 16 athletes competing in each contest for their chance to showcase their talents in the American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships:

Slam Dunk Championship (High School, City)
Justin Bladen (Timber Creek, Sicklerville, NJ)
Zech Clemens (Northwestern Area, Northville, SD)
Colby Gennett (Post Falls, Post Falls, ID)
Brandon Heigelmann (Tallmadge, Tallmadge, OH)
LJ Henderson (Camanche, Camanche, IA)
RJ Holmes (Stevenson, Lincolnshire, IL)
Kobe Jones (South Granville, Creedmoor, NC)
Jordan Meka (Mt. Bethel Christian, Marietta, GA)
Martice Mitchell (Bloom, Chicago Heights, IL)
Mitchell Pohlot (Belle Vernon, Belle Vernon, PA)
Kiyron Powell (Benjamin Bosse, Evansville, IN)
Luke Seals (Ponca City, Ponca City, OK)
Christian Shumate (Bloom, Chicago Heights, IL)
Jacques Thomas (Rockwood Summit, St. Louis, MO)
Taj Thweatt (Wildwood Catholic, Wildwood, NJ)
Jacques Williams (Bowman Academy, Gary, IN)

Boys’ 3-Point Championship (High School, City)
Andre Bennett (Mt. Carmel, Chicago, IL)
Matt Brunelli (Buffalo Grove, Buffalo Grove, IL)
Michael Byots (Carlinville, Carlinville, IL)
Mitchell Carlos (Casa Grande Union, Casa Grande, AZ)
Elijah Cook (Conifer, Conifer, CO)
Colin Dougherty (Sherwood Christian, Albany, GA)
Greg Farrow (University School, Milwaukee, WI)
Austin Gerber (Coal Ridge, New Castle, CO)
PJ Hayes (Waconia, Waconia, MN)
Kyle Hubbuch (Sahuaro, Tucson, AZ)
Trent Hudgens (Ironwood, Glendale, AZ)
Zach LeGrand (Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, MO)
Dante Maddox Jr. (Bloom, Chicago Heights, IL)
Micah Pocernich (Cromwell-Wright, Cromwell, MN)
Matthew Smith (Osborne, Marietta, GA)
Brandon Stroud (East Coweta, Sharpsburg, GA)

Girls’ 3-Point Championship (High School, City)
Kate Benes (Lake County Lutheran, Hartland, WI)
Kristen Cravens (Portage, Portage, IN)
Carly Dilworth (Denver South, Denver, CO)
Cassidy Duncan (Red Mountain, Mesa, AZ)
Sophie Gerber (Desert Mountain, Scottsdale, AZ)
Lydia Griffith (Sierra Vista, AZ)
Aaliyah Haozous (San Carlos, San Carlos, AZ)
Sydney Jacobsen (Harrison, West Lafayette, IN)
Destiny Leo (North, Eastlake, OH)
Aileen Marquez (Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, Rabun Gap, GA)
Jada Moore (Regis Jesuit, Denver, CO)
Reganne Pate (Penn, Granger, IN)
Claire Rake (Center Grove, Greenwood, IN)
Abby Sheehan (Heritage, Monroeville, IN)
Taylor Theusch (Aquinas, La Crosse, WI)
Kassie Wade (Cloverdale, Cloverdale, IN)

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