VOTE: Times-Union High School Girls Athlete of the Week, Sept. 14

In the latest edition of Florida Times-Union's Girls High School Athlete of the Week, Leah Renton, an eighth-grader from Christ Church, has been crowned the winner for the week of August 31-September 5. The young athlete has been showcasing her skills on the volleyball court, contributing a remarkable 81 assists in her team's victories against Covenant School, Mandarin, and Nease. In total, Renton has accumulated an impressive 194 assists and 32 digs, leading her Eagles squad to a 6-5 start to the season.

This victory is the result of a nationwide vote among top performers from Northeast Florida, which included Lily Chiang (Stanton golf), Eva Delaney (Creekside cross-country), Lillie Eason (Fleming Island volleyball), and Mollie VanDeusen (Beachside volleyball). Renton's exceptional performance has secured her the top spot, making her the first choice for the upcoming week of September 7-12.

The voting process for the next edition of the Girls Athlete of the Week is now open. Coaches across Northeast Florida have been submitting nominations, which are collected by the Times-Union through emails sent to preps@jacksonville.com. The deadline for receiving these nominations is 7 p.m. Saturdays. The voting itself will commence on Monday morning and conclude at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 17.

Each device is allowed to cast one vote per hour, and the newspaper reserves the right to disqualify any candidate or declare a vote "no contest" if it is found that tampering has occurred, such as through the use of bots or payment for votes.

It is essential to maintain the integrity of the voting process, as these young athletes are expected to uphold the same integrity in their respective sports.