Another Butler County high school sports year is grinding to a close.

As busy and as hectic as they are, these seasons never get old for people like me.

They are why we do what we do.

Watching high school athletes compete is my favorite level of competition. The purity of the games, the genuine rivalries, the heart that these youngsters show in their respective sports is always refreshing.

Tears streaming down athletes' faces after a season-ending loss are real, heartfelt and prideful.

Trying to single out two athletes from hundreds who don a uniform each school year is a daunting task and one that many see as unfair.

But it's strictly my opinion here, not the viewpoint of our entire sports staff or the newspaper as a whole.

So, here are my choices for Butler County Male and Female Athlete of the Year. Both of my selections were stellar in two sports during the 2008-09 school year.

C.J. Brown of Seneca Valley is my selection for Male Athlete of the Year. While the Raiders' football team failed to reach the playoffs, Brown threw for 2,152 yards and 14 touchdowns.

He and receiver Matt Plautz combined to form the most lethal passing combination in the WPIAL.

In basketball, Brown was a do-everything type of player for a Seneca Valley team that tied the school record for wins in a season and reached the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals.

Brown averaged 13.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

Other stellar county male athletes of note include Moniteau's Tyler Armagost, who stood out in football and basketball, Karns City quarterback Anthony Stimac, Mars soccer standout Ryan McKenzie, who led the Planets to a WPIAL championship, and Planets basketball star Vinny Smith.

Maura McCaslin of Moniteau is my choice for Female Athlete of the Year. Like Brown, she made a major impact in two sports.

McCaslin averaged 14 points per game and sank 26 3-pointers for a Warriors team that finished 17-7 and won their first Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference title.

This spring, McCaslin batted first for Moniteau's softball team and was its top pitcher. The Warriors finished 12-5, bowing to Karns City in the District 9 title game while trying to win a third consecutive district crown.

Other stellar female athletes included Butler's Olivia Bresnahan and Mars' Lily Grenci, two versatile basketball players headed to Division I college careers, and Freeport soccer whiz Kayla Eckman, a 31-goal scorer headed to Ohio State this fall.

McCaslin is not headed to a Division I school for sports, but might wind up playing both sports at a smaller school. Brown is going to the University of Maryland as a quarterback.

C.J. Brown and Maura McCaslin. One boy, one girl. One big school, one small school.

Two athletes who excelled in two sports — with very positive results.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.