KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The DiRenna Award is presented to the top high school boys and girls basketball player in the Kansas City area.
This year, 41 Action News has the honor of presenting the finalists.
Kennedy Townsend is a junior at Park Hill High School.
Townsend averaged 21 points per game this season along with 6 rebounds. She reached 1,000 career-points this season and is expected to become the all-time leading scorer in the history of Park Hill next season.
Her honors include first team all-conference, all-district 16 team, and the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association All-State Class 6 girls.
Townsend has committed to play college basketball at Creighton University.
Since 1954, the DiRenna Award, created by Dr. James DiRenna Sr., has been awarded to boys basketball players.
Originally, it was only awarded to the top male athlete in Kansas City, Missouri. In the 1980s, the award expanded to encompass the entire Kansas City metropolitan area.
In 1997, a girls award was added.
Today, Dr. James DiRenna Jr. and the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association continue to recognize top high school basketball players in the area.
The winners will be announced at 6 p.m. Friday on 41 Action News.