This year’s Times News Southwest Virginia prep athletes of the year are different in personality, but both are dominating in their fields of play. Gate City rising junior Sarah Thompson is quiet in demeanor. J.I. Burton’s Houston Thacker is a polar opposite. But whether it’s the laid back personality of Thompson or the running-on-all-cylinders Thacker, both athletes let their performances do their talking. THOMPSON SHINES IN THREE SPORTS Thompson will likely be involved in some type of sport, regardless of the time of year. This past school year, Thompson was a dominant player for the Lady Blue Devils’ volleyball, basketball and softball programs. In basketball, she was named as the Mountain 7 co-player of the year.