* Aiden Le Roux is one of Colorado's top runners
Photo Credit: Jen Jardeleza/MileSplit Colorado
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As we continue to creep closer to the end of the 2024 season, boys around the country are only getting better.
Whether it was a regional meet or one of the last regular season contests, these five boys didn't miss a beat.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, Oct. 31, and the winner will be announced shortly after.
Take a look at five of the top-performing boys from last weekend.
This Week's Nominees:
Ethan Zuber, Ankeny (Iowa): The Iowa senior picked up his second win on the year, running 15:21.8 to cruise to his third-straight Iowa state championships, marking the first time he's heading in as the defending champion. Zuber won the Southeast Polk 4A qualifier with ease, putting nearly half of a minute between him and the field. The senior is the second-fastest Iowan this fall and will have a chance to go back-to-back and end his in-state career on top.
Joe Barrett, Christian Brothers Academy (N.J.): The Shore Conference Championships saw New Jersey sensation Joe Barrett jump to a whole new level. We already knew that the North Carolina-bound senior was good, but running 14:36 in your first trip below 15:00 is unfathomable. While leading the Mustangs to (another) dominant performance, Barrett opened up an 18-second gap on his way to his fourth win of the year. Barrett's brilliant performance was the second-fastest on New Jersey soil, and the fastest since 2012. The senior sits No. 5 all-time in state history.
Trey Caldwell, De La Salle (Calif.): For the third time this season, Caldwell was the first to make it to the finish line, this weekend doing so at the 76th Annual Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational. Caldwell made his way along the new 3-mile course in 14:46, coming close to his lifetime best of 14#9.18. that he ran last month. Caldwell won by 17 seconds and was the only one to break 15:00 in the Boys DI/DII Sweepstakes.
Vincent Recupero, Bishop Blanchet (Wash.): The Stanford commit broke the tape for the fifth time this season, winning the title at the Metro Cross Country Championships. The senior clocked 14:48.1 as he won by 46 seconds. In 2024, Recupero is one of the best runners in the Pacific Northwest, and the fourth-fastest Washington high schooler this fall.
Aiden Le Roux, Cheyenne Mountain (Colo.): As he looks to contend for a Colorado 4A state title, Le Roux is firing on all cylinders heading into championship weekend. At his Regional meet, Le Roux went sub-15:30 for the fifth time this season, running 15:28.28 as he won by 18 seconds. Le Roux led his team to a runner-up finish after finishing even with Coronado at 29, but losing on the tiebreaker. In a state that has had superstars grace its courses, Le Roux sits No. 6 all-time.
NPOTW's Previous Winners:
Week 1: Ruel Newberry, Denton-Guyer (Texas)
Week 2: Luke Alverson, James Clemens (Ala.)
Week 3: Alex Bruns, St. Xavier (Ohio)
Week 4: Tayshaun Ogomo, Herriman (Utah)
Week 5: Jackson Hogsed, Lambert (Ga.)
Week 6: Caden Leonard, Southlake-Carroll (Texas)
Week 7: TJ Hansen, Freeland (Mich.)