Photo Credit: bennettf05/Alabama MileSplit
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A weekend full of state records, national leads, and jaw-dropping performances was the only correct way to wrap up the first full month of the season. These five nominees took advantage of competitive fields and added another stellar run to their resumes.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, October 2, and the winner will be announced shortly after.
Take a look at five of the top-performing boys from this past weekend.
*Athletes cannot be nominated for National Performer of the Week in back-to-back weeks*
This Week's Nominees:
Conor Lott, Clovis North (Calif.): It was a successful business trip for the senior, as he left Nike Portland XC with a huge win, a PB, and a ton of confidence. Lott broke the tape in 14:34.3 (5k), making him the tenth-fastest Californian in state history. Lott, who finished seventh at this race a year ago, took 26 seconds off last year's performance.
Oliver Horton, Coronado (Colo.): Under the lights at the Toka Sticks Golf Course, Horton became the 29th high schooler ever to break 14:25, and is now the 24th-fastest in high school history. At the 2025 Desert Twilight meet, the junior clocked 14:23.90 to hold off Flagstaff's (Ariz.) Yohanes VanMeerten (14:25.70) is now the proud owner of the fastest 5k ever run by a Colorado high schooler, according to MileSplit's database. Horton has broken 14:50 in all three races he's run this year.
Anthony Sarro, Gonzaga College HS (D.C.): At the 2025 McQuaid Invitational, Sarro was the top American in the field, finishing runner-up in a new PB of 14:41.2 for three miles. Sarro led the way for his Eagles squad as they took third overall in the team race, just 16 points shy of the winner. Although it's not often the primary distance in Washington D.C., Sarro lowered Eric Vandendries ' (St. Albans School) 45-year-old record of 14:54.8.
Andrew Brown, Tupelo (Miss.): The junior picked up his second win of the season in his second trip to John Hunt Park, breaking the tape at the ON Twilight at PR'Ville meet over the weekend. The Mississippi native won by five seconds, clocking 15:10.36 in the process. This is Brown's third consecutive race running 15:10 or faster, emphasizing his consistency and pure talent once again.
Quentin Nauman, Western Dubuque (Iowa): What can't this guy do? At the Jim Boughton Cross Country Invitational, Nauman took it on himself to push the pace and was ultimately rewarded with the win and the Iowa state record. Nauman took it from the gun, separating early from Iowa stars Keegan Decker (Iowa City Liberty) and Jaden Merrick (Cedar Falls), comfortably winning by ten seconds over the duo. Nauman is now the fastest high schooler to ever run on Iowa soil.
NPOTW's Previous Winners:
Week 5: Kavi Gibson, Cary Academy (N.C.)