* Evan Spreitzer finished runner-up at the FSU Invitational/Pre-State meet
Photo Credit: Chris Shonk/MileSplit Florida
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October racing is hitting another gear.
From course records to commanding regional wins, these five athletes delivered some of the most impressive performances in the country this week, and each one made a statement as the postseason draws closer and the stakes rise.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, October 30, 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:
Rocco Culpepper, Niwot (Colo.): In his third race back this season, Culpepper has already reclaimed his No. 1 spot on one of the best teams in the nation. At the Colorado 5A Region 3 meet , the senior clocked 15:09.6 to capture his fourth consecutive regional title. Culpepper led Niwot to a near-perfect score, as the Cougars tallied just 16 points while comfortably punching their ticket to state.
Jaden Merrick, Cedar Falls (Iowa): For the third straight year, Merrick stopped the clock first at his Iowa State Qualifier, this time running 14:55.3 to dip under 15:00 for the third time in four races. The senior was in control from the start, steadily pulling away to win by 31 seconds. After finishing runner-up at the state championships in back-to-back seasons, Merrick once again enters the postseason as one of the top contenders for the title.
Oliver Horton, Coronado (Colo.): Horton's first race of October went exactly to plan, as he dominated the Colorado 4A Region 5 meet with a 54-second victory, helping his team punch its ticket to another state championship. One of the top runners in the nation this fall, Horton has posted times of 14:47, 14:38, 14:23, and 14:37 during his undefeated campaign. The fourth-fastest performer in Colorado history will look to improve on his third-place finish from a year ago.
Evan Spreitzer, Holy Trinity Academy (Fla.): Not a bad time for your first-ever sub-15 performance. Down in Tallahassee at the FSU Invitational/Pre-State meet, Spreitzer ran the race of his life with a huge runner-up finish, clocking 14:58.9. The senior put together a valiant effort in an attempt to take down Florida's undefeated star, Marcelo Mantecon of Belen Jesuit Prep, becoming one of the few athletes this season to finish within 10 seconds of him.
Yohanes Van Meerten, Flagstaff (Ariz.): A successful business trip for the Arizona junior. At the 77th Annual Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational, Van Meerten absolutely shattered Trey Caldwell's year-old course record of 14:46, clocking an incredible 14:10.1. After taking the 3-mile race out in a blistering 4:31 opening split, it was pure domination from there. Van Meerten has shown steady improvement since the start of the season, and there's little doubt he'll continue to rise as the stakes get higher.
NPOTW's Previous Winners:
Week 1: Aaron Brodrick, Oconee County (Ga.)
Week 2: Sean Fries, Minnetonka (Minn.)
Week 3: Brody Anderson, Topeka-Seaman (Kan.)
Week 4: Griffen Saacke, Bridgeland (Texas)
Week 5: Kavi Gibson, Cary Academy (N.C.)
Week 6: Andrew Brown, Tupelo (Miss.)
Week 7: Jackson Free, Mountain Home (Ark.)
Week 8: Cohen Butler, Camas (Wash.)