Photo: Derrick Dingle/MileSplit New York
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As we continue our trek down the final month of the high school indoor campaign, more and more athletes continue to find their form as they look ahead to the upcoming championship season.
While some opted for professional races against the big dogs, others took their talents to their respective state championships to defend their titles.
Regardless of where they competed this weekend, these five boys stood out among the dozens of worthy potential NPOTW nominees.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, February 19, and the winner will be announced shortly after.
Check out this week's five nominees for the National Boys Indoor Performer of the Week!
* Athletes cannot be nominated for National Performer of the Week in back-to-back weeks*
This Week's Nominees:
Caden Leonard, Southlake-Carroll (Texas): After putting together one of the best cross country campaigns in the nation last fall, Leonard inched closer to history at the ASICS Sound Invite. In section 3 of the men's mile, Leonard finished third en route to a 4:00.07 showing, the No. 1 time in Texas indoor history. The future North Carolina Tar Heel also became the 11th-fastest high schooler in indoor history, and is less than a tenth of a second away from becoming the 10th to ever break 4:00 indoors.
Shamrock Thoun, Woonsocket (R.I.): As he approaches the end of his dominant prep throwing career, Thoun collected his 14th win in the weight throw this season, and 12th in a row at the RIIL State Indoor Championships. Throwing the weight a new lifetime best distance of 83-1.75, defending his title from a year ago. Thoun came closer to catching Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan's program and state record of 85-0.25, now No. 3 all-time in state history. The senior is also the ninth-best all-time in history, and one of 18 high schoolers to surpass the 80-0 barrier.
Adrian Woodward, Bergen Catholic (N.J.): It was a day of wins for the sophomore at the North Shore HS Pre-National Invitational, as Woodward won both the 200m and 400m in personal bests. Running 21.50 and 48.56, Woodward became the No. 2 and No. 3 sophomore in New Jersey history in each event, and one of the top second-year sprinters in the nation this winter. This was also his first time breaking 49 seconds over 400m indoors, and his second time ever.
Ryan Sykes, Horace Greeley (N.Y.): Going up against a small but mighty field of distance runners at The Circuit - NYC, Sykes pulled away when it was all said and done, running 9:02.44. Sykes won by five seconds as he led four competitors under 9:20, crushing his previous 2-Mile PB of 9:17.86. In a state that has only seen three high schoolers ever break 9:00 indoors, the junior became the eighth-fastest in state history, and the fastest junior since 2015. Sykes is now one of the top-35 fastest juniors in national history.
William Nohren, Shelbyville (Ill.): Before he heads to the University of Iowa this fall, Nohren is soaring to new heights this indoor season. At the 14th Annual Knights Boys Indoor Invitational, the Illinois standout cleared 7-0 for the first time, clearing 7-0.25 to be exact. Not only does that make him tied for the fifth-best clearance in Illinois history, but it makes him the first to clear 7-0 since 2021. Nohren is now one of the 72 high schoolers to break 7-0 indoors, and is ranked 41st all-time.
NPOTW's Previous Winners:
Week 1: Caleb Winders, Bloomington North (Ind.)
Week 2: Ruel Newberry, Denton-Guyer (Texas)
Week 3: Zacchaeus Brocks, Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.)
Week 4: Jameson Pifer, Collins Hill (Ga.)
Week 5: Brady Pineo, Wesley Chapel (Fla.)
Week 6: Noah Strohman, Holliday (Texas)