Luke Jockel, Natalya Hodge voted High School on SI National Athletes of the Week (12/9/2024)

Jockel is from Midview (Ohio); Hodge hails from Bearden (Tennessee)

Bearden's Natalya Hodge. / Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Congratulations to Midview (Ohio) sophomore Luke Jockel and Bearden (Tennessee) junior Natalya Hodge for being voted High School on SI National Boys Athlete of the Week and Girls Athlete of the Week, respectively, for Dec. 2-8.

Jockel, a point guard, buried 10 3-pointers and finished with 32 points as Midview took down Oberlin, 74-58.

Hodge, also a point guard, had 38 points and 10 steals in a 60-39 victory over Alcoa. 

Jockel received 43.57 percent of the vote to beat out Jackson Whitaker of Liberty (Washington), who got 22.41 percent.

The National Boys Athlete of the Week poll received more than 80,000 votes. 

Hodge was the runaway winner with 98.59 percent of the vote. 

The National Girls Athlete of the Week poll received more than 1,600 votes. 

We are accepting National Athlete of the Week nominations. If you would like to nominate an athlete, email bob.lundeberg@gmail.com.

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

Here were the top five vote-getters in each poll:

National Boys Athlete of the Week voting

1. Luke Jockel, so., Midview (Ohio) basketball

Jockel also plays baseball for Midview. He received 43.57 percent of the vote. 

2. Jackson Whitaker, jr., Liberty (Washington) basketball

Whitaker erupted for 35 points as Liberty downed Renton, 73-46. He received 22.41 percent of the vote. 

3. Jayden McCaster, jr., DeSmet (Missouri) football

McCaster compiled 238 yards of total offense and two touchdowns as DeSmet defeated Nixa, 35-20, for the Class 6 title. He received 18.08 percent of the vote. 

4. Mick Johnson, sr., Bonner-Prendergast (Pennsylvania) football

Johnson ran for 111 yards and four touchdowns while recording seven tackles on defense as Bonner-Prendergast downed Lampeter-Strasburg, 40-14, for the Class 4A state title. He received 10.4 percent of the vote. 

5. Connor Hodge, sr., Christian Academy Of Louisville (Kentucky) football

Hodge, an East Carolina signee, accounted for six total touchdowns — four rushing, two passing — in a 42-21 win over Union County that clinched the Class 3A championship. He received 2.62 percent of the vote. 

National Girls Athlete of the Week voting

6. Natalya Hodge, jr., Bearden (Tennessee) basketball

Hodge is a four-star prospect for the class of 2026. She received 98.59 percent of the vote. 

7. Emma Larkin, jr., Geibel Catholic (Pennsylvania) basketball

Larkin had 33 points in a 71-27 win over Southmoreland.

8. Julia Dalan, sr., W.F. West (Washington) basketball

Dalan became W.F. West’s all-time leading scorer in a 57-27 victory over Montesano. The Portland signee had 29 points in the win, giving Dalan 1,373 and counting for her career. 

9. Peyton French, so., Hobson-Moore (Montana) basketball

French had 22 points, 18 rebounds and five steals in a 61-56 overtime loss to Lame Deer. 

10. Morgan Mathiowetz, so., Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (Minnesota) basketball

Mathiowetz tallied a triple-double with 37 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in a 99-27 rout of Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop. 

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports