Vote: Who should be High School on SI National Boys Athlete of the Week? (12/16/2024)

Which athlete had the best performance in the nation from Dec. 9-15?

Pittsburg running back Jamar Searcy. / Mitch Stephens

Each week during the high school sports season, High School on SI will gather the best performances across the country with the help of fans, readers and staff.

Now, it’s your turn to choose a standout among the pack, the best of the best.

Here are the nominees for High School on SI’s National High School Boys Athlete of the Week for Dec. 9-15. Voting closes on Monday, Dec. 23 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time). The poll is below the write-ups on each athlete.

Want to nominate an athlete? Please tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @SBLiveSports.

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.

High School on SI National Boys Athlete of the Week candidates

1. Hayden Allard, jr., Killingly (Connecticut) football

Allard found the end zone five times — four rushing, one kickoff return — as Killingly topped Sheehan for the Class SS title, 48-33. The junior ended the day with 36 carries for 267 yards. 

2. Maurice Anderson Jr., sr., Dutch Fork (South Carolina) football

Dutch Fork's Maurice Anderson Jr. / ALEX HICKS JR./SPARTANBURG HERALD-JOURNAL / USA TODAY NETWORK

Anderson Jr. ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns as Dutch Fork defeated Summerville, 35-21, for its third straight state title. 

3. Dash Beierly, sr., Mater Dei (California) football

Beierly, a Washington signee, passed for 355 yards and three touchdowns as Mater Dei captured the Open Division championship with a 37-15 win over De La Salle. 

4. Trey Bennett, sr., Woodland (Oklahoma) football

Bennett accounted for five total touchdowns — three rushing, two passing — as Woodland dominated Talihina for the Class A-II title, 58-23. 

5. Leroy Blyden Jr., sr., University Of Detroit Jesuit (Michigan) basketball

Blyden Jr., a Toledo signee, had 39 points in a 63-54 win over Lake St. Mary’s Prep. 

6. Brayden Burries, sr., Eleanor Roosevelt (California) basketball

Burries tallied a school-record 56 points in a 111-92 victory over Inglewood. He also had 16 rebounds and eight assists. 

7. Jonah Butler, sr., Calloway County (Kentucky) basketball

Butler scored 33 points as Calloway County edged Pope John Paul II, 69-68. 

8. Kaden Catoe, jr., Grimsley (North Carolina) football

Catoe hauled in touchdown receptions of 55, 46 and 39 yards as Grimsley stormed back to defeat Weddington, 35-23. The junior finished with seven catches for 188 yards and the three touchdowns. 

9. Antonio Fairley, jr., Canajoharie (New York) basketball

Fairley netted 36 points — including the 1,000th of his prep career — in a 73-66 victory over Middleburgh. 

10. Abijah Franklin, sr., Wren (South Carolina) basketball

Franklin, a Furman signee, erupted for 38 points in a 77-63 win over T.L. Hanna. 

11. Phoenix Glassnor, sr., De La Salle Collegiate (Michigan) basketball

Glassnor hit eight 3-pointers and finished with 46 points — a new De La Salle Collegiate single-game record — in a 78-69 win over Saginaw Heritage. 

12. Patrick Kilfoil, sr., Jesuit (Oregon) basketball

Kilfoil tallied 33 points and five assists in an 84-76 victory over Cathedral Catholic (California). 

13. Byron Louis, sr., American Heritage (Florida) football

Louis, a Florida signee, had 29 carries for 223 yards and two touchdowns as American Heritage defeated Orlando Jones, 40-31, for the Class 4A state title. 

14. Nathaniel Marlow, jr., Webber (Illinois) basketball

Marlow scored 50 points in a 72-57 win over Crab Orchard. 

15. Kalani Mcleod, sr., Vanden (California) football

Vanden quarterback Kalani Mcleod. / Donn Parris

Mcleod completed 26 of 37 passes for 404 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns — three passing, one rushing — as Vanden edged Rio Hondo Prep in an overtime thriller, 42-41. Noah Penunuri shined in defeat for Rio Hondo Prep, carrying it 38 times for 232 yards and five touchdowns in the Division 3-A championship game. 

16. Ritson Meyer, jr., Elgin (Oklahoma) football

Meyer carried it 41 times for 221 yards and three touchdowns as Elgin knocked off Tuttle, 29-22, for the Class 4A title. 

17. Zion Moore, sr., Belle Vernon (Pennsylvania) basketball

Moore scored 40 points in a 92-82 win over West Mifflin. 

18. Dionte Neal, jr., Reidsville (North Carolina) basketball

Neal had 31 points, 10 assists, six steals and five rebounds as Reidsville downed T.W. Andrews, 95-55. 

19. Landen Northrop, jr., Richland (Washington) basketball

Northrop exploded for 54 points — a new Richland single-game record — in a 94-60 rout of Central Valley. He scored 43 points in the first half and finished 11 of 14 from 3-point land. 

20. Julian Pattison, sr., Frankfort (West Virginia) football

Pattison ran for 178 yards and five touchdowns on just nine carries as Frankfort defeated Roane County, 49-14, for the Class AA title. 

21. Damion Porter Jr., sr., Romeoville (Illinois) basketball

Porter Jr. netted 39 points in a 69-66 win over Joliet West. 

22. Ashton Rees, sr., Carmel (California) football

Rees piled up 208 yards rushing and five touchdowns as Carmel finished off a perfect 15-0 season with a 48-7 victory over El Capitan in the Division 5-AA title game. 

23. Gene Roebuck III, so., La Mirada (California) basketball

Roebuck III scored 36 points in a 76-69 win over Rancho Cucamonga. 

24. Carson Schuette, sr., Shiner (Texas) football

Schuette had 20 carries for 258 yards and four touchdowns while throwing for 94 yards in Shiner’s 41-33 victory over Bremond.

25. Jamar Searcy, sr., Pittsburg (California) football

Searcy piled up 290 total yards and four touchdowns as Pittsburg dropped a heartbreaker to Lincoln-San Diego, 28-26, in the Division I-AA title game. Searcy is a Washington State signee. 

26. LJ Smith, so., Lincolnton (North Carolina) basketball

Smith had 40 points in an 87-65 win over Shelby.

27. Titus Spencer, jr., Holland Christian (Michigan) basketball

Spencer erupted for 40 points in an 88-80 victory over West Ottawa. 

28. Leon Strawder, jr., Miami Northwestern (Florida) football

Miami Northwestern's Leon Strawder. / KAILA JONES /TCPALM / USA TODAY NETWORK

Strawder passed for 361 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-0 shutout of Raines that clinched the Class 3A state title. 

29. Quintez Whittle Jr., sr., Ansonia (Connecticut) football

Whittle Jr. ran for 198 yards and four touchdowns as Ansonia defeated Bloomfield, 58-12, for the Class S championship. 

30. Cutter Woods, sr., Westside (South Carolina) football

Woods, a South Carolina signee, threw for 411 yards and six touchdowns as Westside fell to South Florence in the Class 4A state championship game, 42-41. 

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports