Congratulations toJonas Williams of Newsome HS. He received the most votes for the POTW for Week Five. He won the 2026 Raider Open-East Hillsborough by more than a minute, crossing in 15:27.02 for the 5K ahead of 160 other finishers in a 161-runner field. The time stands as the fastest recorded in MileSplit's database at this course since 2015
Runner-up for Week Five was Jack Michalak of Belen Jesuit, who was third among 250 runners at The Southern Showcase in 15:01.70.
The poll closes Friday at 2 p.m. ET.
Check out this week's nominees and cast your vote below.
Note: Athletes who have been nominated in the past two weeks are not eligible. Previous winners are excluded for the rest of the season.
This Week's Nominees:
Axel Sallault, East Ridge HS: Ran 15:23.89 for 1st place among 174 finishers in the 5K at West Orange XC Invitational 2026. The mark is No. 6 of 4,301 athletes overall in MileSplit's database at this course since 2009 and was 0.3 seconds faster than the prior mark on this course. It is also No. 4 of 1,533 senior athletes in MileSplit's database at this course since 2009.
Jeb Bremerman, Naples HS: Winning by 18.6 seconds at the Lakewood Ranch XC Invite, the 5K time of 16:02.19 was good for first place among 154 finishers. That effort ranks No. 2 of 531 athletes in MileSplit's database at Lakewood Ranch High School since 2003 and stands as the fastest sophomore clocking there. The jump from a previous 16:53.30 on this course to 16:02.19 amounts to a 51.1-second improvement.
Jack Bronder, George Steinbrenner: The win at the 2026 Stampede Sprint Invitational came by 7.1 seconds, with a 5K time of 15:50.02 leading all 155 finishers. That effort places No. 4 of 1,818 athletes in MileSplit's database at Wiregrass Ranch High School since 2008, and No. 2 among 564 seniors on that same list.
Jp Strombeck, Fleming Island HS: A tight finish at the Bale N Trail CC Original ended with a 2.9-second margin, the winning 5K covered in 15:47.90 across 95 finishers. The time ranks No. 24 of 6,537 athletes in MileSplit's database at Bartram Trail HS since 2002, No. 17 among 2,333 seniors there, and came 42.6 seconds faster than the prior mark on this course.
Quentin Thompson, Lake Minneola HS: Racing 5K at On Twilight at PR'ville, he crossed in 15:32.67 to finish 13th out of 334 finishers, a result that came 90.2 seconds faster than his previous time on this course. The performance ranks No. 556 of 13,550 athletes in MileSplit's database at John Hunt Running Park since 2009, and No. 348 among 5,261 seniors on that same list--a sharp improvement from the 17:02.84 he ran there before.
*** If a Boy wins one of the weekly polls, they will not be considered in subsequent polls until the end of the season FL MileSplit Cross Country Athlete of the Year poll.
Congratulations toJonas Williams of Newsome HS. He received the most votes for the POTW for Week Five. He won the 2026 Raider Open-East Hillsborough by more than a minute, crossing in 15:27.02 for the 5K ahead of 160 other finishers in a 161-runner field. The time stands as the fastest recorded in MileSplit's database at this course since 2015
Runner-up for Week Five was Jack Michalak of Belen Jesuit, who was third among 250 runners at The Southern Showcase in 15:01.70.
