Vote: Who Should be High School on SI National Boys Athlete of the Week? (6/8/2026)

Which athlete had the best performance in the nation from June 1-7?

Central's Joe Mendazona Jr. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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 June 1-7. Voting closes on Sunday, June 14 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time).

The poll is below the write-ups on each athlete.

Congratulations to Brock Bumgardner of Cherryville (North Carolina) baseball for winning last week’s National High School Boys Athlete of the Week poll. Bumgardner struck out 11, walked one and didn’t allow a hit as Cherryville opened the three-game Class 2A state championship series with a 4-0 shutout of Rosewood. 

Want to nominate an athlete? Email Bob Lundeberg at bob.lundeberg@gmail.com

High School on SI National Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

1. Noah Bontrager, sr., Westview (Indiana) track

Bontrager, a Notre Dame signee, earned gold medals in the 1,600 meters (4 minutes, 1.83 seconds) and the 3,200 (8:47.57) at the IHSAA state meet. Both times were state meet records. 

2. Ethan Cole, jr., Cincinnati St. Xavier (Ohio) lacrosse

Cole led the way with four goals as Cincinnati St. Xavier defended its Division I state championship with a 13-7 victory over St. Ignatius. 

3. Aaron Goldstein, sr., Penncrest (Pennsylvania) lacrosse

Goldstein had three goals and seven assists in an 18-10 Class 2A quarterfinal victory over Abington. 

4. Gannon Grant, sr., Center Grove (Indiana) baseball

Grant tossed a six-inning no-hitter with 13 strikeouts and belted a home run at the plate in a 12-0 Class 4A regional championship game win over Richmond. Grant is a Tennessee signee. 

5. Rylan Hainje, sr., Franklin Central (Indiana) track

Hainje set new IHSAA state meet records in the 110 hurdles (13.16 seconds) and 300 hurdles (35.26). 

6. Laird Holden, sr., Iowa City Regina (Iowa) soccer

Holden netted a hat trick as Iowa City Regina captured the Class 1A state title with a 3-2 victory over St. Albert. Iowa City Regina is 9-0 all-time in state championship matches. 

7. Selden Kolkebeck, sr., Old Tappan (New Jersey) baseball

Kolkebeck struck out 10 and didn’t surrender a hit in a 7-1 Section 1  Group 3 semifinal win over Nutley. 

8. Joe Mendazona Jr., jr., Central (Oregon) baseball

Mendazona Jr., a TCU commit, whirled a 14-strikeout no-hitter in the Class 5A state championship game. Central captured its first state title since 2019 with a 7-0 shutout of Thurston. 

9. Jack O’Reilly, sr., Manasquan (New Jersey) lacrosse

O’Reilly, a Cornell commit, notched three goals and three assists in a 17-4 South Jersey Group 2 quarterfinal victory over Sterling.  

10. C.J. Sampson, sr., Tomball (Texas) baseball

Sampson, a Texas A&M signee, threw a complete game with eight strikeouts while going 2 for 3 at the plate as Tomball secured the Class 6A Division II title with a 9-1 victory over Memorial. 

11. Amar Skeete, jr., Catholic Memorial (Massachusetts) track

Skeete broke the Massachusetts record in the triple jump with a mark of 51 feet, 2 inches at the MIAA Meet of Champions. He also placed second in the long jump at 24-1. 

12. Mason Smith, so., La Salle College (Pennsylvania) lacrosse

Smith led the way with eight goals in an 11-5 Class 3A quarterfinal victory over Ridley. 

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting

High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports

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