Vote: Who should be SBLive's Minnesota high school Athlete of the Week? (1/3/2024)

Here are the candidates for the Minnesota High School Athlete of the Week for Dec. 11-17.

Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. and the winner will be announced Monday.

If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, please email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com with “MNHSAW Nomination” in the subject line.

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.

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Minnesota high school Athlete of the Week nominees

Nolan Roed, White Bear Lake

The Bears forward has been red-hot all season, but his most recent performance against Mounds View was a game to remember. The senior put up three points, including a goal and two assists that helped fuel a five-point third period for the Bears, who cruised past Mounds View 7-0.

Leo Gabriel, White Bear Lake

Gabriel has been on a tear these past three games, leading his team to a 2-0-1 record in the process. The junior goalie has saved 77 shots while allowing just three goals, putting his save percentage into the stratosphere as he picked up two shutouts against both Roseville and Mounds View.

Ryan Oothoudt, Little Falls

Oothoudt had been held scoreless in his last four contests, but chose a great time to break out of his slump. The junior forward peppered Bloomington Kennedy’s goalie with shot after shot, and after four periods of play, finally broke through for a game-winning goal in overtime. 

Rohr Brockman, Bloomington Kennedy

Brockman may not have secured the win for his team against Little Falls, but he did just about everything in his power to keep the game close. Despite his team being outshot 60-14, Brockman forced overtime thanks to a 58-save performance that put his save percentage at a stellar .967 mark for the night. 

Derek Gibeau, Greenway

Ties aren’t very common in high school hockey, but Gibeau ensured that his team would not be defeated against Park Rapids Area. The senior goalie saved 26 of the 27 shots that came at him, stonewalling the opposing attack in the process. 

Sawyer Torkelson, Park Rapids Area

On the other end of the ice, Torkelson was putting together a gem in his own right. The goalie saved 32 of the 33 shots that went his way, dueling Gibeau to a stalemate as the two teams emerged with a 1-1 tie on the night.

Adam Holien, Sartell

Being a backup goalie is far from a glorious job, and coming off the bench cold usually does more harm than good. Nonetheless, Holien had himself a night in just his second start of the year, blanking Mankato East with 24 saves to secure the win for his team. 

Teis Larsen, Winona

Larsen has been on a tear for the Winhawks lately, scoring 11 points across his past two games versus both Albert Lea and Fairmont. The senior forward has 26 points so far this season on an even 13 points and 13 assists. 

Thomas Gunderson, Duluth East

In a week chalked full of ties, it may be hard to find outstanding individual performances, but Gunderson’s game against Blaine was a night to remember. The senior forward put up two goals and an assist against the Bengals, playing a big part in forcing a 4-4 tie. 

John Hirschfield, St. Cloud Cathedral

Hirschfield was the definition of a team player this past week against rival St. Cloud. The junior forward put up a whopping five assists en route to a 7-4 victory, pushing the Crusaders to a 9-3-1 record on the year.

Carson Cronquist, River Lakes

Ties and excellent goalie performances have seemed to be the theme of this list so far, and Cronquist is no exception to this rule. The goalie saved 31 of the 33 shots that went his way, racking up a .939 save percentage as River Lakes held Princeton to a 2-2 tie. 

Evan Turek, Wayzata

Going against arguably one of the best attacks ever constructed in the state of hockey like Minnetonka is a daunting task. However, Turek was masterful between the pipes, saving 23 shots and only allowing one goal in the net as he forced Minnetonka to a 1-1 tie. 

Hawke Huff, Wayzata

As masterful as Turek’s performance in the net was, it would not have been possible without the guys behind the blue line playing excellent defense. Huff may not have scored against the Skippers, but his defensive unit held them to only 24 shots, an impressive feat in and of itself.

Maddison Boone, Woodbury

In a low scoring bout against South St. Paul, Boone proved to be the difference maker. The eighth grader netted a goal late in the third period to lift the Royals to a 3-2 victory in a night she will likely never forget. 

Ericah Folden, Brainerd/Little Falls

Folden put on a clinic between the pipes against Forest Lake this past week. Through three periods, the junior goalie saved 32 shots, boasting a .970 save percentage on the night as her team grinded out a hard fought, 1-0 victory. 

Josephine Lang, Stillwater

Lang was the X-factor in the Ponies’ matchup against Holy Family this past week. Facing a stout defense, the Providence commit put on a show, scoring or assisting all three of her team’s goals to help secure the 3-0 victory.

Olivia Nedved, Andover

Nedved may just be a freshman, but her performance against Minnetonka made her seem like a polished veteran in the net. She shutout the 13-1 Skippers, forcing them to take their first tie of the season.

Layla Hemp, Minnetonka

In the other net, Hemp was also putting in work to keep her team in the game. The University of Minnesota commit played 59 minutes of perfect hockey, keeping Andover scoreless to force the 0-0 tie after overtime.

Hannah Halverson, Edina

Halverson has been a big part of the Hornet attack all season, but one of her clutchest performances came against Stillwater. Facing a 10-win powerhouse, Halverson was the difference-maker, putting up a pair of points on one goal and one assist to help her team lock in a tight 3-2 victory against the Ponies.

CJ Armstrong, Richfield

Armstrong has been one of the state’s premier scorers this season, and this past week was no exception. He put up 74 points across his last three games, maintaining an average of over 30 points per game on the year, a mark that leads the state. 

King James, Hiawatha Collegiate

When you’re named after one of the best players in basketball history, there is a certain expectation to perform. Thankfully, James has exceeded expectations. The freshman phenom has pulled down 126 boards through only 10 games, averaging a state high 12.6 per game on top of 10.8 points per game and 2.0 blocks per game.

Azayah Washington, St. Cloud Apollo

Washington is a ticking time bomb for opposing teams, ready to explode for 30+ points at the drop of a hat. In his last three games, Washington has put up 17, 31, and 50 points for his team, and currently holds the statewide lead with 305 total points through only nine games. 

Alexis Rose, Becker

Rose did a little bit of everything for Becker this past week, including a 20 points, five rebound, and five steal performance that secured a 71-64 victory. The 5-foot-10 senior forward has been a spark plug for Becker this year, helping them out to an impressive 5-3 start. 

Jordan Zubich, Mountain Iron-Buhl

Zubich has been the best option for the Rangers this season, and last week was yet another example of why she’s been the star. Zubich has averaged 33 points across her last two games, also adding two blocks and nine rebounds to her resume as a do-it-all scorer. 

Willow Thiel, Perham

A double-double machine out of Perham, Thiel has been a dependable, consistent scorer and rebounder for her team all season. Across her last three games, Thiel has put up 68 points and 46 rebounds, numbers that go to show just how dominant she can be if an opposing team doesn’t account for her. 

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