High school holiday wrestling annually provides some of the most competitive action of the season, and this year was no different. With all this week's incredible performances, it was challenging to narrow down this week's Nike All-American Athlete Spotlight to just four wrestlers, but Jax Forrest, Rocklin Zinkin, Matt O'Neill, and Kooper Deputy shined bright.

Jax Forrest Makes History

2025 Senior World team member Jax Forrest had an outstandingly unconventional career coming into the season, and now he's concluded his high school career in similarly remarkable fashion. Just moments after Forrest won his fourth Powerade title, becoming just the 7th person in history to do so, he announced that he would be graduating from Bishop McCort early in order to train, and possibly compete, at Oklahoma State for the second half of the season.

Forrest's 5th place finish at the 2025 Wold Championships put him in uncharted territory for a high schooler so it seems fitting that his exit from the high school stage is just as groundbreaking.

Listen to Jax Forrest's thoughts on leaving Bishop McCort early for Oklahoma State

Rocklin Zinkin Wins P4P Battle With Burnett

Oklahoma State commit Rocklin Zinkin has been on an upward trajectory since the start of 2025. This year, he's won titles at the California state tournament, Fargo, and Super 32. One of the few high school opponents to defeat Zinkin in 2025 was U17 World Teamer and Ironman champion Grey Burnett. Zinkin flipped the result of that bout this week at the Brecksville Invitational Holliday Tournament.

Zinkin moved a few spots up the pound-for-pound rankings this week and enters 2026 with his sights set on both individual and team titles at the ever-challenging Doc Buchanan next weekend.

Watch Rocklin Zinkin's P4P battle with Grey Burnett

Matt O'Neill Secures Powerade Title in Deep Field

Malvern Prep sophomore Matt O'Neill just finished a grueling three-week stretch of competition with a Powerade title in one of the deepest brackets in the tournament. The Friars are one of the few teams that compete at Ironman, Beast of the East, and Powerade, and O'Neill had podium finishes at all three.

During O'Neill's three week stretch, he finished 5th at Ironman, 2nd at Beast of the East, and secured Powerade gold. The standout 144-pounder will look to cap his second high school season with another National Prep title this February.

Watch Matt O'Neill's Powerade finals victory over #7 Weston Borgers

Kooper Deputy Defends #1 Ranking

The national rankings at 106 lbs tend to be transient as wrestlers grow out of the weight class, and defending the top spot isn't easy. Kooper Deputy was a Super 32 runner up who hadn't had a chance to defend his ranking in a high-level tournament since earning it in December.

Deputy took the bull by the horns in a Powerade bracket that included eight wrestlers who are currently ranked in the top 20 in the country. The Chestnut Ridge, Pennsylvania freshman is off to an incredible start to his high school career.

Watch Deputy's Powerade finals victory over #9 Max Quarry