Between breaking national records and signing professional contracts, these track stars have emerged as FloTrack's top five male high school athletes of 2016. 

5. Tyrese Cooper (American High School)

The Florida native stormed onto the high school scene at American by breaking national freshman class records in the 400m (45.23), 200m (20.62), and indoor 200m (21.22). He won the Florida state title in the 200m and 400m and continued on to claim New Balance Nationals Outdoor crowns in a 200m, 400m sweep once again. Cooper ended his successful season by winning the 100m, 200m, and 400m at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. 

4. Chris Nilsen (Park Hill High School)

The pole vault star made history in the event when he broke the national high school record at the Missouri Class 5, Section 4 Championship with a clearance of 5.60m. The performance was a massive improvement on his previous personal best of 5.49m. Nilsen went on to win the Great Southwest Classic, New Balance Nationals Outdoor, and the USATF Junior National Outdoor Championships. He ended his high school career by finishing seventh at the U.S. Olympic Trials. 

3. Michael Slagowski (Rocky Mountain High School)

Slagowski catapulted into the history books when he broke four minutes in the mile while in high school. He accomplished the feat in April at the Nike Jesuit Twilight in Portland, Ore. where he blasted a 3:59.54 to become the ninth prep in history to break four minutes. He is the second-fastest miler in prep-only competition, behind Jim Ryun's 3:58.3 from 1965. Slagowski later notched the fastest 800m prep mark of the year when he ran 1:48.36 to win the Idaho 5A District III Championship. Two weeks later, Slagowski mixed it up in a professional field at the Prefontaine Classic where he broke four minutes again by finishing fourth in 3:59.78. 

2. Drew Hunter (Loudoun Valley High School)

Hunter set the track on fire in 2016 by breaking national high school indoor records in the mile (3:57.81) and 3K (7:59.33). Prior to running 3:57, Hunter broke Alan Webb's record by running 3:58.25 at the Armory Track Invitational. The record dropped even lower when Hunter blasted a jaw-dropping 3:57 at the Millrose Games in February. He continued his senior season by contributing to a legendary distance medley relay team victory at Penn Relays where he kicked to victory against La Salle Academy. A few weeks later, Hunter became the youngest American male distance runner to turn pro when he signed with adidas in July. 

Watch Hunter's Kick of the Week at Penn Relays:

1. Noah Lyles (T.C. Williams High School)

Between breaking the national high school record in the 200m and nearly making the United States Olympic team, Noah Lyles solidified his place as a phenom in high school track history. The T.C. Williams athlete swept nearly every race he entered in 2016, highlighted by victories at the USATF Junior National Outdoor Championships and the IAAF World U20 Championships. Lyles nearly qualified to represent Team USA at the Olympics when he finished a narrow fourth in the 200m at the Olympic Trials in July. In the process, Lyles broke the national high school record with a 20.09 performance against the best pro sprinters in the country. Later that month, Lyles and his talented brother Josephus announced their decision to turn professional and compete for adidas.