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Hershul Olloway Jr. dodged and darted his way to a spectacular season in the fall. He shed the pads and sprinted his way to more glory in the spring.

Today, the St. Pius junior, and future University of New Mexico Lobo, has paused long enough for the Journal to recognize him as the Metro Male Athlete of the Year for the 2025-26 school year.

鈥淥ne of the top players in New Mexico,鈥� said Sartans quarterback Isaiah Carpenter. 鈥淚t makes my job, my life, a hell of a lot easier.鈥�

Built in a mold similar to that of one-time Manzano superstar Jordan Byrd, Olloway鈥檚 legs carried him to a 1,930-yard junior season for the Sartans, and 28 touchdowns. There were few backs (in any class) that were as electrifying in the open field as Olloway.

Basketball was a bridge between fall and spring for him; last month, the 5-foot-7, 170-pound Olloway earned Class 4A state titles in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and anchored a 4x100 state-winning relay.

鈥淓xtremely special,鈥� said his football and track teammate 鈥� and cousin 鈥� Curtis Flakes III.

Olloway just last month gave a verbal commitment to play for UNM. And while he may not be built like a prototypical running back, Olloway brings plenty to the table. His flash, his flair, his playmaking ability, all contribute to today鈥檚 Journal recognition.

鈥淲hat separates Hershul is his football IQ,鈥� St. Pius coach Curtis Flakes II said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always been smart. He watches film, he sees things happen before they happen. That鈥檚 what separates him from a lot of high school athletes.鈥�

Olloway is poised for another monster season in the fall for the Sartans, who have played in, and lost, the last two 4A state championship games.

And everything points to something even bigger for Olloway as a senior if all the dominoes fall the right way.

鈥淚鈥檓 not done yet,鈥� Olloway promised.

Carpenter expects his teammate to top 2,000 rush yards next season.

鈥淧robably his tenacity and work ethic,鈥� Carpenter said, describing Olloway. 鈥淗e strives every day to be a better person 鈥� not just on the field, but off.鈥�

Of course, Olloway is a complete package as a running back. In open space, defenders are largely helpless to get a glove on his shifty frame. With a step, those same defenders are almost completely helpless to chase him down.

Carpenter said his backfield mate is so much more than blazing speed in a compact body.

鈥淎 lot of people don鈥檛 necessarily notice his speed right away,鈥� Carpenter said. 鈥淗e knows he has that speed, but he knows when to shift gears.鈥�

His elite wheels, combined with his vision and remarkable patience before hitting the hole, create what 4A football already sees, an elite running talent. Think Darren Sproles, a prolific scatback who carved out a fine NFL career despite a modest 5-6, 190-pound frame.

Olloway is a double-edged sword in the best possible way. While his improvisational skills make him a threat anywhere on the field, conversely, his skill set opens up numerous 鈥� and plotted 鈥� offensive horizons.

鈥淚t lets our offensive coordinator expand our playbook and be able to run different kinds of stuff,鈥� Flakes III said.

With that in mind, UNM offered Olloway a scholarship, one he has accepted. The Lobos will have multiple options in how they deploy Olloway, including as a kick returner where the open space he craves would be more readily available. But this only paints part of the picture as to why Olloway is staying home.

鈥淛ust being around the program, the game-day visits, just some of the practices I鈥檝e been to 鈥� it鈥檚 special,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he belief they have in coach (Jason) Eck, what coach Eck is building, is something I would like to be a part of.

鈥淎nd it鈥檚 something I could see myself really benefiting from, not just as a football player but as a person who will eventually graduate from college and move into life. I can see the program playing a major role in becoming a better person.鈥�

Olloway said the UNM commitment is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always been a goal of mine to play football at the next level,鈥� he said. Which, he added, continues to fuel him. 鈥淚鈥檓 one of the best players in the state, so it鈥檚 important for me to continue to work at it and continue to grow.鈥�

It鈥檚 part of an arc his family has observed for years.

鈥淗e鈥檚 always been a hard worker, ever since he was little,鈥� said Jolene Olloway, Hershul鈥檚 mother. 鈥淗e always had a drive. When he sets a goal, he does anything he needs to to attain that goal.鈥�

Said coach Flakes: 鈥淗e鈥檚 a hard-working guy, he works hard, he pushes his teammates, he holds them accountable.鈥�

His modestly proportioned frame, Olloway said, won鈥檛 be a hindrance at the Division I level.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 something that motivates me to work harder, to be honest,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 may not be the biggest, but I pride myself on being one of the most explosive and the fastest. When I do get to the next level, just showing the hard work I put in 鈥� (I鈥檒l show) I鈥檓 as good as anyone else.鈥�

It is unlikely that Olloway would play football and run track for the Lobos, but he said he鈥檇 be open to the idea down the road.

He was arguably the metro鈥檚 second-best sprinter, after Sandia鈥檚 Chigekwu Nwagbo.

鈥淥ne thing I like about track is, it鈥檚 me versus you,鈥� Olloway said. 鈥淚t comes down to who wants it more. That鈥檚 something I like about that competition. You look to the person left of you, you look to the person right of you, and you鈥檙e like, I鈥檓 not losing to them. And that pushed me to run faster times.鈥�

In the immediate future, Olloway wants to put St. Pius on his firm shoulders and help the program win what has, of late, been an elusive blue trophy.

鈥淲e were actually just talking about that,鈥� he said of himself and his teammates. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the one thing we鈥檙e missing. We have to get that state championship.鈥�

However it plays out, these couple of classes at St. Pius have elevated the entire Sartans program back to an elite status it had not enjoyed for a number of years.

鈥淲e were able to bring back a special spark to St. Pius that hadn鈥檛 been there for a while,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hat we hope will last years after us.鈥�

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at .