Winner: Jillian Gomez 

School: Gahanna Lincoln 

Quote: “So far my season has been going really well. I have been consistently dropping time each race and have broken my sophomore record twice now.” 

Highlight: 

The Lady Lions from Gahanna Lincoln have been on a tear this year, dominating the competition everywhere they go and holding the #1 ranking in the state all season long. Sophomore Jillian Gomez has enjoyed an incredible year, contributing heavily to the Lions' dominance. Following her 18:19 personal record (PR) at the Les Eisenhart Invite, where she finished fifth in the varsity race, she has earned the Runner of the Week award. 

Entering the year, Gomez's PR was 19:23 from the state championships last year. This season, she has already broken the 19-minute barrier on three separate occasions, with her 18:19 effort setting a new PR and the school's sophomore record. Part of the Lions' focus this year has been racing as a team, and Gomez has shown great poise as just a sophomore in executing that plan. “One of my focuses this race was to get out strong and stick with my teammates,” she said. 

She executed perfectly, finishing a few seconds ahead of teammate Abigail Young and not far behind teammates Ruby Lewis and Olivia Smeck. “My teammates and I have big goals for the rest of the season that we are striving to accomplish,” Gomez said when asked about the remainder of the year. The #1 ranking doesn't look like it's going anywhere anytime soon, and it's safe to assume the Lions have their eyes set on finishing atop the podium in November. 

Gomez has big goals herself, adding, “Looking ahead, I’m working to run sub-18.” With an 18:19 already under her belt, we wouldn't be surprised if she breaks the 18-minute barrier in the season's biggest races—especially since her PR from last season came at the state championships. We’ll be monitoring the Lady Lions and Jillian Gomez closely throughout the postseason, and you certainly should be, too.