MileSplit50 Individual Girls XC Rankings Countdown

15.

Athlete: Tori Gaitan

Year: Junior, Class of 2020

School: Great Oak (CA)

Analysis: Great teams require not just great talents or great competitors, but great leaders as well. And this could be the year where Gaitan, in her second season with Great Oak, could take the next step earning that honor with the Wolfpack. In her sophomore season, Gaitan was impressive wherever she went, finishing seventh at Woodbridge, sixth at Roy Griak, seventh at Clovis and first in her team's sweepstakes race Mt. SAC. She ran a best of 16:10.80 for 3-miles at Woodbridge, one of four performances under 17 minutes, and went 17:29.70 at Clovis, helping Great Oak register a team win at the big meet. 

But no team win was more important than CIF, where Gaitan was sixth overall on the 5K course at Woodward Park and guided Great Oak to a state title, while she finished 29th at NXN as the Wolfpack earned an eighth-place finish. After a successful track campaign where Gaitan set PRs in the 800m, 1600m and 3200m (where she was fifth at states in 10:20.34), the junior heads into the fall with more confidence, more motivation and a greater understanding of leadership at the next level.