Don Lugo Boys’ Team Definitely in Running

Chino Don Lugo’s boys’ cross-country team learned an important lesson last season when the Conquistadores started fast but finished slow because of overwork.

Coach Don Salyers has slowed the workout pace this season and the results are promising for a strong finish at the Southern Section and state championships in late November.

Last Saturday at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational, Don Lugo won the team sweepstakes race, beating Clovis, 88-133, and Belmont, the state’s top-ranked team, in the process.

“We didn’t start working real hard until a week and a half, two weeks ago,” Salyers said. “We’ve taken it fairly easy maybe because we’re so afraid of overextending ourselves. We’ve really been on cruise control.

“We think we can get faster.”

Don Lugo is led by junior Arturo Garcia, a straight-A student, who was fourth in Division I in the mile last year and finished fifth last weekend at Mt. SAC, covering the hilly 2.95-mile course in 15 minutes 22 seconds.

Junior Mike Serratos (15:30 at Mt. SAC), senior Nick Branen (15:34), senior twins Joshua and Israel Gonzales, senior Tessamariam Tesfa and freshman Erick Maldonado are other top performers for Don Lugo, which has never won a Southern Section boys’ cross-country title.

The Conquistadores’ quest for the Division I championship will probably include a battle against defending state champion Long Beach Poly, Anaheim Katella and Rialto, though Salyers expects a run from Murrieta Valley and Santa Ana Valley among others.

Don Lugo might have one advantage over its competitors.

The Conquistadores conquered Mt. SAC last week and will also run it in the Baseline League finals. Mt. SAC is the site of the Southern Section finals.

“The course is tough for any team, so being familiar with it should help our kids,” Salyers said.