Barons’ Renovation Is Right on Track

The first signs of life came this time last year.

The Fountain Valley boys’ cross-country team was nearing the end of a winless season in the Sunset League, when Coach Barry Migliorini sent his best sophomores to the starting line at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational.

The group had a rare taste of success a few weeks earlier at the Central Park Invitational in Huntington Beach, but Mt. SAC offered a much higher level of competition. That didn’t intimidate the Barons, who won the Division I sophomore race against some of the top programs in the state.

“I knew we were headed in the right direction after that,” said Migliorini, who ran for the Barons in the early 1980s.

Fountain Valley has continued down the right path this season, adding former Corona del Mar assistant Marty Baratti to its coaching staff and building success from the ground up. Together, Migliorini and Baratti have blended their coaching styles while keeping the program’s recovery mission ahead of schedule.

“We want to build a monster,” Baratti said.

Fountain Valley finished sixth in the boys’ varsity sweepstakes race at the Orange County Championships 10 days ago. That result, along with victories in the Division I freshmen and sophomore races, gave Fountain Valley the best overall finish of all grade levels combined. Throw in a fifth-place finish by the girls in the varsity sweepstakes race and the entire program combined for top honors.

Fountain Valley is still a long way from reliving its glory days, such as the six consecutive league titles won from 1976-81 or the four-year stretch from 1987-90 when it didn’t lose a league meet. But Migliorini is starting to see some similarities.

After finishing no higher than fourth in league the last eight years, the Barons went 4-1 this season and have a good chance to win the league finals Saturday at Central Park. Their biggest challenge will come from Edison, which placed fourth at the county championships and defeated Fountain Valley by one point in a dual meet earlier this month.

“I think right now, dual meet or invitational, we’re right there with them,” Migliorini said.

The Barons are counting on senior Nick Arciniaga to lead the charge. Arciniaga was the team’s most valuable runner last season and is the most consistent front runner. Boosted by 1,009 training miles last summer, Arciniaga ran under 16 minutes in all but three races this season.

“He’s going to be the guy that carries the team this year,” Migliorini said. “Where he goes, we go.”

Mike Gavino wasn’t even among Fountain Valley’s top 15 freshmen two years ago, but emerged as the No. 2 runner this season. Gavino was the top finisher for the Barons in several races this season, including the Central Park Invitational.

“He has ran 600 miles the last two summers and that has been the difference,” Migliorini said.

Seniors Devon Lehman and Zach Stone have also provided key points for the Barons, while juniors Adam Quick, Kacey Waltemade and Adrian Saludes alternate as the fifth runner.

Migliorini has also been impressed with freshmen Josh Seeley and Corey Kubo, who have run in the low 16-minute range this season.

WORKING PARTNERSHIP

Baratti and Migliorini never planned on sharing the coaching duties. It just ended up that way.

Baratti was originally offered the boys’ coaching position at Fountain Valley three years ago, but didn’t accept because it didn’t include a teaching position. That same day, Migliorini walked into the athletic director’s office and was given the job.

Baratti remained at Corona del Mar the next three years, teaching Advance Placement classes but settling for an assistant coaching position under Bill Sumner. When a teaching position opened at Fountain Valley last spring, Baratti was hired and also given administrative responsibilities for the cross-country program.

Baratti wanted to be involved in the training aspect as well, although he did not want to interfere with the work Migliorini had already accomplished. Baratti and Migliorini met before the season began and decided there was room for both.

“We talked about our philosophies and it clicked,” Baratti said. “‘We started training them together and I said, ‘Look, I see us as co-head coaches.”

Baratti, who focuses his training on the top 15 or 20 boys, couldn’t be happier.

“[I’m] finally going to have some input on a program,” Baratti said. “Instead of sitting back and doing someone else’s workouts.”

Migliorini, who also works as an investment banker and professional sports agent, wasn’t thrilled when he heard another coach was coming in. Now, he thinks it’s the main reason the program has turned itself around.

“He has brought a new level of intensity to the program, a new level of expectations, and it allows both of us to do a lot better job of coaching,” Migliorini said.

* If you have an item or idea for the high school cross-country report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at dan.arritt@latimes.com