Fall '19 Preview: Mustangs ready to run

(Sixth in a series of fall previews for 2019).

There is returning experience for Mullen cross country in addition to promise.

Mustangs boys varsity is back intact and the girls lost just one regional competitor from a year ago,

“It’s really exciting,” ninth-year Mustangs head coach Joe Welling said.

The boys will be led by senior Will Locascio and junior Michael Dudzic. Locascio is the top returnee and Dudzic is coming off a season of injury.

“We have all of these kids back with a year of experience under their belts,” Welling said.‘

Locascio also is an accomplished triathlete and Dudzic was able to take third in the Centennial League 3,200 meters in track in the spring. He was a state qualifier two season ago.

They also are supported by a host of developing sophomores and juniors, Welling said.

For girls, their tendency to finish in a pack a year ago will return and it will be welcomed – the past fall, Mullen was shut out of the Colorado championship meet after a surprising, sub-par showing in regionals in the mountains at higher altitude.

To combat that, Welling said, his team’s lumping with mountain-area schools for state-qualifying for the fourth straight season – Palisade, Vail, Frisco
and this year’s will be in Grand Junction -- will include a late-season look at the high course.

“We’re working toward it,” Welling said. “We’ll do a Grand Junction meet and see it three weeks before … I think it’s really challenging, preparing kids for the one race that matters.

“This season, we’ll take that day and race that course (at Lincoln Park Golf Course) and at least get some sort of edge. That way, at least we’ve seen it before we race. If we can calm our kids about the course, then we’ve done our due diligence.”

The Mustangs will open on Saturday, Aug. 24, with the Windjammer at Englewood.

The regular season will end on Oct. 19. Regionals are Oct. 26. The state meet will be Oct. 26 at the Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs.