Lead-up to Lobo: Storm, Rams XC look to continue hot start

RIO RANCHO — The high school cross-country season is off and running, and with one of the season’s marquee events coming this Saturday, the Storm and Rams will both look to keep up their hot starts to the year.

The Sept. 13 University of New Mexico Lobo Cross Country Invitational at the UNM North Golf Course is one of the toughest competitions of the year, with teams and runners from all over the state (and country) coming to compete.

“It’s a highly competitive meet; you get all of the best teams from New Mexico, typically, at this meet,” Cleveland Head Coach Kenny Henry said. “Throwing in some Colorado schools at times, it makes for an incredibly competitive meet.”

But even with a talented field, Cleveland and Rio Rancho still appear to be the ones with the targets on their backs. The Rams’ boys team took first place last year, with the Storm finishing in second. On the girls’ side, both schools put together top-10 finishes, with Rio Rancho at four and Cleveland at six.

The schools did not leave their winning ways in 2024, either. The Rio Rancho boys took first in the season-opening Cleveland Invitational two weeks ago, with the girls finishing on the podium in third.

“The boys winning at Cleveland, even though it was really close, was a good sign for us, and I think it hopefully motivated the guys to train,” Rio Rancho Head Coach Phil Keller said. “And then the girls taking third at Cleveland was probably higher than we expected, and it shows that they are capable, and we are capable of being a top-three team at state this year.”

For Cleveland, their first win of the season came Saturday, Sept. 6, with the boys taking the top spot in the St. Pius Super Cinco. The girls finished second in both meets, falling to Eldorado by just two seconds in the Super Cinco.

“We’ve had some very solid performances on the boys’ side from both Lucas Espinosa and Lucas Pena, who both won their individual races this past weekend,” Henry said. “On the girls’ side, sophomore Lena Trujillo Sando has been running incredibly well. I’m definitely pleased with this meet (Super Cinco), and we’re pleased with how everybody’s running.”

Despite both teams fostering new faces and younger rosters, these runners have not been shy about making their names known.

Espinosa, as referenced by Henry, has been on a tear to open the year. The senior placed first in his individual race at St. Pius to follow up a course record-breaking individual win at Cleveland.

For the Rams, Mariah Galbraith could be the push the Rio Rancho girls need to find that first victory of the year. Galbraith finished fourth overall at Cleveland and set a course record at the Huron Sioux time trial, which the Rams attended over the weekend.

The names go on and on, but the real difference maker? Coming together as a high-performing team.

“We have a group of girls who are very close to each other when we run together, and even by the time (results), they were close to each other, which we think is going to definitely help us as the season goes on,” Henry said. “And you know, on the boys’ side, we have some young guys and new guys to cross-country who we are throwing in right now, and they’re doing a great job.”

While the season will only ramp up from here, it’ll be up to the runners from both teams to see how bad they truly want it.

“We’re kind of at a stage now where we’ll hit three to four hard meets in a row here,” Keller said. “It can be brutal, but our kids are up and they’re ready for it, and that’s what they train for all summer and all fall for, so we’re looking forward to it.”

The University of New Mexico Lobo Cross Country Invitational begins Saturday morning, with the girls’ race starting it off at 8:20 a.m.