Cuesta Men's Track & Field finished 2nd as a team at the 2021 Western State Conference Championship Meet. The Cougars were outpointed by Moorpark in the season-ending event but demonstrated their talent with three individual wins and 16 all-conference (Top 5) performances.
Cuesta Record Holder Gabriel Katches (Paso Robles HS) led the Cougars in scoring after extending his Cuesta Record to win the Discus (188-8) and taking 3rd in the Shot Put (47-4.5) to move up to 7th all time at Cuesta. Fellow Thrower Luke McMahon (Paso Robles) and Hurdler Cameron Avila (Nipomo HS) also took home titles. McMahon sailed to victory, by almost 10-feet, in the Hammer with his winning toss of 145-8. McMahon cruised to victory, despite falling short of his best mark. Earlier in the season McMahon claimed the 6th spot all time at Cuesta with a throw of 151-11.25. Avila saved his best performance for his last and became the third Cougar to reach the top of the podium. He dropped a full three seconds off his previous best to win the 400-hurdles (1:00.35). The Cougars also received a pair of standout performances from both Harrier Luis Cervantes (Santa Maria: Righetti HS) and Sprinter Connor Pritchard (Arroyo Grande HS). Cervantes took 2nd place in the 10,000-meters (34:42.73) in that event's timed final during the WSC Preliminary Meet and bounced back to take 3rd in the 5,000-meters (16:51.41) last weekend. While Cervantes scored in the two longest races, Pritchard competed in the two shortest. He finished 3rd and 4th place, respectively, during the finals in the 100 and 200-meter races. Unfortunately, Pritchard was coming off wins in both events at the WSC Preliminary Meet. His 100-meter time of :10.88 in the Prelims earned him 6th on Cuesta's All Time Top 10. Pritchard posted Cuesta's only new Top 10 mark on the track this year, however Leaper Darius Jackson (Arroyo Grande HS) and Thrower Isaac Ruddell (Morro Bay HS) also made the list with their all-Conference marks last weekend. Jackson's Triple Jump of 44' 9" earned him a Silver and moved him into 5th all time at Cuesta. Ruddell earned all-WSC honors in the Shot Put, however he was overshadowed by his record-breaking teammate in the Hammer. Ruddell finished 6th, behind Katches, with a throw of 142-1, while also claiming 6th place all time for the Hammer at Cuesta.
All-WSC First Team- Gabriel Katches, Discus
All-WSC First Team- Luke McMahon, Hammer
All-WSC First Team- Cameron Avila, 400 Hurdles
All-WSC Second Team- Luis Cervantes, 10,000-meters
All-WSC Second Team- Darius Jackson, Triple Jump
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Gabriel Katches, Shot Put
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Luis Cervantes, 5,000-meters
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Connor Prichard, 100-meters
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Connor Prichard, 200-meters
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Evan Schweitzer, 400-meters
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Zachary Holland, 400-meters
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Cullen Eckert, 800-meters
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Jordan Reilly, 1,500-meters
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Isaac Ruddell, Shot Put
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Thomas Rodda, Triple Jump
All-WSC Honorable Mention- Brenden Niller, 1,500-meters
