The two-week 2023 Western State Confence Championships opens with the preliminaries this Friday at Antelope Valley in Lancaster. All eight of the Cougars' entrants to the meet are threats to make next week's WSC Finals and claim a spot on the podium.
On the track, 2022 State Finalist Dulce Esquivel (Pict-R) leads the Cuesta octet that is set to compete in 20 individual events. Esquivel earned all-WSC honors in four events in 2022, while claiming three Silvers and a Bronze, but will limit herself to three events this season. She is set to compete in the 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000m runs. Her fellow CCCAA State Qualifying Harrier, Paige Medrano shall join her in the Mile and the 5K, while Medrano is set to team with Elle Casselman in the 800m. Casselman is currently ranked 6th in the WSC for the 800m, while Esquivel is ranked 9th, and her emergence should free Esquivel to dominate the longer distances. Esquivel ranks 4th all time at Cuesta in the 10K (40:02.03), but has not competed in the event this season. All-conference Harrier Adrienne Frere completes the Cougars' track contingent, but has traded the distance events for some obstacles by entering the 400-hurdles.
The Cougars have always been solid in the distance events, however this year promises to be one of the program's best for the jumps. This season's leapers boast own more marks on Cuesta's all time Top 10 than any team since 2004. In the Long and Triple Jumps, Freshmen Madeline Scovil and Ashley Gose are both chasing records and a trip to the 2023 CCCAA State Meet. Scovil is less than a foot away from Tee Noble's 1998 school record in the Triple Jump (37-3.75 to 38-2) and Gose is right behind her in 3rd place all time at 36-10.5. Gose ranks higher in the Long Jump, where she ranks 5th all time at Cuesta with a leap of 17-9.75, just over a foot away from 2014 State Champion Riley Cooks' Cuesta record, while Scovil ranks 10th all time at 16-4.5. Gose shall also hit the track for the 100m, where she ranks 9th all time at Cuesta at :12.98, while Scovil's third event is the Pole Vault. Fellow Freshman Grace Gutierrez is also entered in the Triple Jump (31-2) and High Jump (4-11), where her marks leave her just 1' 10" and two inches, respectively, out of Cuesta's Top 10.
2022 Regional Finalist Anessa Palomino is the Cougars' lone thrower this season. Has enjoyed massive success this season and has reached massive personal-bests over her freshman year marks. She has added 16' 4" in the Javelin, 5'4" in the Hammer, 2' 3" to her Shot Put and moved into the Cougars' All Time Top 10 in the Discus with a 12-foot improvement. She is scheduled to compete in all four disciplines over the next two weekends.
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