Cuesta opens the 2022 season this Friday (10/11 AM) in Oxnard. The Harriers were originally scheduled to compete in the Fresno Invitational this Saturday, but swapped that meet out for the OC Cross Country Invitational. The race will take place on both the Oxnard College Campus and the neighboring College Park. It should be a fast race on a relatively flat course, which should also be about 30-degrees cooler than Fresno.
The men's team is lead by 2021 CCCAA State Qualifers Jordan Reilly and Nic Moore, who will be joined by Steepler Axel Reich and newcomers Emiliano Becerra, Jorge Merced and, Deegan Miller.
This is Reilly's third year with the program, but only his second season of eligibility, and he is one of two harriers back from the 2021 CCCAA State Meet squad. Reilly was the Cougars' team MVP in the COVID shortened 2020-21 season and enjoyed a strong true-freshman season last Fall. He earned all-Western State Conference Second Team and finished 51st at the 2021 CCCAA State Championship with the 19th fastest state time (21:23.3) on record for a Cuesta Harrier. Moore also all picked up some championship experience last year and was a scoring member of the Cougars' squad in 160th place.
Returning Freshman Axel Reich did not run cross country last year, but was the Cougars' top Steepler last season. Reich reached the the 2022 CCCAA Regional Meet after he posted a season best time of 10:43.57 in the obstacle strewn 3,000-meter race.
Freshman Emiliano Becerra from Calaveras County joins local recruits Jorge Merced, Cambria, and Deegan Miller, Atascadero, to complete the Cougars' scoring team.
The women's team will not field a scoring team (5 finishers) this year, but does boast a trio of talented harriers. Returners Dulce Esquivel and Adrienne Frere join Rookie Paige Medrano for a small, yet dangerous mini-pack.
Esquivel can flat out run and last season proved she can cover any distance with speed. In track, she was the Western State Conference Runner-up in three events between 800 and 10,000 meters and was a 2022 CCCAA State Finalist in the 800m and 1,500m. Off the track, she earned 2021 All-WSC Cross Country First Team and all-SoCal Region Second Team honors, before finishing 34th at the CCCAA State Cross Country Meet.
Frere ran behind Esquivel in both the 800m and 1500m on the track and reached the regional finals for both. In cross country, she finished 45th at both the CCCAA Regional and State Meets.
Medrano, from nearby Arroyo Grande HS, is the newcomer and brings plenty of credentials to the course. She was the MVP of the Golden Eagles undefeated Mountain League Champions.
The Cougars also welcome back 2021 Assistant Coach Connor Fisher, who was elevated to Head Coach, after Brian Locher stepped down. Fisher starred for the Cougars for two years in both cross country and track and was the 2015 Cuesta College Outstanding Male Athelte of the Year, which pairs him neatly with fellow rookie coach Rachel Gruetzmacher of women's water polo. She was the Cougars' 2015 Cuesta College Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year! Fisher is officially the Cougars' seventh Head Cross Country Coach, but only the 4th over the past 45 years.
