BASEBALL-

Cuesta Baseball Eliminated from Post-Season

SAN LUIS OBISPO (May 7, 2012)- This Week: #6-seed Cuesta lost twice to #11-seed Cypress and was eliminated from the 2012 CCCAA Regional Playoffs. The Chargers beat 2012 WSC Pitcher of the Year David Murillo (Ojai: SLO HS) and the Cougars, 6-2, on Friday and outscored the Cougars 13-9, Cuesta’s Jordan Goldsmith (SLO HS) was the losing pitcher, in Game 2 on Saturday to advance to the 2012 CCCAA Super Regionals in Costa Mesa next weekend. The Cougars, who enjoyed a 17-game winning streak during the season, won only six of their last 18 contests and the 2012 Western State Conference Champions ended the season with a 23-15 overall record.

This Week: No contests, season over.

Notes: Two-time all-WSC 2nd Team Outfielder LaBronze Sanderson (Fresno) was one of the few bright spots for the Cougars last weekend. Sanderson played a flawless centerfield and was a constant presence on the base paths. He reached safely on six of his nine plate appearances, including five hits in six at bats. He also accounted for four of the Cougars 11 runs on the weekend. He ended the season with a .329 batting average and was them team leader in runs scored (34) and stolen bases (15).

.>>top

SOFTBALL-
Cuesta Softball Ends 2012 Season

SAN LUIS OBISPO (April 30, 2012)- Last Week: Cuesta Softball completed the 2012 season, Coach Sheila McGuire's first with Cuesta, by splitting a Western State Conference doubleheader with Oxnard. The Condors won the opener, 5-3, which was filmed by the Cuesta TV Project, yet the Cougars salvaged their season off camera with a 5-1 win in the nightcap. The Cougars conclude the 2012 campaign with a 10-27 overall record, which sadly ties the 1990 and 2011 seasons for the most losses in a season, however their win in the season finale did save them from owning the loss record alone or joining the 1990 as the only Cuesta team not to win ten games. Pitcher Danika Gaslan (Arroyo Grande) earned the decision in the Cougars 10th victory. Gaslan, who earned her 7th victory of the year, held the Condors to only 5-hits in the complete game win.

This Week: No contests, season over. All Western State Conference selections will be released next week.

Notes: 2010 All-WSC First Teamer Laura Haines (Ventura) led the Cuesta offense on the day, she was 5-for-8 on the day with 3 runs and an RBI. She ends the season with a team leading .421 batting average and 31 runs scored, while finishing second on the team with 28 RBI. Haines ends her career as the only Cuesta player with a career average over .400. She is the Cougars all time leader with a .403 career batting average.

SWIMMING-
Cuesta Men 9th, Women 14th at State Swim and Dive Championships

SAN LUIS OBISPO (April 30, 2012)- Last Week: The Cuesta Men and Women’s Swim and Dive teams both improved on their 2011 finishes at the 2012 CCCAA State Championships last weekend in East LA. The men, who finished 24th in 2011, moved into the Top 10 with a 9th place finish, which marked the first time the men have cracked the Top 10 since Coach John Marsh took over in 2004. The women jumped from 26th place in 2011 to 14th place this season, but have still not cracked the Top 10 since Hall of Fame Coach Terry Bowen’s retirement in 2003.

This Week: No contests, season over.

Notes: Record holding Diver Kristin Brimage (Oakhurst) led the Cuesta women’s program with a State Title on the One-Meter Board. Brimage scored 216 points to capture the title and added a fifth place finish off the three-meter plank with 196.75. She was the women’s team top scorer and earned All America honors on both boards. 2011 All American and Cuesta Record Holder Alexandria Bernard (Porterville) finished failed to qualify for the championship finals in either the 50 or 100 freestyle and may land short of All America status. If so, she would miss the chance to join former NCAA All American Chris Lund as the only athlete in Cuesta history to earn All America honors twice in both swimming and water polo. Bernard, who’s best finish was 11th in the 50 freestyle ((25:25) and Backstroker Erin Hasenkamp (Atascadero HS) are the only women on the team considered All America candidates. Hasenkamp finished 11th in the 50 backstroke (:29.48). The men also have a pair of bonafide All America candidates. Cuesta record holder Zach Taapken (Orinda) landed in the Top 10 in three events and was the teams leading point scorer. He finished 8th in the 200 individual medley (1:57.44), and 9th in both the 100 (:58.90) and 200 (2:09.69) breaststrokes. 2011 All State Poloist Matt Giancanelli (Sacramento) also has a shot at All American. His 6th place in the 100 freestyle (:47.04) and 7th place in the 200 freestyle (1:42.81) were the two highest finishes for the men’s team.

.

>>top

TRACK-

Cuesta Track Send 6 To State Meet

SAN LUIS OBISPO (May 14, 2012)- This Week: The Cuesta Men and Women’s Track and Field teams are sending a total of six athletes, two men and four women, to the 2012 CCCAA State Track & Field Championships at Cerritos College this Friday and Saturday (All Day). 2010 State Qualifier Devon Kelsey (Atascadero HS), 2011 State Qualifier Kasey Urman (Templeton HS) and, freshman Corinne Evans (Hollister) will all compete in the women’s 1,500-meters. Kelsey, who owns the second fastest time in Cuesta history (4:36.14), is looking to improve on her 6th place finish two years. Urman, who last year also finished 6th at her first state meet, owns the 3rd best time by a Cuesta miler (4:36.38) and will chase Kelsey for the title. Evans, the newcomer, posted a lifetime best time of 4:51.25 to sneak into the state meet, however her time also ranks #7 all time at Cuesta. Kelsey broke the Cuesta 5,000-meter record (17:34.18) earlier in the season and was able to cruise to victory at the regional meet, despite adding nearly 30 seconds to her record time. She and is scheduled to compete in both events this weekend and has a chance to become Cuesta’s first double-event state champion since Kathryn Krieger won the 1,500 and 3K titles in 1989. 2011 State Qualifier Grace Mann (Arroyo Grande) cleared a career-high 11-5.75 in pole vault last weekend to book a return trip to the state meet. Mann is the 23rd Cuesta women’s pole-vaulter to qualifier for the state meet since 1999. Her second place finish last weekend puts her in the mix to bring home the school’s fourth state title in the event. Thrower Patrick Clemons (Ferndale HS, WA) and Distance Runner Gordon Sturgess (Paso Robles HS) lead the men’s team this week, although Tyler Gates (Antioch), in the 10K remains as alternate. Clemons ranks 6th all time at Cuesta in the javelin (178-3). Last week, Sturgess ran a career-best time to reach the state. His time of 15:08.82 is also the 5th fastest time by a Cuesta runner. Gates, who was a 2011 State Qualifier, will make the trip and hope for a spot to open in the 10K. His time of 32:15.79 is the 5th best time by a Cougar.

Last Week: The Cuesta men scored 6 points and landed in 22nd place at the 2012 CCCAA Regional Track & Field Championships; while the women collected 29 points and finshed 13th. 2012 Team MVP Patrick Clemons (Ferndale HS, WA) led the men with a 6th place finish in the javelin (168-5.5), while Distance Runners Tyler Gates (Antioch) and Gordon Sturgess (Paso Robles HS) also scored with a 7th place in the 10K (32:31.52) and 8th in the 5K (15:08.82), respectively. 2012 Cuesta Athlete of the Year Devon Kelsey (Atascadero HS) led the women’s team by scoring 14 points. She won the 5K (18:00.44) and was 5th place (4:43.26), behind teammate Kasey Urman (Templeton HS), in the metric mile- Urman finished 2nd (4:41.25). Pole-vaulter Grace Mann (Arroyo Grande HS) cleared a career-high 11-5.75 to finish second.

Notes: The possibility of Distance Runner Tyler Gates (Antioch) returning to the CCCAA State Meet remains a point of interest for Cuesta Track and Field fans. Gates finished 12th in the 10K at the 2011 CCCAA State Track and Field meet and is also a two-time qualifier for the CCCAA State Cross Country. If Gates can slide into a spot at the state meet, he would join former Cuesta great Sergio Reyes as the only Cuesta runners to reach four state meets. On the women’s side, Kasey Urman (Templeton HS) is the first woman to make four state meets since Christina Reyes, Sergio’s younger sister, completed her double-double in 2004.

>>top