Coyotes’ first sweep; Cruz wins debut

By Ramon Scott
Updated: September 7, 2026

Cuyamaca men record first 15-point score in program history; Eva Cruz (right) wins her collegiate debut

2026 COMMUNITY COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY

Defending state champ Cuyamaca men record first 15-point performance in program history

By East County Sports staff

LA MESA — The defending state champions opened their new season with a performance that literally could not have been better.

Cuyamaca College swept the first five places and recorded the first perfect score in program history Friday at the Cuyamaca XC Kick Off at Harry Griffen Park.

Sophomore Daniel Vestemean won the men’s race in 16 minutes, 13 seconds, leading a procession of five Coyotes across the finish line before any opposing runner completed the course.

Freshman Jack Degenhardt placed second in 16:51, while sophomore Orlando Carrillo finished third in 16:58. Sophomore Adan Hurtado followed in fourth at 16:59, and Yohannes Masho completed the historic sweep by taking fifth in 17:04.

The five finishes gave Cuyamaca the minimum—and therefore perfect—team score of 15 points.

It marked the first time in school history that the Coyotes recorded a 15-point performance.

The most encouraging part for Cuyamaca may have been the pack that followed Vestemean. Degenhardt, Carrillo, Hurtado and Masho finished only 13 seconds apart, providing the kind of scoring depth necessary for another championship run.

Cuyamaca entered the meet as the reigning 3C2A men’s state champion after capturing its first state title since 1993 last November. The Coyotes’ coaches, Tim Seaman and Thom Hunt, believe this year’s group has yet to establish its ceiling.

Vestemean began his sophomore season after producing an All-State freshman campaign. The former West Hills High School standout finished 18th at last year’s state championship meet, earning second-team All-State honors while helping the Coyotes secure the team championship.

His season-opening victory represented a 19-second improvement over the 16:32 he ran at the same distance as a freshman.

Degenhardt, an Olympian High School graduate, made an impressive collegiate debut by securing second place. Hurtado, a Bonita Vista High School graduate, also opened his sophomore season as part of Cuyamaca’s tightly grouped lead pack.

CRUZ WINS FIRST COLLEGIATE RACE

Cuyamaca also produced the women’s individual champion and a third-place team finish.

Freshman Eva Cruz won her collegiate debut, completing the challenging 2.1-mile course in 13:18.

Cruz defeated Southwestern freshman Isabella Nazario by 20 seconds. Nazario placed second in 13:38, followed by Saddleback freshman Aftyn Arnold in 13:50.

El Camino sophomore Isla Gonzalez finished fourth in 13:55, and Saddleback freshman Brooke Dazey was fifth in 14:06.

Cruz’s performance is listed as the fastest women’s 2.1-mile time in Cuyamaca’s Athletic.net program records, surpassing the previous listed mark of 14:15 established by Jennifer McCubbin in 2022.

The victory by Cruz, combined with the women’s third-place finish and the historic performance by the Cuyamaca men, gave the Coyotes an emphatic opening statement on their home course.

For the defending state champions, perfection was only the beginning.

CUYAMACA MEN’S TOP FIVE

Daniel Vestemean — 16:13
Jack Degenhardt — 16:51
Orlando Carrillo — 16:58
Adan Hurtado — 16:59
Yohannes Masho — 17:04

TEAM SCORE: 15 — first perfect score in program history

PHOTO CAPTION: Cuyamaca College opened its men’s cross country state-title defense by sweeping the first five positions and recording the first perfect 15-point score in program history Friday at Harry Griffen Park.

PHOTO CAPTION: Cuyamaca freshman Eva Cruz approaches the finish line on her way to winning her first collegiate race in 13:18. Cruz’s victory helped the Coyotes earn third place in the women’s team competition.