El Cajon, CA
What began as a "feel-good story" in the San Diego Union-Tribune ended in history on Saturday, as the Cuyamaca College men's cross country team captured the 2025 3C2A State Cross Country Championship—its first state title in 32 years.
The Coyotes scored 90 points to edge Mt. SAC (98) and outdistance Riverside (154), completing a season-long rise from regional underdogs to state champions. For one of the smallest programs in the California Community College Athletic Association—with an enrollment just over 9,000—this victory carried the energy of a true David vs. Goliath moment.
A "David" Story with East County Roots
Before the postseason began, Head Coach Tim Seaman told the Union-Tribune, "We're a feel-good story. We're a smaller team… totally composed of runners from the East County area."
He added: "We're a 'David' story… we know that, we're proud of that, and we're motivated by that."
Every runner on the roster is a product of local high schools—Liberty Charter, Monte Vista, Steele Canyon, West Hills, Granite Hills, Mount Miguel, and Bonita Vista—making this championship not only a Cuyamaca victory, but a win for the entire East County community. In fact, every runner could run to campus if they had to!
Championship Performances
The Coyotes ran their strongest team race of the year, placing five scorers inside the top 57. The first three on the team garnered All-American status by finishing in the top 14:
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Ivan Guzman (SO) – 4th — 20:14.8, All-American
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Steven Valadez Jr. (SO) – 5th — 20:19.1, All-American
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Dominic Rizzo (SO) – 11th — 20:31.6, All-American
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Daniel Vestemean (FR) – 18th — 20:41.0
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Orlando Carrillo (FR) – 57th — 21:23.0
Sophomore Dason Hege (86th, 21:46.4) and freshman Adan Hurtado (110th, 22:06.4) rounded out the lineup, providing essential displacement in the deep state-meet field.
From Underdogs to Contenders
Heading into the postseason, Cuyamaca had momentum after defeating San Diego Mesa College to win the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference title—its first since 2015. By the time the Union-Tribune article published, the Coyotes had climbed to No. 2 in the state rankings—still viewed as underdogs behind Mt. SAC, Riverside, and Cerritos.
In that story, Seaman admitted he expected a strong season but never could have predicted how far they would climb: "I thought these guys had a shot to be a top-five team. But now we have a shot to be on the podium at Fresno … and who knows beyond that?"
On Saturday, they answered that question.
A Win for Community, Commitment, and Team Culture
Cuyamaca's victory wasn't built overnight—it grew from consistent improvement, pack running, and belief. The team bonded through shared routes across Rancho San Diego, local support, and the pride of representing their own hometowns.
As sophomore Steven Valadez told the Union-Tribune, "Many people don't see cross country as a team sport, but it is. Every runner any of us passes is a point for the team. We're committed to each other."
That commitment delivered a championship.
Coach's Post-Race Reflections
"During the race, I reminded the runners to 'Be Legendary.' A mantra that stems from the fact that while conference performances are good, it's the State Championships where it counts." —Coach Tim Seaman
A Historic Finish
Cuyamaca College now adds its second state championship in under a year—men's soccer in 2024 and men's cross country in 2025—solidifying the school as one of the state's emerging athletic powers, despite being one of its smallest.
This is more than a win.
It's a validation of heart over size, belief over doubt, and community over everything.
