Freed Reyes leads Jags to title

Distracted but not deterred by the made-for-TV drama of the near-deportation of its captain, the Southwestern College women’s cross country team was focused on crossing its own border at the Pacific Coast Conference championships—the finish line.

Embattled captain Ayded Reyes, competing hours after being release from an INS detention center, ran off with the conference individual championship followed in close order by her teammates. SWC won its 10th straight conference title in a tune-up for a defense of its California state championships.

Unable to train due to a minor injury, Reyes was detained in Barrio Logan by San Diego police after a routine traffic stop of a car in which she was the passenger. SDPD officers turned her over to the Border Patrol. She was placed in INS custody and pressured to sign papers facilitating her deportation to Mexico. Reyes was carried into the country as an infant by her undocumented parents and has never lived in Mexico. She was released when Congressman Bob Filner intervened.

Reyes finished first with a time of 21:07. Next across the line was teammate Valerie Hycz in 21:16. Karla Gadea came in at 6th with a time of 22:32 and Prisma Mendoza ran her way to 8th place with a time of 22:50. All seven SWC women’s runner scored the top 25.

Despite not running during the two weeks prior the race, Reyes jumped into the lead from the start and never looked back in her wire-to-wire win.

“I’m a fighter, I don’t want to be second.” said Reyes. “I think it did affect me, but just the fact I really wanted to win and not only for me, but for everyone that has supported me in every single way. It made me want to win it.”

Cross-country coach Dr. Duro Agbede said he thought 2011 would be a rebuilding season and was not expecting to win the championship.

“Since 2000, this was the closest race we have ever had,” said Agbede. “More people will know we are still not dead.”

SWC men finished second behind San Diego Mesa City College. Ansu Sowe grabbed third in the time of 22:07. Jonathan Limon finished ninth in 23:04 and Alfredo Rodriguez followed in 10th with a time of 23:07.
Sowe said his strategy for preparation consists of focus, training hard and getting rest.

“I was hoping for my best,” said Sowe. “Then I started to feel a pain in my back during the race, so I tried my best to make it to the finish line.”

Agbede said an injury to a key runner may have cost the men the title.

“The only problem with the men’s team is we lost our fifth guy to a foot injury,” he said. “We could have done better. We didn’t have that fifth runner.”