Lucas Esenwein was one of 10 swimmers for Cuesta College.

This small but lethal squad made plenty of waves at last weekend’s California Community College Athletic Association championship meet by placing

Esenwein, who grew up in Ripon – he attended Park View Elementary School and Ripon High before moving to Morro Bay High prior to his junior year – played a big role.

He’s a 2020 graduate of Morro Bay High.

A sophomore for the Cougars, Esenwein, who was Cuesta College’s Male Athlete of the Year for 2020-2021 for his participation in swimming and water polo, took home a pair of second-place medals in both the 50 freestyle (20.61 seconds) and 100 free (45.35) in the state meet held at East Los Angeles College.

His time in the 50 free broke the school record he set a year ago of 20.81, which upstaged the previous Cuesta College mark set 22 years earlier.

Esenwein also completed in four relays – 200 free, 400 free, 800 free, and 400 medley.

According to his mother Shannon, Lucas Esenwein had qualified to swim at the California Interscholastic Federation state meet during all four years of high school. The COVID-19 pandemic squashed his hopes of winning a state title in 2020, she noted.

In addition, he had a standout performance at last month’s Western State Conference championship meet, winning three individual events (50 free, 100 free, 50 fly), setting school records in the two freestyle events.

He was named WSC Male Swimmer of the Year.

Esenwein will be transferring to Division 1 University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the fall.