He May Be Small, But Cuesta Has Huge Heart And Drive

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Representing the No Fear 10-U Team from Mililani are (front row) Mahina Sauer, Precious Enos, Shearyna Labasan, (second row) Kailee Russell, Kylie Bello, Jasmine Aquino, Tristan Cozo, (third row) Mylee Enos, Angel Maikui-Jenks, Gelsey, Chandie Perez, (back row) Vince Labasan, Kristian Cozo, Felix Perez, Glen Sauer, Jerry Russell and Sheary Labasan. Photo by Tracy Peralta.

On those late nights when Leilehua head football coach Nolan Tokuda reviews game film, the image of defensive end Jaydon Cuesta is easy to notice.

The veteran coach regrets that college recruiters haven’t taken the same kind of notice. “I wish college coaches would measure kids in terms of heart rather than by their size,” he said.

Indeed, Cuesta’s assertiveness on and off the field would make him an ideal addition to any college program, but his 5-foot-4, 160-pound frame is far from the norm at the next level.

Asked if he was being recruited by anyone, Cuesta quipped, “Not that I know of.”

An aspiring engineer, Cuesta’s college plans are part of the future regardless of whether he continues in football. For now, he’s trying to lead Leilehua to a second straight state championship following last November’s riveting run. He was a key component for that team, rotating with seven others to form a relentless front in defensive coordinator Mark Kurisu’s aggressive 4-3 scheme. This fall, Cuesta also will start on offense, moving into a tackle position, while still holding down his spot at defensive end. But if anyone of the 90 players is suited to go both ways, it’s Cuesta, according to his coach. Tokuda likens him to Notre Dame’s Rudy Ruettiger, whose story inspired the motion picture Rudy - except that Rudy was relegated to the practice squad throughout his career, finally dressing for the final game of his senior year. Cuesta’s impact has always been felt, although the two share the same work ethic.“I’m smaller than most football players, so that’s pushed me to work harder than most,” Cuesta said. “I’ve been working hard, and I plan to keep it up - especially since I’ll be going both ways. The coaches like to say, ‘Pay now and play later, work hard now and have fun later.’ I live by that in my life. I know when to get serious.”

Especially in the weight room -as a freshman on the JV team, Cuesta weighed only 130 pounds and stood 5-feet-1.

“They still had me at end,” he recalled,“but the coaches told me I had heart.”

Cuesta has since added 30 pounds of muscle and can now bench press 315 pounds. At spring practice, he settled nicely into his new routine of going both ways. “It was fun,” he said. “It can get tiring, but that’s why I’ve tried to work harder this year than any other year. As long as I get to play, I love it. The more I play, the more I love football.”

Cuesta sees the experience from last year’s post-season as a huge asset for the Mules, who had tied for fourth in the OIA’s Red West Conference. “It was awesome. To have helped our seniors to get to that point was almost indescribable.

“This team looks really good. We’re all so close together, that’s going to be an advantage for us. One of our themes is ‘Love Conquers All. We all became a lot closer during last season, and that helped us. I love to play with my friends, or brothers as I call them. The coaches have a saying, ‘Play for your teammates, not for yourself.’”

Jaydon, who is the third of four children born to Paula and Stacy Cuesta, is equally successful in the classroom, holding down a 3.6 grade-point average. He’ll be taking three advanced placement courses in the fall. He credits his grandfather, George Ai, with instilling a solid work ethic in him.

“He just turned 80, and he’s still a ranch manager (at Kawailoa Ranch) - he’s strictly a cowboy,” Cuesta said. “He works hard to this day. I follow him wherever he goes - he’s been a big part of my life.”