Page 8 March 18, 2021 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Britt Deanda from page 3
Sports from page 3
Jake Stolnack and Lloyd Sapanza lead the
staff. Each brings a different look, but they
all have one thing in common: they have a
good command of their pitches. When you
add Eddie Grant, Owen Kristen and Brady
Engelhardt to the mix, you find the Eagles
have enough depth to throw at the opposition.
The offense could be exciting with speed and
power throughout the lineup. Look for Brendan
Mc Andrews, Evan Smith and Rafael Smith
to get on base with Julian Rodriquez, Cooper
Stolnack and Kenny Chung to drive them in.
The Eagles once again host the Stevenson
El Segundo Tournament, which begins Friday
night at home at 6 p.m. They’ll host Millikan
on Saturday at 11 a.m. before road games next
week. With the cancellation of the Redondo
Tournament, the Eagles will compete in the
El Camino Real Tournament, featuring some
of the Southern Section’s top teams. This
year the Eagles rejoin the Pioneer League
in what looks to be a battle between five
teams. At this time, the CIF is still deciding
on a CIF Championship tournament format.
Should the Eagles advance to the postseason,
they’ll compete in Division 2, one of the
most competitive divisions.
Attendance for spectators will be restricted
and social distancing along with masks
required will be monitored and enforced.
Softball Team
Loaded with Talent
The Eagles are two seasons removed from
an appearance in the CIF finals. That team
was filled with gifted players who came
together to be successful. Head coach Megan
McCann, who begins her fifth season,
believes this year’s team can be just as good
because of their hunger for the game. The
Eagles return 14 players from last year’s
team, which should give them an edge this
season. Coach McCann said, “The girls are
focused on how much they love the game
and how much fun they’ve had together the
past few years.” She added, “The past year
has taught us all not to take any practice or
game for granted.”
Since the shutdown of the softball season
last March, many of the players have been
able to play on travel teams but missed
the opportunity to play together. That’s all
changed now, and the team is jelling together
to make a run at their first Pioneer League
championship in 12 years.
Coach McCann will lean on a group of
seniors who will provide their leadership
and their athleticism. Katie Croxall is a
four-year starter and will anchor the infield
at shortstop. Mya Bennett is another fouryear
player with infield skills. Other seniors
who look to make an impact are infielders
Shanai Owens who led the team in stolen
bases two seasons ago, and two returning
infielders Isa Gomez and EB Steinbacher.
Outfielders Kelly Carignan, Laila Phillips
and Leah Abitante are all three-year starters
Katie Croxall is one of the South Bay’s top shortstops.
and should provide an outstanding defense
as well as form one of the best outfields in
the South Bay.
Other returners are juniors Sophia Marrero,
who is a three-year starter behind the
plate. Pitcher Bailey Gertsch-Douglass. Azzah
Bensrhir, who plays first base and one
of the corner outfield positions, and Norah
Green, who can play multiple positions.
Sophomores, middle infielder Bella Gridley
who batted .356 last season as a freshman,
and pitcher/outfielder Avery Chavez.
New to the varsity this season is junior
catcher/first baseman Riley Mossman, sophomores
Sammie Kleiger who has great speed
and plays multiple positions and pitcher Sofia
Tembalor add depth to the Eagle’s pitching
staff. Freshman pitcher Maiya Anderson has
shown great control and location and could
be vital to the team’s deep pitching staff.
Bailey Gertsch-Douglass leads a deep pitching
staff that is loaded with young talented
arms. Avery Chavez has great command of
her pitches, while Sofia Tembalor is a strong
athlete who competes with passion. Maiya
Anderson is just a freshman but competes
at a high level with her control.
Katie Croxall heads a batting lineup that
could see some lofty batting averages. Croxall
hit .444, Kelly Carignan .400, Sofia Marrero
.377, Leah Abitante .375, Laila Phillips .325
and Shanai Owens .275 with 13 stolen bases
during their run to t Shanai Owens is a three-year starter for the Eagles. he CIF final appearance
in 2019. Now add Avery Chavez and Bella
Gridley, who both showed a knack for hitting
as freshmen, and you could see the Eagles
roll out a formidable lineup capable of putting
up a lot of runs.
The Eagle’s future looks to benefit from a
very talented junior varsity team, according
to coach McCann. Sophomore utility player
Miranda Sullivan has a speedy bat with
power. Freshman pitcher Hailey Wantz has
a good riser with good control, while Maya
Holtzman looks to lock down the infield at
shortstop, and Chloe Crabtree will do the
same in the outfield.
The Eagles have their home opener on
Tuesday, March 23, at 6 p.m. when they
host Mary Star. This season they join the
Pioneer League, which features South Torrance
and Torrance. Both teams joined El
Segundo in competing for a CIF division
championship at Deanna Manning Stadium
in Irvine in 2019, the last time a CIF championship
was held.
Fan Attendance
at Football Games
The El Segundo Athletic Department is
cautioning those wanting to attend football
games to start the season. Each player will be
allowed up to four support people to attend
games, and they could be family or friends
or a combination of both. Social distancing
will be monitored and enforced, and a mask
will be required. •
“It’s just opened up a lot for me as far as
my life and how I’ve been able to change
it and what I’ve been able to accomplish,”
Britt says, “It [brings] those unspoken things
that are hard to describe but just… higher
levels of happiness.”
Through her practice, Britt now teaches
online yoga classes, offers coaching, programs,
and (during non-Covid times) retreats in places
like Joshua Tree, Bali, and all over the world.
Her programs are comprised of things like
“the conscious bump,” a yogic approach to
pregnancy, and “good morning intentions,” a
forty-day morning ritual challenge about which
that she and Tara recently published a book.
In the future, Deanda hopes to open up
a physical studio. She hopes to continue to
expand her business all over the globe and
continue to help others find the clarity in their
life that she has found in hers. If you find
yourself feeling stuck in your life situation,
be it feeling unfulfilled in your job, or using
outside mechanisms to cope with your daily
struggles rather than looking inward, Britt
has some advice.
Britt and Tara, founders and owners of Elevate the Globe.
“Ask yourself: what do I want?” says
Deanda. If you’re unhappy with something,
allow your mind to explore the question of
what things could look like, no matter how
far-fetched. Give yourself the chance to see
possibilities that seemed impossible before.
Focus on yourself.
She leaves us with a short breath work
exercise from her book, Good Morning Intentions,
for readers to try at home.
Get comfortable in a cross-legged position,
straight spine, chin tucked, and chest lifted.
Place your hands in Gyan Mudra, with the
tips of the thumbs and index fingers touching
and the rest of the fingers out straight. Next,
close your eyes, and begin to concentrate on
your breath. Inhale through your nose in eight
equal breaths, and exhale through your nose
in one deep, powerful breath. Continue this
pattern for three minutes.
Finally, to end, inhale deeply and hold for
five to ten seconds; exhale. Inhale deeply
again, hold for fifteen to twenty seconds,
rolling the shoulders forward. Exhale powerfully.
Repeat this last step, and relax.•
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”
– Theodore Roosevelt