EL SEGUNDO HERALD September 6, 2018 Page 5
El Segundo Girls Softball Team
Concludes Historic All Star Year
It is a rare accomplishment when any
League has three teams qualify out of District
tournament play into the State tournament
in Lancaster. At this level, El Segundo Girls
Softball (ESGS) is typically competing against
leagues with two to three times the enrollment.
This summer, ESGS saw its 8u, 10u and 12u
Gold division teams each compete at the
“B” State tournament highlighted with the
10u Gold team qualifying (having to play
four games in one day in 100-plus-degree
temperatures) for the Western National USA
Softball Championships July 30-August 5
in Camarillo. The ESGS 10u Gold made
it to weekend play at Western Nationals,
eventually losing 2-0 to Ventura. It was a 13th
place finish in one of the most competitive
environments one will find at this age level.
The 10u girls came into Nationals with one
of the most impressive pitching staffs. Four
different pitchers had posted wins against
teams competing in this tournament (Charli
Pages, Jacy Lindsay, Ace Anderson and Allie
Stevenson). Sandwiched between an incredible
opening ceremonies and skills competition,
Top Row (left to right): Sienna Mayer; Coach T.D. Mayer; Coach Matt McMillon; Charli Pages; Manager Eric Stevenson; Allie Stevenson;
Jacy Lindsay; Vanessa Rodriguez; Coach Jim Walker; Taryn Walker. Bottom Row (left to right): Ava King; Lily Moser; Maven Ding; Ace
Anderson; Hina Usuda; Kalista McMillon (not pictured Maggie Green)
El Segundo played two pool play games to
determine seeding for the double elimination
tournament. First up was Goleta Valley (sixth
at Nationals), which handed El Segundo a
6-0 loss. Allie Stevenson led with two hits.
Next up in pool play was Rancho Trabuco
(fifth at Nationals). Multiple hits by Sienna
Mayer (including a leadoff home run), Allie
Stevenson and Hina Usuda were not enough
as the firls fell 7-4.
Despite a low seed, El Segundo started off
the tournament with a 14-0 win over Orcutt
(45 miles north of Santa Barbara). El Segundo
scored all it would need in the first inning.
Sienna Mayer tripled to left center and Allie
Stevenson singled up the middle to score her.
A few batters later, consecutive run-scoring
singles by Jacy Lindsay, Vanessa Rodriguez
and Taryn Walker put the game out of reach.
Maven Ding and Ace Anderson combined on
the mound for a two-hit shutout.
Next up was a tournament favorite Irvine
(third at Nationals and States). After spotting
Irvine two unearned runs in the first inning,
El Segundo settled down in the field. Jacy
Lindsay pitched a gem, giving up just one
hit over six innings. El Segundo cut into
the deficit 2-1 in the third inning started by
Taryn Walker’s leadoff double. The girls had
a few more chances. After giving up two
more unearned runs in the sixth inning, they
found themselves staring at a 4-1 loss and a
spot in the loser’s bracket.
Facing elimination, El Segundo posted a
7-1 victory over a strong Oakland Vipers
squad. Charli Pages was nearly untouchable
on the mound, giving up two hits in seven
innings and striking out nine. Allie Stevenson
and Sienna Mayer led the offensive attack
with multiple hits as the girls advanced to
championship weekend! Facing elimination
yet again, El Segundo came out and delivered
probably its most complete performance of
the summer in beating Orangecrest (Riverside)
9-3. Jacy Lindsay was dominant once again
on the mound, pitching five innings of one-hit
ball and striking out nine. Offensively, Allie
Stevenson, Hina Usuda and Ace Anderson
each had multiple hits as the girls advanced
in the tournament.
Next up in back-to-back games was
a powerhouse Ventura team (seventh at
Nationals). Maven Ding kept El Segundo
alive with a clutch performance, giving up
just three hits and two unearned runs over
six innings. Despite big hits throughout the
game by Sienna Mayer, Hina Usuda and Jacy
Lindsay, El Segundo could not get on the
scoreboard. It wasn’t until Charli Pages had
her deep fly ball caught with two outs and
two runners on in the seventh inning that the
hundreds of fans in attendance realized that El
Segundo’s historic season had come to an end.
The El Segundo Girls 10u Gold team
accomplished so much this year: Playing
in eight tournaments over 12 weeks this
summer (Camarillo semifinalist; La Mirada;
Santee runner up; Laguna Niguel; Escondido;
Districts finishing second; States finishing
13th; Western Nationals finishing 13th), the
girls posted tournament wins against some of
the top teams in California including Torrance
twice (District and State Champions), La
Mirada (fourth at Nationals) and WAGS out
of Westlake Agoura (the Western National
Champions). The coaching staff would like
to extend a huge thanks to all the parents
and fans who supported these girls through
their season.
Players: Sienna Mayer, Allie Stevenson,
Hina Usuda, Jacy Lindsay, Ace Anderson,
Charli Pages, Vanessa Rodriguez, Taryn
Walker, Maven Ding, Kalista McMillion,
Ava King, Lily Moser and Maggie Green.
Coaches: Eric Stevenson, T.D. Mayer,
Matt McMillon, Jim Walker and Rob Green.
– Content and Photo Provided by T.D. Mayer •
Eagles Fall to
North in Football
Story and Photos by Gregg McMullin
After the El Segundo High School Eagles
opened their football season with an emotional
win over Peninsula in Week 1, they fell to
the North Torrance Saxons 24-17 on the road.
It was a game that the Eagles let get away
from them early. Missed opportunities, missed
tackles and letting their emotions play into
Arman Sayson, who rushed for 111 yards, picks up seven yards here thanks in part to Justin Delgado’s block.
the Saxons’ game plan led to the outcome.
The game started with the Eagles opening
on their own 5-yard line. Senior quarterback
Matt Romero found running room for 14
yards. On the next play, junior running back
Arman Sayson found an opening after the
handoff and rambled 88 yards before being
dragged down inside the Saxon one-yard
line. Two running plays went nowhere and
Romero’s third and goal was incomplete.
The Eagles settled for a 25-yard field goal
that sailed wide.
Eagle head coach Steve Shevlin was frustrated
with the ending of the first series. “Not
scoring the first time we had the ball might
have been an omen on what was to come
and probably gave them some confidence,”
he said.
The Eagles got the ball back after the
defense held the Saxons to one first down
in nine plays. The result was great field
position for the Eagles at their own 43-yard
line. El Segundo went the distance in just six
plays to take a 7-0 lead. Sayson picked up
four yards and Romero found Nate Kehl
open for a nine-yard pickup. Sayson’s 11-
yard run set up a 30-yard touchdown to
Kehl, who outran the Saxon secondary into
the end zone.
Late in the first quarter, the Eagles had
another great drive going that extended into
the second quarter. Dylan Phillips caught
a pass for 26 yards and Sayson picked up
another 12 yards on two rushing plays. Scott
Melton gained 22 yards on a pass play and it
looked as if the Eagles were destined to find
the end zone when they drove to the Saxon
14-yard line. Romero’s pass, intended for
Phillips, was intercepted by Stephen Bradford
to halt the drive.
The defense continued to stop the Saxons
and next gave the Eagles great field position
near midfield. They had to settle for a long
field goal attempt that had the distance, but
hit off the right goal post and bounced wide.
The Saxons made an adjustment at quarterback
and went with an option-style offense.
The result was a 10-play, 80-yard drive
capped by a seven-yard touchdown run by
Bradford. Bradford’s touchdown run was set
up when Brayden Deocampo had a 27-yard
pass reception on fourth and 10. The Saxons
took advantage on the first play to get into
the end zone to tie the game 7-7.
The two teams went to the locker room at
halftime in very different moods. The Eagles
were kicking themselves for not being able
to score. The Saxons, on the other hand,
were pumping themselves up knowing they
had dodged a bullet by holding El Segundo’s
proficient offense to a mere seven points.
The start of the second half gave the Eagles
a boost when Alex Ron tipped a pass and
intercepted it on the first play from scrimmage.
He returned the ball to the North Torrance
12-yard line. When Romero was sacked for
a five-yard loss on third down, the Eagles
settled for a Jose Hurtado 30-yard field goal
and a 10-7 lead.
See Eagles, page 12
#15 Dylan Phillips and #44 David Madrid take down North’s Brayden Deocampo for a short gain.