Page 4 September 23, 2021 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Liberty holds a baby squirrel in the palm of her hand. Ashley Liberty smiles with one of her squirrel rescues.
Love Thy Neighbor
Dear El Segundoans,
We love the profiles we’ve done, and we’ve learned so
much about El Segundo’s residents. We want to do more,
so please keep the suggestions coming. With over 16,000
residents, we’re sure there are some gems we may have
overlooked or not been aware of them. Do you have a
unique and interesting friend, neighbor, co-worker, colleague
or student? All you have to do is ask their permission and
send us their contact information. Of
course, if you find yourself fascinating,
you are welcome to send us your
information too.
– Best to you all. HM.
Send your suggestions in
to letters@heraldpublications.com
Please have your nominee’s approval before you submit them as a nominee.
Eagles from page 3
in the two-point conversion for a 20-14 El
Segundo lead.
Hawthorne’s ensuing possession didn’t last
long when Brett Abitante intercepted Jonathon
Aguilar’s pass on the third play and returned
it to the Cougar’s 5-yard line. Bucher rushed
it in from the first play and then backed into
the end zone for a two-point conversion and
a 28-14 lead. Hawthorne responded with their
next possession with a 77-yard drive. It was
highlighted by a 45-yard catch and run by
Zameree Medina. Aguilar finished off the
drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown
with time running out in the third quarter
to make it 28-20.
With the game still in doubt, Dylan Bucher
shouldered the offense with five rushes for
52 yards on El Segundo’s first possession
of the fourth quarter. With 8:09 remaining,
Mason Kahn blasted his way into the end
zone providing a 34-20 lead. The Eagles got
the ball back on Hawthorne’s 40-yard line,
and three plays later, Bucher rambled for
a 25-yard touchdown run. On the ensuing
Hawthorne possession, Kyle DeChristopher
scooped up a fumble and ran it back 40
yards for a touchdown and a 48-20 lead.
Zack Ekstrom’s interception gave the Eagles
their fourth interception and sealed the win
for the Eagles.
The Eagles (4-0) will travel to San Pedro
Friday at 3 p.m. to face Mary Star (3-1) at
Mary Star high school. The Eagles will have
their hands full against the Stars, who average
over 300 yards and 30 points per game.
Frosh/Soph Team
Improves to 4-0
The Eagles’ slow start led to a scoreless first
half. In the second half, the offense came to
life while the defense shut down Hawthorne
in El Segundo’s 22-0 win over the Cougars.
In the second half, El Segundo’s defense
came up big early in the third quarter. Caleb
Smith blitzed from his linebacker position
and forced a fumble that he recovered near
the Cougar’s 3-yard line. That set up Dylan
Alcala’s touchdown pass to Hudson Comer.
On the Eagle’s next possession, Alcala would
find Comer open on a 50-yard pass play.
Comer shed two would-be tackles on his way
to the end zone. In the fourth quarter, Reed
Abrams’ interception return for a touchdown
ensured the win for the undefeated Eagles.
Besides the interceptions by Abrams and one
by Heredia, Caleb Smith led the defense with
10 tackles, a forced fumble, and a fumble
recovery. Jake Kroskrity was perfect on two
PATs, while Elijah Coles converted on a
two-point conversion.
The Eagles host Mary Star today at 3 p.m.
Girls’ Tennis Team
Looking Strong
Shaking off a disappointing season-opening
loss to South Torrance, the Eagles have rebounded
strongly. They defeated Torrance 10-7
and backed that up with a 12-6 victory over
West Torrance. Against Torrance, the Eagles
were led by currently undefeated freshman
phenom Grace Bloom. There was also a
strong performance by freshman Hannah A.
Smith in singles. The doubles teams of Sam
Robert and Kate Belson, as well as Audrey
CdeBaca and Maitri Kulkarni contributed
additional wins to help secure the victory
against the Tartars.
Against West Torrance, Grace Bloom came
up big, winning all three of her matches. She
was matched by the doubles team of Sam
Robert and Mina Kreski, who also contributed
three wins. Additional points were added
in singles by Katrina Smith and Hannah A.
Smith. In doubles, Audrey CdeBaca and Nora
Green and the team of Maitri Kulkarni &
Camille Potier won their matches. The girls’
tennis team season lasts through October
25th, and have home matches at El Segundo
Rec Park each Tuesday starting at 2:30 p.m.
Come on out and support these remarkable
young women.
Smith Leads Eagles
to Volleyball Wins
The ninth-ranked Eagles improved their
record to 7-1 with a 25-18, 25-5, 25-8 victory
over North Torrance. The Saxons had no
answer for Marley Smith, whose thunderous
kills continued to give her team point after
point. The Saxons also had their challenges
with returning serves, and the Eagles benefitted
from 10 aces in the second game as well
as another eight in game three.
The Eagles fell to third-ranked Torrance
14-25, 16, 25, 19-25 in a Pioneer League
match that dropped El Segundo’s record to
7-2 overall and 2-2 in league play.
Girls’ Cross Country Wins
Woodbridge Classic
The girls’ cross country made a statement
at the prestigious Woodbridge Cross Country
Classic in Norco. The Eagles defeated a field
of 18 teams who figure to be some of Southern
California’s top teams. Ami Jacobson paced
the Eagles, finishing fourth while teammate
Tyler Matlosz was fifth. Iliana Montenegro,
Yuvia Bemauer, Erin Rifkin, Katy Durand,
and Sung-Hee Gales rounded out the Eagles’
winning effort.
The boys’ team ran a strong race led by
Lucas Romero, Nasai Rivas, and Luke Harrell,
who each ran personal best times.
Boys’ Water Polo Falls
to Bay League Foes
After starting the season with wins over
Glendale and Peninsula, the Eagles dropped
consecutive games to Bay League stalwarts
Palos Verdes and Redondo. Trailing
Redondo 9-4 in the third period, Max Hale’s
back-to-back goals pulled his team closer.
The three-goal deficit would be as close as
the Eagles would get before falling to the
Sea Hawks. •
Freshman sensation Grace Bloom helped lead the Eagles to victories over Torrance and West Torrance.
El Segundo Local
Rescues Squirrels
By Kiersten Vannest
In every park across the city of El Segundo,
residents can enjoy sunny picnics, social
gatherings, and the occasional greeting from
our bushy-tailed neighbors. Squirrels run wild
throughout the city, along with raccoons,
opossums, skunks, and more. One resident
has taken it upon herself to look out for the
rodents’ wellbeing.
Ashley Liberty, whose time in El Segundo
began in 2008, has come to be the city’s
most prominent squirrel rescuer.
Every so often, a squirrel may misstep and
fall out of a tree, or be attacked by crows, or
have the misfortune of being in the road at
the wrong time. When this happens, Liberty
is first in line to help out.
“I have a lot of pets, and people know,
I really, really like animals,” she says. So
when a friend’s cat brought home a baby
squirrel in 2018, Liberty got the call. She
picked up the baby squirrel in a cardboard
box, wrapped in a towel, too young to even
open its eyes. Never having raised a squirrel
before, she set to work to make sure her
next moves were as best for the animal as
they could be.
Without time to drive to Van Nuys, where
the next nearest squirrel rescuer is located, or
Long Beach, where injured squirrels go for
rehabilitation, she took to online communities
and forums for information from states where
squirrel ownership is legal and common. She
decided she would raise the baby herself for
eventual release back into the wild.
“It’s illegal to have squirrels as pets in
California,” she explains, going on to say
local police know of her rescues and have
agreed to let her continue because she does
release them when they’re ready.
Thinking the squirrel was a boy, her two
See Ashley Liberty, page 6
A local squirrel enjoys some Easter eggs in Liberty’s home.