EL SEGUNDO HERALD December 30, 2021 Page 3
What a Year 2021 Was in El Segundo Sports
By Gregg McMullin
We’ll remember many things when we look
back at what happened to the reopening of
sports at the high school level in 2021. We’ll
reflect upon typical seasonal sports teams
playing out of their element. We’ll ask why
multi-sport athletes were forced to select playing
one sport. Schedules were modified, and
section championships were canceled for some
sports and played for others. You can blame
the pandemic for altering sports that wreaked
havoc on our young athletes. Through it all,
an entire 2020-21 high school sports calendar,
which usually takes nine months, was essentially
played in five months.
The CIF came up with a solution to get the
athletes back playing their sport. The calendar
would be split into two seasons. Season
One started on January 25 and ran through
April. The sports involved were cross country,
football, and Water Polo. Unfortunately, the
girls’ volleyball season was canceled due to
restrictions. Season
Two was much more complex and involved
baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball,
swimming, tennis, track and field, and boys’
volleyball. Season Two would start in March
and end in early June. Because the restrictions
were more relaxed, team schedules were moderately
expanded, and schools could compete
for league and Section titles.
According to El Segundo high school Athletic
Director Steve Shevlin, it would be a logistics
nightmare. “We were adhering to the strict
guidelines for Covid participation. With so
many teams and sports playing at the same
time, it became a challenge. It also meant
some players would only be able to play one
sport since many of the sports these athletes
play overlap each other,” he said.
Cross Country Teams led
Comeback of Sports
Under normal circumstances, the cross country
season would have started in September 2020,
with the state meet culminating in late November.
It was pushed back to this past February
with meets held on Saturday mornings. The
Eagles traveled to perennial league favorite
for a meet that kicked off the first sporting
event in the South Bay. With careful planning
by both schools to ensure the athletes were
safe and following strict protocols, the cross
country meet went on without any problems
or issues. There was no league final or CIF
championship meet. See Sports, page 8
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NEW EAR’S RESOLUTION
Less whine, more shine
Water Polo Teams Finish their
Seasons on Winning Note
A full water polo season usually takes three
months to complete. But the Eagles completed
their 11 game season in less than two weeks.
The boy’s team, which featured six seniors
including Jaden Van DerWoude, Brian Schodorf,
Mason Jaeger, Ryan Calvinlim, Ethan Kelch,
and Ryan Whalen, finished their season 7-4.
No playoffs or league championships were
played or declared.
The girl’s water polo team closed out their season
with an impressive 8-3 record with their 16-9
win over Santa Monica. Prior to the game, the
four seniors on the team were honored, including
Eden Walsh, Victoria Rodriguez, Genevieve
Fernandez, and four-year starter and the University
of Hawaii committed Christina Mullane. No
league championship or playoffs were offered.
Football Team
Finished Season Early
With a new head coach, Shawn Green, taking
over the program, the challenges he met
were understandable. Coach Green was dealt
a roster void of many football players opting
to play other sports. It was an inexperienced
team that had few returning starters and ultimately
an injury-plagued roster that forced the
cancelation of their final game.
Initially, it was to be a five-game season
playing a full Pioneer League schedule. The
Eagle’s injury list swelled from an already
thin roster as each week passed. When the last
game on the schedule arrived and El Segundo
was to face a fully staffed Lawndale team, the
decision to cancel the game was discussed and
agreed upon. “We were down to a fourth-string
quarterback, a third-string running back and a
crippled-up line,” said Coach Green.
Season Two Starts
with Easing of Restrictions
The girls’ soccer team won a CIF Southern
Section title, the boys’ basketball team won a
Pioneer League title, the girl’s lacrosse team
won the program’s first league title. Several
Eagles advanced to the 2021 Ford CIF Southern
Section Swimming Championships, and in a
rarity, the baseball and softball teams failed
to advance to the playoffs.
Lady Eagles Shock the Soccer
World with CIF Championship
El Segundo’s road to the CIF finals started
with a third-place finish in the Pioneer League
and ended as the Cinderella team was invited
The Eagles celebrate their 2-1 win over San Dimas to win their first CIF Southern Section Championship.