Badminton: Sandburg soars to sectional title

Updated: May 3, 2012 9:27PM

Playing a huge role on Sandburg’s 2011 state championship in badminton, Rachel Allen had a long list of things she wanted to accomplish this season in her senior year.

The senior doubles player checked another goal off the list Thursday, teaming with partner Sarah Crowley to finish first in the doubles field at the Sandburg complex of the Hinsdale South sectional.

“I’m just happy beyond belief,” Allen said. “That was really my goal today to not only qualify, but I really wanted to get to state with a win (at sectional). It’s great to have this experience in my senior year’s sectional.”

The doubles championship played a key role in helping lift Sandburg to the sectional title with the Eagles scoring 14.5 points to Hinsdale Central’s 12.5 points in second place.

The top four finishers in both singles and doubles advanced to the state tournament next week at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

The tournament runs over two days, Friday May 11 and Saturday May 12.

Allen and Crowley defeated Hinsdale Central’s Claire Foster and Taylor Proudfoot 21-17, 21-16 to win in the doubles championship.

“We really did a good job just finding the holes and moving the bird,” Allen said. “That’s really been our strength as long as we stay consistent with it. We did have a rough start to the day, but we progressed, grew and attacked more.”

In the singles championship, Sandburg’s Kara Kentner defeated Homewood-Flossmoor’s Cory Galen 21-6, 21-11 to take the sectional title for the Eagles.

Hinsdale Central teammates Brian Gartlen and Ailynna Chen went head to head in the third-place singles match, Gartlen coming out on top with a 21-19, 21-11 win.

Having already clinched a spot at next week’s state tournament, Sandburg’s doubles team of Alyssa Murray and Rebecca Cuculich won 15-21, 21-16, 21-16 over Oak Forest’s Kathy Flanagan and Janine Adams.

Rounding out the team standings were Homewood-Flossmoor (3rd, 8 points), Oak Forest (4th, 7), Morton (5th, 1.5) and T.F. North (6th, 1).

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