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Published Apr 10, 2024 • 5 minute read
Abbey Wilson of St. John’s College smashes the shuttlecock during the Athletic Association of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk junior badminton championship at Assumption College on Wednesday. Staff
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North Park Collegiate’s Leslie McClelland and Lily Zehmer did a complete turnabout this badminton season.
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Competing at the Athletic Association of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk junior badminton championship at Assumption College on Wednesday, the Grade 9 pair captured the girls doubles championship.
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The title comes after the team didn’t do so well a year ago in their first attempt as partners.
“We played last year for a little bit because we went to the same elementary school,” Zehmer said.
“It did not go well,” McClelland quickly added.
“We decided to try it again this year and we dominated,” said Zehmer.
Prior to the AABHN championship, players competed in several competitions and during those games, the North Park team went undefeated.
What was the difference from last season to this one?
“We got better coaching,” McClelland said. “We do more drills instead of just playing games all the time.”
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At the AABHN tournament, Zehmer said things got a bit dicey before she and McClelland were able to claim the win.
“We played well,” she said of the team’s overall play. “We got a little stressed near the end but we still played well.”
The two now advance to the Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association championship on April 17 at Conestoga College in Kitchener.
“We want to win it all,” McClelland answered when asked their goal.
BOYS SINGLES
Max Barkovich got off to a bit of a rough start on Wednesday before rebounding to capture the boys singles title.
“The first (game Wednesday) I kind of choked a little bit but other than that I played well,” said the Grade 9 St. John’s College student.
“It felt pretty good to win.”
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After taking three sets to claim the first game of the day, Barkovich went undefeated on his way to the win. In the final, he faced a tough challenge from Assumption’s Gavin Bremner.
“It finished the exact same score,” Barkovich said of the scores in a previous match between the players in a pre-tournament game and the final.
“He’s been my toughest competition all year.”
Although he wasn’t sure how he’d make out at AABHN, Barkovich was confident he’d do well. Heading to CWOSSA next week in Kitchener, he expects stiff competition.
“I’m expecting to see more people like me and Gavin,” said Barkovich. “I want to try to win it.”
GIRLS SINGLES
For a while, it seemed like it was touch and go as to whether Ciena Jamieson could finish the day at the AABHN tournament.
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The Grade 9 student at North Park Collegiate was facing Paris District High School’s Sydney Kipp in the final. Since Jamieson was undefeated and Kipp had a loss, Jamieson would have to be beaten twice by Kipp.
Kipp beat Jamieson in their first game with Jamieson clearly overheated, evidenced by her need for a break mid-game.
“I should have conserved my energy more throughout the day so I didn’t get so tired,” said Jamieson, who would bounce back to win the second game to capture the girls singles championship.
Going into the AABHN tournament, Jamieson was confident.
“Honestly I thought I could win since I did really good this season and last year I did really good,” she said.
“I think I did really well. I’m pretty happy.”
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Jamieson now moves on to CWOSSA next week and she’s hoping for the best.
“I have no clue what to expect,” she said, “but I want to win it. I think I can.”
BOYS DOUBLES
It was back-to-back championships for Pierce Luscombe and Andrew Song.
After winning the AABHN boys doubles championship a year ago in Grade 9, the North Park pair came out on top again this season.
“I think after last year, we were dead set on playing together again,” Luscombe answered when asked if there was any chance they wouldn’t play together again this season.
Song said the team wasn’t as prepared as last season but it didn’t change their goal.
“We didn’t train as much as last year because of other circumstances but I think we still expected to do well,” he said.
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“We’ve got better as partners, with chemistry, but in terms of actual technique, I don’t think we’ve got better. We’ve stayed static.”
After winning AABHN last year, Luscombe and Song captured the CWOSSA championship. They will try to repeat that feat next week but realize it won’t be easy.
“Because it’s a new year everyone has a year of experience but I think we’re going to be much better than last year,” said Luscombe.
“We just have to keep our heads up, expect good competition and not get overconfident.”
MIXED DOUBLES
Hannah Ahlberg and Oliver Westerhof did something on Wednesday that no one else was able to accomplish.
Making it to the championship game with a loss, the North Park pair had to beat undefeated Austin VanSickle and Aliah Barna twice in the final – and that’s exactly what they did.
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“The first game that we played them (in the final) was a big confidence booster for the second one,” Westerhof said.
“It felt really good to win,” Ahlberg added.
It was a new partnership as Westerhof is in Grade 10 and Ahlberg is in Grade 9.
“The coach put us together,” said Westerhof.
“And she liked that we played well,” added Ahlberg.
Going into the AABHN tournament, the team had set the goal of making CWOSSA. They will now play in that event next week and are looking forward to the challenge.
“Hopefully we place well,” Westerhof said.
“Hopefully we win,” Ahlberg said almost before Westerhof finished. “And have fun.”
North Park ran away with the team championship, scoring 40 points. They were followed by SJC (17), PDHS (14), ACS and PJC (12 each) and Brantford Collegiate Institute (5).
The following are the second-place finishers from Wednesday, who also advance to CWOSSA next week.
Gavin Bremner, ACS, boys singles; Sydney Kipp, PDHS, girls singles; Leo Kolesar and Micah Brongno, PDHS, boys doubles; Frances Vollett and Abbey Wilson, SJC, girls doubles; Austin VanSickle and Aliah Barna, mixed doubles.
The AABHN senior badminton championship takes place on Thursday at SJC.
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2024-04-10 23:08:47
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