Sommers, Jambrone add to Buffalo Grove's special season
Stephanie Venturelli and Jessica Hirsh of Prospect and Buffalo Grove's Katelyn Sommers and Julie Jambrone are getting to know each other very well on the badminton court.
Last season the doubles teams met in the state tournament semifinals, where Jambrone/Sommers prevailed in 3 tough games.
Friday night at the Mid-Suburban League championship meet in Elk Grove, it was déjà vu all over again.
Sommers and Jambrone defeated Hirsh/Venturelli 22-20, 18-21, 22-20 to win the MSL No. 1 doubles crown.
It was the second consecutive MSL title for Sommers and Jambrone, who are now seniors, and the evening turned into a clean sweep for BG, which claimed all 5 doubles flights.
The singles titles and the overall team title will be decided Saturday at Elk Grove.
"It could have gone either way," said Jambrone of the ultra-close championship match. "They (Hirsh/Venturelli) are a great team."
The Buffalo Grove duo took second place at state last season, while the Knights twosome finished 3rd.
"It seems so surreal," added Sommers of claiming two consecutive conference doubles crowns. "Today's match was close as usual, but it just leaned in our favor. Now we have to come right back tomorrow morning (for singles) - and I hate playing without my teammate (Jambrone)."
"She gets in my head when I get excited and makes me calm down."
Fremd's Suzi Choi and Stephanie MBI won third place at No. 1.
"This was good but not great," said Choi, a senior, while MBI added that "we were looking to win the championship."
Now both Choi and MBI (a junior) also have to rebound after a late night of doubles play to compete in singles today.
In addition, both players have to contend with other weekend commitments, Choi with a busy work schedule while MBI will be studying for AP testing that comes up the first three days of next week.
The two Vikings, who didn't start the season as a doubles team, came on strong late and their accomplishments included a victory at the West Aurora tournament this season.
"It'll be tough," said Choi of the singles meet today. "We'll take it today (the 3rd place finish), but our goal was to win."
"I can't say enough about everything they've accomplished," added Fremd coach Bob Hanson of MBI and Choi. "Their play has been spectacular and I'm looking forward to more great things downstate."
BG's Jessie Schwartz and Kristen McClellan won out at No. 3 doubles, teammates Allison MacDonald and Katie Jarosz triumphed at No. 4, while the Bison team of Kelly Peterson and Kristin McRaith took the title at No. 5.
Tori Appelt and Stephanie Mayer of BG closed out the evening's proceedings with a come from behind victory at No. 2.
"We're so excited for this," said Mayer. "We've been working very hard."
"It's an incredible feeling."