Fremd, BG finish 2-3 at invitational

Fremd's badminton team set three goals before the season got underway:

1. Repeat as Mid-Suburban League champion.

2. Win its seventh sectional title in a row.

3. Qualify again for the state meet where the Vikings hope to repeat as champions.

But there are other goals.

With a number of newcomers up and down their roster, the Vikings look forward to invitationals and quad meets for other reasons.

"Every time you step on the court, you have a chance to win," said Vikings' coach Bob Hanson, whose team placed second with 27 points at the Schaumburg Saxon Invitational, 9 behind tournament champion Hinsdale South. "We take each invitational as a learning process."

Right behind Fremd was Buffalo Grove with 24 points.

Femd's Jenna Langhorst finished second, her only loss coming to Hinsdale's Kirsten Jason. And Langhorst completed that feat after feeling ill all week.

"I kind of felt sick over break," said Langhorst, who before Saturday had won two individual titles and one quad title. "I was just being real competitive, I guess. I just tried to play through it."

Langhorst's toughest match?

"Hinsdale South was really tough," she said. "I did manage to split. She was really strong and she was a lot bigger than me so she had a really good smash. I tried to drop her. That worked well. I figured it out in the third game."

Leading the way for the Bison were their doubles teams.

At first doubles, Katie Meyers and Nicole Wodka placed second. Things were even better at second and third doubles, which BG won.

"I really have five incredible doubles teams," said BG coach Chris Van Grondelle. "Only three get to play (in invitationals). In practice they're always beating each other up.

"We're still coming on singles-wise. I was really happy with Jessie Garrity (at second singles). She won a couple of matches today and won some at our place."