U-46 well-represented in state badminton finals

The Larkin badminton team's regular-season was, well, regular.

The Royals finished 5-8 overall and took seventh in the Upstate Eight Conference. However, when it mattered the most at the sectional level, Larkin was anything but regular, qualifying 4 players for today's IHSA state badminton finals at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

In addition to Larkin's quartet, South Elgin senior Lauren Mehr qualified in the singles division and the Bartlett doubles duo of seniors Annoja Rengnekar and Jenna Bujarski will also make the trip to EIU.

Larkin coach Brian Pryzbylski believes this is the first time in school history that the team has qualified 4 players.

Seniors Emily Sothikhoun and Natta Senesombath will compete in the singles division, while the tandem of senior Bonnie Bielarz and junior Marybeth Flores will play in the state doubles tournament.

Sothikhoun and Senesombath have been no strangers to success this season. Sothikhoun, who took second at the sectional level, won the UEC No. 1 singles championship. She'll bring a 22-6 mark into today's competition.

"We've accomplished a lot and have worked hard for everything," said Sothikhoun, who said her strength and placement of the birdie have improved this season. "Everything we worked for paid off."

Senesombath won the UEC No. 2 singles championship and sports a 23-6 record. Like Sothikhoun, Senesombath started playing badminton as a freshman. She took her sophomore year off before returning the last 2 seasons.

"I wanted to try something new," said Senesombath. "Everybody said it was fun to play, so I tried it."

And now both Larkin singles players would like to continue their success on the grandest stage.

"I worked really hard to go somewhere and get far," said Senesombath. "My goal is to make it as far as I can."

"I'm going to play as hard as I can," said Sothikhoun. "It's my senior year. I'm going to play every game like it will be my last."

Flores says her and Bielarz are, "definitely two peas in a pod."

"We have a sense of humor out there," said Flores. "We can laugh things off and we work really hard together. We click. We do really well. I'm goofy and she's serious and that works to our advantage."

Bielarz, who won a UEC No. 10 singles title as a sophomore, and Flores will bring a 19-4 mark into doubles play.

"We communicate well together. We work well together," said Bielarz, who in previous seasons had played doubles with Sothikhoun. "We always talk to each other about how we can fix things."

Bielarz says the team's strategy is simple.

"We want to do our best and get as far as we can," said Bielarz. "We can't focus too much. If we do that we'll end up losing. We're going down there to do our best and whatever happens, happens."

"I want us to have fun," said Flores.

South Elgin's Mehr is making her second straight state finals appearance.

"It's amazing that I'm going down again," said Mehr, who sports a 21-6 record, but has some forfeit losses attached to that mark due to a hamstring injury she suffered at the conference meet.

Mehr said her strategy on the court has improved over the last year.

"My biggest improvement has been the placement of my shots," said Mehr. "I'm also playing a faster-paced game than I did last year."

Getting a taste of the state meet last season as a junior made Mehr hungry to get back.

"Last year was really beneficial," said Mehr. "It's something that's been a goal. It gave me something to shoot for."

Mehr would like to get into the win column this year in Charleston.

"Last year I didn't win," said Mehr. "This year, my goal is to win a match and get as far as I can."

Rengnekar and Bujarski are Bartlett's first-ever badminton state qualifiers. The duo started 1-6 this season and has since gone 4-4 in the team's last 8 contests.

"They've played well all season," said Bartlett coach Eric Ilich. "It just took them awhile to put a full game together. They've improved."

Bujarksi has seen the team take off in a number of different areas.

"Our communication and knowing where each other is on the court helps us," said Bujarski. "Our hitting has gotten better and our placement is better. We've got all-around teamwork."

"We've really worked on our communication," said Rengnekar. "We're in sync with each other. We know where each other is moving on the court."

Making it to the state meet has significant meaning to both players.

"It means the world. It's so exciting," said Bujarski. "When we found out we made it, I almost started crying."

"Being the first Bartlett badminton team to go to state is amazing," said Rengnekar. "We want to win some matches and show everybody that Bartlett is good."

Senesombath drew 9-12 seed Alanna Burnett (Oak Park-River Forest) in the first round, while Mehr drew Naperville Central's Michelle Wang, a 13-16 seed.

Sothikhoun faces Oak Lawn senior Susie Zwikoski in the first round.

Bielarz and Flores will face the Oak Lawn team of Sarah Grisko and Megan Sullivan -- a 13-16 seed.

Bartlett's Rengnekar and Bujarski drew the Lincoln-Way Central team of Samanta Chevalier and Nikki Pelletier -- also 13-16 seed.