Fremd stays in hunt

A deep run by both of Fremd's singles players has the Vikings in the team championship hunt in the girls badminton state tournament at Eastern Illinois University's Lantz Gym in Charleston.

Fremd's Erica Lee and Jenna Langhorst both survived three rounds of championship bracket singles play Friday to give the defending champion Vikings 7½ points, which leaves them tied with three teams for fourth place. Three teams are tied for first at 9 points.

Second-seeded Langhorst cruised past Sherry Lin of Downers Grove South 21-10, 21-17 in the third round and will face Alexis Ward of Hinsdale Central in today's quarterfinals.

"Jenna stuck it out like she always does," said Fremd coach Bob Hanson. "She's a gamer. There's no doubt about it."

Lee's third-round singles match was a 21-18, 18-21, 21-12 decision against Alanna Burnett of Oak Park. Today, Lee plays in the quarterfinals against senior Karishma Kollipara of Hinsdale Central, who is shooting to tie the state record of three titles.

"With Erica this was a big test for a sophomore to be seeded that high (5-8)," Hanson said. "I'm sure there was a lot of pressure on her and she came through.

"It's going to be tough (against Kollipara) but I said, 'You've got nothing to lose, go for it.' I'm excited for her to be in that situation."

Wheeling's Ashley Lepcin lost her third-round decision to Ward 22-20, 21-15.

In doubles, four area tandems advanced through the third round of championship play: Palatine's Katie Van Grondelle and Nikki Patel, Buffalo Grove's Heather and Ashton Nisbet and Stevenson's Katie Lange and Ashley Gorson, as well as the Patriots team of Samantha Wei and Kerry Sullivan.