Striding toward state tourney?

Taking one more step this postseason would be a huge leap for junior Kim Martini and senior Kristin O'Brien.

The Rolling Meadows badminton players made it to last season's sectional tournament qualifying round. They ended up one win short of a trip to the state tourney in Charleston.

That makes for a pretty simple goal this time as they head into this weekend's Mid-Suburban League tournament at Buffalo Grove.

"I had really hoped to go last year but I knew there was always next year," said O'Brien, who also plays doubles with Martini. "This is my last chance.

"I've gone to state (with a Meadows' doubles team) to help them warm up and get a feel for it, but this year I really want to qualify so I can play."

Martini has qualified for state in tennis and went 2-2 in doubles with Mary Clare Loughery. She hopes that experience could make a difference in next week's badminton sectionals.

"I definitely think being through competitive matches like that helps," Martini said. "Badminton is a lot quicker and can get out of hand a lot quicker. But the competitiveness will definitely help me."

That drive has 18th-year Meadows coach Ken Mills expecting to be riding with Martini and O'Brien to Charleston this year.

"Kim and Kristin are fierce competitors," Mills said of his top two singles players. "When you first meet them they're real sweet and nice but when you see them on the court their countenance changes.

"Kim and Kristin willl lap the other girls two to three times at practice. I'll say jog and they'll run."

It was the same type of determination they showed after last season ended.

Martini, who won the Meadows Invitational a few weeks ago, realized she needed to get stronger and it has made a big difference in losing only a handful of times all season.

"Last year she was pounded back in the corner and couldn't get out," Mills said of Martini's last sectional match. "Now if you put her in a corner she'll stick you in the corner.

"She can smash almost as hard as anyone."

O'Brien is more of a finesse player who has made significant strides the second half of the season.

"This year I've worked more on perfecting shots and getting them to the exact spots," O'Brien said.

"Kristin is good at hiding shots," Mills said. "Her strength is you think she'll hit it one way and go the other way."

Getting into badminton was a much different route than O'Brien took before high school. She said she was more artsy and wasn't involved much in athletics but decided to come out as a freshman with one of her best friends.

"I like the competitiveness of it," said O'Brien, who is going to Wisconsin and wants to become a genetic counselor at a hospital. "I really enjoy the sport and it's something new besides soccer or volleyball."

Martini did play tennis, softball and soccer growing up but the latter two are in the spring with badminton. Her mom, Carol Wenzel, was a two-time state doubles champion in 1980-81 as part of Arlington's five-year state title run.

"She didn't want to pressure me to play at all," Martini said. "She left it up to me and I really liked it."

Now Martini and O'Brien hope to enjoy that elusive trip to Charleston in two weeks.