BG's Nisbet sisters aim for first doubles title repeat

Ashton and Heather Nisbet are aiming to make state history in this weekend's 34th annual IHSA badminton tournament in Charleston.

The twin sisters and Buffalo Grove seniors also know they'll be even bigger targets as they try to become the first doubles duo to repeat as state champions on Saturday at Eastern Illinois University.

"I'm sure everyone wants to be that team that would love to make the ultimate upset," Heather Nisbet said. "We're going to try our best to make sure that doesn't happen.

"There is a little more (pressure) this year because we actually won the state title last year. I feel like it's expected of us this year but there are some fantastic teams out there."

The Nisbets made a surprising run to finish second as sophomores before winning the title last year. The same doubles team has never repeated as state champions.

Arlington's Carol Wenzel won in 1980 and 1981 with Dona Weber and Amy Rasmussen. Palatine's Anne Mekel won in 1991 and 1992 with Sue Brodnan and Jeanne Smith.

The Nisbets are 29-2 and have been tested not only by rugged Mid-Suburban League competition but on a daily basis by qualifying teammates Michelle Byjos and Nell Boyd.

The top challengers to the Nisbets include Byjos and Boyd, good friends Katie and Maggie Van Grondelle of Palatine (sixth last year), seniors Eunice Kim and Hannah Doren (fifth last year) of team title contender New Trier and Glenbard West's Abbey White and Olivia Schwartz.

"We have a big target on us again and we'll use that to our advantage," Ashton said. "People are out to get us and we want to stay on top of our game.

"We'll do our best and make sure we have fun as always. We're not going to take it lightly and we're not going to assume we're going to win. We're ready for it and we're ready to play."

Then the Nisbets will be ready to head toward their next chapter as tennis players at Illinois State.

"It's gone by so fast," Heather said. "It's hard to believe it's our last sectional and state run. It's been a blast."

BG coach Chris Van Grondelle will second those emotions.

"They're certainly the best we've ever had at Buffalo Grove and probably the best (duo) in state history," Van Grondelle said, "and they're going to get the opportunity to prove that coming up."

Also wearing the target: New Trier is among the teams that won't make it easy on Fremd in its quest for a repeat state title and third in four years under coach Bob Hanson.

"This year our doubles teams know what kind of game happens down at Eastern," said Fremd senior Erica Lee, who was third at singles last year. "We need to set our sights on the next goal. Every single girl played so well. I'm so proud of them."

The doubles teams of Alice Liu and Annie Huang and Jackie Tiangco and Claire Lee also helped Fremd win the big team prize last year. Senior Carolyn Buesing joins the crew this year in singles.

Lee will try to make Fremd only the second school to have different players win singles titles in successive years along with Jenna Langhorst, who just finished her freshman year playing tennis at Iowa State. York's Ann and Linda French won the first three singles titles (1977-79).

"Erica got a lot of confidence back in her game," Hanson said of her sectional title after taking second at No. 1 in the MSL to Heather Nisbet. "It's hard to be the one with the bull's eye on your back all year.

"There was a lot of pressure on her this year but she's come back and handled it."

New Trier's Courtney Lai and Allison Doren, Naperville Central's Michelle Wang, Naperville North's Melissa Chang, Downers Grove North's Addie Danchisin and Andrew's Princess Clemente are among the top singles contenders from outside the MSL.

"Last year playing under Jenna, coming down there (to state) I was still a little surprised," said Lee, a four-time qualifier. "I thought, 'Wow, these people are really good.'

"I have a target on my back but I'm ready for it. It's my last year so I have to make it memorable and something to be proud of."

Palatine's 'Killer V's': There will be a couple of big differences for Palatine senior Katie Van Grondelle and her sophomore sister Maggie at state this year.

"I think we've improved over last year," Katie said of last year's sixth-place duo. "It's nice playing with the same person the last two years."

Maggie doesn't feel she's in unfamiliar territory this year.

"It feels a little bit different knowing what to expect," she said. "I knew what was going on before but I had never played. I'm a little more comfortable with it but there will still be a little nerves for it."

Palatine senior Lora Weiss is also making a return state trip in doubles with a new partner in senior Beth Gleason.

BG's 'Killer B's': Juniors Michelle Byjos and Nell Boyd have done their best to help prepare Buffalo Grove seniors Ashton and Heather Nisbet in their drive for a repeat doubles title.

But Boyd and Byjos have lost only twice and are hoping to make some noise at state as well. Byjos is making a return trip after playing last year with Kate Meyers.

Byjos said it was a quick adjustment this year even though Boyd hadn't played badminton.

"As we started practicing against Heather and Ashton we got accustomed to how to rotate," Byjos said of playing with Boyd, a tennis standout. "She developed everything so quickly. She's an amazing partner.

"I've trusted her with everything, with my whole heart. She's one I can depend on."

Following in Wildcat footsteps: Wheeling senior Shannen Chechang has a clear goal in sight in her return to state.

"I hope to continue the medaling," Chechang said following Ashley Lepcin (fifth in 2008) and Karolina Sabaliauska (sixth last year) as Wheeling's first medalists.

Chechang, who lost a tough two-set sectional title match to Fremd's Erica Lee, hopes better shot placement leads to better results this time.

Chechang went 3-2 last year and lost to Sabaliauska in a fourth-round consolation match.

"I've improved a lot compared to last year," Chechang said. "I faced good competition and there will be a lot of people at state from the MSL. That's good to play before state."

A tough road for Hertrich: This wasn't an easy year for Prospect junior Jackie Hertrich to move up to No. 1 singles in the MSL.

Hertrich lost her two matches in the MSL tournament. But the season filled with tests paid off as she took second at the BG sectional and will make her first state trip.

"It was really tough and I felt kind of out of place at first," Hertrich said. "At conference it was really rough. It was kind of intimidating at first.

"That makes me feel better about going to state."

Looking for a big return: Rolling Meadows senior Kim Martini and Conant senior Selina Imamura advanced to Saturday's final day of competition but fell short of medaling a year ago.

Now the sectional champions hope to come home with some hardware their schools haven't seen since the mid-1980s.

Martini is trying to become Meadows' first medalist since Nancy Killian and Alison Young were second in doubles in 1986. Imamura is trying to join Kristy Swain, who ended a three-year medal run with a 1985 singles title, as Conant's only medalists.

Also making a return state trips in singles are seniors Deanna Guyton of BG and Maggie Liskowicz of Leyden.

Senior achievement: The senior doubles teams of Hersey's Rossy Iovtcheva and Kasia Dubiel and Conant's Tiffany Tatsumi and Stephanie Laurencell are making their first state trips. Prospect senior Karly Grouwinkel and sophomore Shea Gallus also qualified for the first time in doubles and Conant senior Ayaka Yoshinari and BG senior Ulana Kuryluk are first-time singles qualifiers.

Hoping it's a beginning: Hoffman Estates hopes to start a streak in a different direction as its state doubles qualifiers of Amruta Bhatt-Maiko Matsubara are juniors and Auni Bavishi-Meran Liu are sophomores. They are the school's first qualifiers since 2001.

Schaumburg junior Sara Partington, Wheeling junior Hannah Park and Leyden sophomore Adrianna Sanchez are also first-time qualifiers.

High-five for Grenadiers: Elk Grove just missed the maximum of six state qualifiers with Catherine Yuh in singles and its doubles teams of Sarah Moskal-Khushbu Patel and Sejal and Shreya Patel. The Grenadiers didn't have a state qualifier last year.