Buffalo Grove state runner-up

Ashton and Heather Nisbet didn't make state history but gladly did their part for Buffalo Grove at Saturday's 34th annual state badminton tournament at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

The Nisbets lost in their bid to become the state's first repeat doubles champions in a 21-23, 21-16, 21-19 defeat to New Trier's Hannah Doren and Eunice Kim.

But the Nisbets, the fourth-place doubles team of Michelle Byjos and Nell Boyd and Friday's 11/2 singles points by seniors Deanna Guyton and Ulana Kuryluk gave BG a second-place finish and its first state badminton trophy with 121/2 points.

"It's awesome - incredible," said BG coach Chris Van Grondelle.

"Everyone worked so hard," said Heather Nisbet, "and the fact we took second in the state to probably one of the best teams in IHSA history, I wouldn't trade it for the world."

New Trier increased its state record for badminton titles to eight with 251/2 points as Alison Doren beat teammate Courtney Lai 21-18, 22-20 for the singles state title.

Erica Lee finished fifth in singles as defending state champion Fremd claimed its third trophy in four years by tying Downers Grove North for third place with 12 points.

The Mid-Suburban League hardware haul included a fourth-place singles finish by Rolling Meadows senior Kim Martini and a fifth-place doubles finish by Palatine's Katie and Maggie Van Grondelle.

BG finished fifth in 2006 and 2009 but trophy possibilities became more realistic when Byjos and Boyd made it to Saturday's championship round.

"I'm so proud of them to make it as far as they did," Ashton Nisbet said. "That definitely got us excited and because we were so close, it drove us to play hard. It was a great ending."

The Nisbets, who are going to Illinois State to play tennis, beat New Trier's Mari Georgiadis and Dora Saclarides in a three-set semifinal before falling to Doren and Kim.

"They brought it to us," Ashton said. "They played very smart and they're a great team."

The Nisbets became the first doubles team to play for three straight state titles after finishing second as sophomores.

"It's been a fantastic year," Heather said. "I couldn't ask for a better team and it's just been a lot of fun. The ending was perfect for us."

Boyd and Byjos will now be in the position the Nisbets were as one of the tandems to beat next year. They won a three-set quarterfinal before losing 21-12, 27-25 to Doren and Kim in the semis and in three sets for third.

"I'm so happy," said Byjos, who made it to state last year. "I can't explain how good Nell played for her first year. Heather, Ashton and I kept begging her to come out for badminton."

Boyd is glad they did.

"The state tournament is the best we've ever played all season," Boyd said. "We worked together so well. To get second place, everyone was involved. We all worked so hard and it paid off."

Erica Lee, who finished third last year, lost a three-set quarterfinal to Downers North's Addie Danchisin. She beat Conant's Selina Imamura in a three-set consolation quarterfinal and came back from losing the first set of her fifth-place match to beat Andrew's Princess Clemente.

"It fell to our captain that very last match and she pulled through for us," said Fremd coach Bob Hanson of Lee, who was part of two state title teams. "It was a bittersweet ending for her and it wasn't where she wanted to end up (individually), but she knew how important it was to win for the team."

Lee, senior singles player Carolyn Buesing and the doubles teams of Alice Liu-Annie Huang and Claire Lee-Jackie Tiangco provided the trophy points Fremd needed.

"I knew it wasn't for myself but for the team," said Erica Lee, who is going to Indiana to study elementary education. "Losing that (quarterfinal) was extremely disappointing but despite whatever feelings, I was feeling, for the team I needed to pull through.

"Hanson kept saying, 'team captain, team captain.' "

Martini, whose mom Carol (Wenzel) won two doubles titles at Arlington (1980-81), became Meadows' first medalist since 1986.

"I'm so excited," said Martini, who made it to Saturday's final round last year. "At the beginning of the season, if somebody had told me I'd get fourth in the state I never would have believed it.

"My coach (Ken Mills) told me all the time I could believe that and he gave me so much confidence."

Martini avenged an early-season loss by beating Naperville Central's Michelle Wang 21-11, 21-13 in the quarterfinals. She lost to Allison Doren 22-20, 21-17 in the semis and 22-20, 13-21, 21-16 to Downers Grove North's Addie Danchisin for third place.

Martini, who is going to Marquette to study nursing, led Doren 20-17 in the first set of their semifinal.

"It was really close so there's no way I could complain," said Martini, who faced four higher seeds in her six matches. "She's amazing and she's so good. I'm happy with how I played."

Katie and Maggie Van Grondelle, who took sixth last year, rebounded from their third-round loss to Boyd and Byjos on Friday with four two-set wins Saturday.

They beat Glenbard West's Olivia Schwartz and Abbey White 21-13, 21-9 for fifth. The closest of their Saturday matches was 21-15, 21-10 against Fremd's Alice Liu and Annie Huang in the consolation semifinals.

"After (Friday) we were a little down - but it was the last time we were playing together and we wanted to really go out on a high note," said Katie, a senior who finished fourth as a sophomore and will attend Minnesota.

"It was definitely great to come out and do what we wanted to do," said Maggie, a sophomore. "We were a little disappointed (Friday) after losing but we said, 'Let's go out and play hard no matter what.' We wanted to leave everything out there."

Wheeling senior Shannen Chechang was eliminated in the consolation quarters after beating Conant's Ayaka Yoshinari in the fifth round.