Wu, Fremd chasing titles

Fremd junior Angela Wu is in prime position for a run at the badminton singles championship, and the Vikings are also in the thick of the team state championship hunt after day one of the state tournament Friday in Charleston.

Wu, a two-time Mid-Suburban League champion, rolled past all of her first three opponents in two games to earn a spot in Saturday’s quarterfinals against Emma Adcock of Hinsdale South.

Fremd was in second place in the team standings with 9.5 points, trailing Thornton Fractional South by 1.5 points and ahead of third-place Downers Grove North and Naperville Central by a half point.

The Vikings’ Kelly Owens won her first two matches before falling to Jessica Gomez of TF South in the third round. She bounced back by winning her fourth-round consolation matchup 21-19, 21-13 against Shannon Normoyle of Andrew.

In doubles, Fremd’s Rina Seo and Momoka Shimizu advanced to the quarterfinals, topping Katie Frankel and Ally Kolpas of Deerfield 21-14, 23-21 in the third round.

Buffalo Grove’s Julie Jambone and Mary Zawlocki are also alive in the championship bracket, having beaten Reavis’ Riyan Yanes and Jessica Bachleda in the third round.

The Bison have Mady Berns and Madison Fortman alive in the backdraw; they beat Monica and Margaret Chen of Stevenson in fourth-round consolation play. In the team standings, the Bison are in a four-way tie for ninth place with 6 points.

Prospect has a doubles tandem in the championship draw. Stephanie Venturelli and Jessica Hirsh advanced to the quarterfinals with a 15-21, 21-18, 21-9 victory over Catrina Cimaroli and Jana Murdock (Lincoln-Way Central).

Palatine’s Annie Van Grondelle and Emily Anderson made it to the third round of championship play before falling, and they were eliminated with a fourth-round consolation loss.

Maine West’s Olenka Kalinowski and Rachel Andersen fell in second-round championship bracket action and won once in consolation play before being eliminated.

Stevenson got two doubles teams through to the third round.

Emily Cai and Yein Lee advanced to the quarterfinals with a three-game victory over Jane Kolacki and Sydney Baltrusaitis, while Monica and Margaret Chen fell in a two-gamer against Downers Grove North’s Emily Buhle and Emily Planek.

The defending champion Patriots are in eighth place in the team race with 6.5 points.