Langhorst, Lee battle for Fremd sectional supremacy

There is nothing casual about the practices with Fremd badminton singles standouts Jenna Langhorst and Erica Lee.

It was no different when they faced each other for the first time in a tournament for the singles championship in Friday's Fremd sectional.

Langhorst and Lee played as if a state title was at stake - which they hope is the case next weekend in Charleston.

And Langhorst's hard-fought 21-17, 18-21, 21-16 victory over Lee helped Fremd win its eighth straight sectional title with 171/2 points.

"I see it every day at practice and that's what makes them great," said Fremd coach Bob Hanson, who plays in rotation to 7 points with Langhorst and Lee where the winner stays on the court. "There are some wars there."

Most important for Fremd was also getting both doubles teams to state in its battle for a team title, which it shared in 2007. Fourth-seeded freshman Annie Huang and junior Alice Liu beat Deerfield's Rebecca Lindholm and Carley Schwartz 21-17, 13-21, 21-15 for the title.

As a precaution, a sore foot kept Lee from playing Langhorst for last year's sectional title. There was nothing cautious about Friday's match.

"It was definitely one of my toughest matches," said the unbeaten Langhorst, who finished third in state last year. "She know what my weaknesses and strengths are.

"It was kind of weird but we're really competitive."

And that's what has Lee hoping to also medal in her third state trip.

"We promised each other if we saw each other in the finals we'd give each other our best game," Lee said. "It was a little weird. The first game was like a practice and then all of a sudden it had a way more serious tone to it."

Huang and Liu did more than expected with their title. Second-seeded teammates Claire Lee and Jackie Tiangco finished third.

"I was really surprised," said Huang, who went to state in doubles last year. "We've been kind of up and down the whole season.

"We knew what we had to do for the team and we just fought for it."

Huang said they had to get used to playing together but they responded to the move up after winning the No. 3 title in the Mid-Suburban League.

"When we first played I was always really nervous," Liu said. "This time I felt confident and we came through."

Prospect senior Melanie Walsh lost to Langhorst in the semifinals but rebounded to finish fourth and make her first badminton state trip. Walsh also went to state in golf and was at Eastern Illinois a few weeks ago for the journalism state competition in newswriting.

"I'm really excited," Walsh said. "This has been all I've wanted to do all season."

At Wheeling: Karolina Sabaliauskaite beat teammate Shannon Chechang for the singles title and Wheeling qualified both of its doubles teams to state to win its fourth straight sectional with 16 points.

Sabaliauskaite beat Chechang 21-14, 21-15 as both will make return trips to Charleston.

Palatine junior Katie Van Grondelle, part of a fourth-place state doubles team last year, and her freshman sister Maggie won the doubles title 21-18, 22-20 over Wheeling seniors Ausrine Rakauskaite and Jen Moss.

Wheeling seniors Belen Castillon and Leigh Anne Pena beat Palatine's Colleen Maund and Lora Weiss for third at doubles.

Conant's Selina Imamura beat Palatine's Kyle Kosulic in the third-place singles match.

At Glenbard West: Leyden got its first state qualifier since 2001 as junior Maggie Liskowicz finished third in singles.