Wu, Fremd make the grade in winning MSL

It’s been all straight A’s in the classroom for Fremd’s Angela Wu.

And the sophomore probably deserves an A-plus for her performance in Saturday’s No. 1 singles play of the Mid-Suburban League badminton championships.

As far as veteran MSL coaches can remember, Wu is the youngest player to win the singles crown in at least 20 years as she defeated Palatine senior Maggie VanGrondelle 21-18, 15-21, 21-19.

Team champion Fremd, which won for the seventh straight year, claimed the first spot in eight of the 10 singles flights on Saturday at Buffalo Grove High School.

Those titles helped the Vikings finish the meet with a team-high 68.5 points, followed by Prospect (54.5), Buffalo Grove (48.5) and Palatine (48.5).

Wu and VanGrondelle played twice earlier this season, each winning in two sets.

“She can return any smash,” Wu said of VanGrondelle, who plans to study at Minnesota. “She’s fast, and very good at the frontcourt.

“It feels nice to win. It’s really satisfying.

“My dad (Jian) picked up badminton and really got into it after college (Purdue). It’s like his hobby. He’s watched videos on it and everything and he really helps me. He has high goals for me but I just try to stay calm and relax.”

Last season, VanGrondelle defeated Wu for the MSL crown.

“It’s always back and forth when we play,” said VanGrondelle, the 2011 state doubles champion. “She is a great competitor and we always have great games.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t come out on top but it was fun. Hopefully, I’ll have another chance against her because it’s always great competing against her.”

Teammates who joined Wu with singles titles on Saturday were senior Annie Huang (No. 2), junior Kelly Owens (No. 3), junior Momoka Shimizu (No. 4), junior Rina Seo (No. 6), senior Mayu Sugikawa (No. 7), senior Maggie Swofford (No. 8) and junior Christine Williams (No. 9).

The dominant run through singles action helped Fremd win its eighth title in 12 years under coach Bob Hanson, a physical education and special ed teacher at the school.

“We have a great coach (Hanson) and all of our girls are dedicated,” said Huang, who won the No. 2 singles crown over Buffalo Grove’s Jenny Krewer 21-19, 21-13. “Everyone puts a lot of time into it and works hard in the off-season, too.”

Owens defeated Kelsey Henrikson of Buffalo Grove for the No. 3 singles crown.

“We just come together as a team and we pick each other up in tough situations,” said Owens, a cousin to VanGrondelle. “Our coach gives us a lot of goals at the beginning of the season and this (winning conference meet) was one of them. The next step is sectionals.”

Hanson said he has been very fortunate to coach very good players.

“And Angela (Wu) is something special,” he added. “She is also a great student and quality girl off the court. She works just as hard in the classroom as she does on the badminton court.”

Wu defeated Hersey all-area basketball guard Jen Hall (who plans to study at Indiana) in the semifinals while VanGrondelle topped Prospect’s standout golfer Noreen Caporusso in the other semi.

Caporusso was on Prospect’s Class 2A state championship girls golf team along with Kiley Walsh, who won the No. 5 singles crown over Jenni Tucker of Palatine.

Walsh was seventh in the MSL girls golf meet held last fall at Bonnie Dundee Golf Course. Walsh’s sister Allison, the 2A state champion golfer, was second at No. 6 singles.

Hersey’s Carly Pisano took top honors at No. 10 singles with a 17-21, 21-15, 21-18 victory over Prospect’s Sami Forsythe.

“I’m extremely proud of the girls,” said Prospect coach Jen Rezny, who watched Caporusso and Knights volleyball setter Shea Gallus win the No. 1 doubles competition on Friday.

“Our girls have improved tremendously during the course of the season, and that’s what it is all about. Now we will prepare for the sectional.”

Buffalo Grove coach Chris VanGrondelle hosted the awards ceremony afterward and paid special tribute to retiring girls athletic director Marianne Mendoza.

VanGrondelle’s Bison won a fifth straight MSL East crown.

“I’m extremely happy,” he said. “Our goal was to go young and we were willing to forego the MSL East, but these kids did a fantastic job and all stepped up.”

And Fremd will now step toward the sectional.

“Our practices are really intense and these girls work hard to achieve their goals,” Hanson said. “They have great chemistry. They are not just for themselves but for the team.”