After sectional triumph, one last test awaits Buffalo Grove
Buffalo Grove seniors Jessie Schwartz and Kristen McClellan are looking forward to attending college in the fall.
Schwartz will head for Illinois to study animal sciences, while McClellan will be on a business track at Indiana.
For now, however, the short-term focus for the teammates and friends will be medaling at the badminton state championship tourney in Charleston.
Schwartz and McClellan finished 1-2 at Friday's Bison-hosted sectional meet, with Schwartz winning the singles title match 21-9, 22-20 over her senior teammate.
The pair, along with doubles medalists Julie Jambrone and Katelyn Sommers of BG, qualified for state and also led the Bison to the sectional team crown.
"We've been looking forward to this moment all year," said McClellan, who will be making her first trip to the state meet at Eastern Illinois.
Sectional doubles runners-up Tori Appelt and Stephanie Mayer of BG also advanced to the state championships, to be held next Friday and Saturday.
"This has been my goal all season," added McClellan of the qualification. "It's my senior year, so I plan to go down there and leave it all on the floor."
McClellan added that although she wanted to win sectional medalist honors, she didn't mind losing to teammate Schwartz.
"She's a great competitor," said McClellan. "Jessie has amazing skills and playing against her helps prepare me for state."
Libertyville junior Katherine Liu claimed third place and a trip to Charleston with a grueling 3-game victory over Evelyn Almonte of West Chicago.
"Katherine has a very positive attitude," said Libertyville coach Judi Neuberger of Liu, who will be making her second appearance at state.
Liu added that this year will be quite different than last season.
"Last year I didn't know what to expect," said the junior. "It was exciting and nerve-wracking and I was anxious. Now this year I have high expectations for myself."
"I love the feeling you get after a close game like this, when you're hot, and tired, and you come out on top. I know technically this match didn't matter (she had already qualified for state), but it was important to me to prove that I could win."
Almonte also punched her ticket to Eastern Illinois next weekend with her fourth-place finish, while the Wheaton North doubles teams of Morgan Bursthan/Alyssa Kayne and Samantha Nair/Hillay Vanoss also moved on.
They'll join other local competitors at next week's championship meet, such as the Prospect doubles teams of Jessica Hirsh/Stephanie Venturelli and Kari Hammerstrom/Jessica Parzynski, who advanced out of the Maine South sectional.
Leading the pack will be BG's Schwartz, who will compete at state for a third consecutive year. She says she's hoping for "at least a top-eight finish."
"This is everything we've been working for," said Schwartz.
The Bison team win at their own sectional Friday came just days after BG swept all 15 first place positions at the MSL meet.
"We're a close team," said Schwartz. "After (the MSL meet) we got together to talk about what a fun season it's been, and to congratulate each other. Now we've got to focus (on state) and play as hard as we can."
at Maine South: Evanston took top team honors with 16 points, and Prospect was second at 12.5.
Knights seniors Jessica Hirsh and Stephanie Venturelli won the doubles title by defeating Evanston's Keegan Joyce and Sarah Felvey 21-6, 21-8.
Prospect's second tandem of Kari Hammerstrom and Jessica Parzynski also advanced by taking third place with a 21-18, 21-15 decision against Evanston's Tess Brieva and Rebecca Conover.