HOPWOOD Middle School 1 and Saipan International School will be battling for the championship of the TakeCare Interscholastic Middle School Badminton League after eliminating their semifinal adversaries Saturday at the TSL Sports Complex.
Hopwood 1’s Teresa Ahn serves against FMS during a middle school division game of the TakeCare Interscholastic Badminton League at the TSL Sports Complex.
HOP 1 took down Francisco M. Sablan Middle School by winning four of five matches.
It was the FMS Napu Riders, however, who snagged the opening win in the boys doubles match.
Wasee Anas and Abdul Munim worked well as a team in the first set as they contributed equally to defeating HOP’s Miguel Castro and John Austin.
The FMS duo took control early while their Hilitai opponents fought back but struggled defensively, as the Napu Riders bagged the first set 11-7.
FMS tried to keep the momentum burning in the second set and nearly sealed the deal as they held the lead throughout most of the exchange.
However, HOP 1’s Austin staged a clutch comeback by scoring three points to clinch the victory 11-10 and force a final set.
In the final canto, FMS’ Anas acted as the aggressor, scoring the first four points for his team while Munim carried his own weight during the final few possessions of the game as FMS triumphed, 11-5.
It turned out to be the Napu Riders’ first and final time to taste victory.
Hilitais take over
HOP 1 took over in the next four matches starting in the girls doubles with Shemariah Hicaro and Princess Pedrano sweeping FMS’ Sisther Fred and Kheani Blas 11-8, 11-3.
In the boys and girls singles, HOP 1 excelled once again as Austin outshot Anas 11-9, 11-4, and Teresa Ahn outlasted Shaina Malonzo in a tense three-set battle, 11-10, 9-11, 11-9.
HOP 1’s final win came in the mixed doubles with Austin and Ahn powering past FMS’ Munim and Crisha Marciano 11-10, 11-8.
SIS vs HOP 2
In the second semifinal match of the day, the Saipan International School Geckos edged Hopwood Middle School 2, winning three of five matches.
In the doubles matches, SIS displayed skills which HOP 2 failed to match. Lina Takugoshi and Julie Chavez nearly silenced HOP 2 in the girls doubles with a 11-4, 11-1 victory while Hunter Derocher and Frank bagged the Geckos’ second consecutive win by outplaying Zhi Jiang and Marlon Bautista 11-9, 11-6, in the boys doubles.
The Geckos maintained their dominance thanks to Takugoshi who defeated Jerica Manuel in the girls singles 11-8, 11-3.
But HOP 2 prevented a sweep as Bautista stood toe-to-toe with Jacky Lui and finished strong and victorious, 11-10, 8-11, 11-1.
Bautista’s win seemed to have energized HOP 2’s Yong Lin and Maria Quidato who went mano a mano with Derocher and Chavez 6-11, 11-9, 11-10.
HOP 2 finished strong, but SIS won three of the five matches and will now face HOP 1 in the finals.
