HOPWOOD Middle School 1 Hilitais with 23 team points have emerged as the top squad in the TakeCare Interscholastic Middle School Badminton League, but the Saipan International School Geckos also made sure their presence was felt on Jan. 30 at the TSL Sports Complex by garnering 15 team points.
An SIS player gets ready for the serve during one of the opening games of the TakeCare Interscholastic Middle School Badminton League at the TSL Sports Complex.
SIS’s first highlight came from Julie Chavez in the girls singles with her victory over Hopwood Middle School 2’s Ye Lynn Ha.
Chavez played with confidence as she repeatedly went for the kill to win both sets, 11-4, 11-4.
In the boys singles, Jacky Liu fought well against HOP 2’s Yong Jun Lin. Liu and won the first set, 11-3. However, Lin answered back twice as hard with two consecutive wins, 11-7, 11-6, to clinch match victory.
As a team, SIS shined in the mixed doubles category as the pair of Chavez and Landon Pudney defeated HOP 2’s Lin and Ha.
Both teams gave it their all, but the SIS duo’s ability to cover each other’s back was enough to fend off Lin and Ha 11-8, 11-10 and win the match.
In the girls doubles, SIS’ Lina Takugoshi and Julie Chavez outperformed Teresa Ahn and Shemariah Hicaro 11-6, 11-6 in the girls doubles. The other SIS win was claimed by Peter White who outlasted John Austin 11-6, 7-11, 11-7.
Like other sports events under the Public School System Athletics Program, the middle school badminton league remains suspended due to the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the community.
PSS Athletics Program Director Nick Gross has said that they will “assess the situation and make plans with our federation partners to safely resume competitions as soon as possible, with the understanding that things/plans may change at any time.”
