NEW LENOX – Lincoln-Way West's badminton team qualified two singles players and two doubles teams to last year's state meet, but it wasn't good enough to help the Warriors get past Andrew for a sectional championship.
But on Thursday, that same formula easily did the trick as they not only advanced six to next weekend's finals at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston but also won their first sectional in the process.
Coach Donna Thompson's team finished with 16 points to beat Andrew and Oswego East, who tied for second with 9.5 points. Romeoville claimed fourth with 5.5 points.
"I am so proud of our players and coaches," Thompson said. "Even through tough times, we kept our eyes on the goals that we set, which were first at conference, first at sectionals and more importantly, to qualify all six players."
West seniors Divinity Burgos and Stephanie McDonald beat Andrew's Erin and Katie Daly 21-12, 21-16 to capture the doubles title. Warrior juniors Grace and Julia Monti defeated Andrew's Ashley Galassini and Katy Konchan 24-22, 21-10 for third-place honors.
In singles play, Oswego East's Leena Hwang won 21-16, 21-15 over West sophomore Cassie Ruettiger for the championship. Senior Delayne Weston rallied for a 13-21, 21-14, 21-16 victory over Romeoville senior Angeleah Barin for third place.
A year ago, Ruettiger and McDonald qualified in singles for West while Burgos and Weston advanced in doubles play.
Lincoln-Way Central Sectional: The Knights settled for a share of the sectional title that they hosted with Oswego after both teams scored 12.5 points. Bradley-Bourbonnais was third with 10 points while Plainfield East tied for fifth with two points.
It's the second straight year that coach Liz Karales and her squad won a sectional title. Central advances two singles players and a doubles team to the state finals.
Knights senior Claire Hilgenbrink rallied for a 15-21, 21-13, 21-17 victory over Bradley's Haniah Zaheer to claim the singles title. Junior Kaitlyn Forsythe took third after winning 21-10, 21-14 over Oswego's Jenna Metcalf. Hilgenbrink also qualified in singles last year.
And Central's doubles team of seniors Alex Sutton and Alexis Derk finished third after claiming a 21-17, 13-21, 21-17 win over Oswego's Cali Bonie and Anne Jakubowski.
TF South Sectional: Lincoln-Way East senior Stephanie Zuccato took fourth to earn a state trip. Joliet West (5) was third, East (4.5) took fourth and Joliet Central (2) placed fifth. In the third-place match, Zuccato lost 18-21, 21-8, 21-18 to Stagg's Katie Dwyer.