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DeKalb badminton heads to state finals following upset win at sectionals

Zachary Effler: 'My goal for them is to play the gosh-darn-best badminton they can play'

DeKalb’s doubles pairs of Helene Collin and En-Tso Liou, and Hui Zhu and Holly Trapp will represent the Barbs at state. During sectionals, Zhu and Trapp upset the No. 1 seeded doubles team from Palatine to advance to the sectional final, making it an all-DeKalb final for first place, which Collin and Liou won. Karely Castro also won one match in singles play, while Abbey Brooks claimed two. (Shaw Media)

By JOSH TOLENTINO

DeKalb’s doubles pairs of Helene Collin and En-Tso Liou, and Hui Zhu and Holly Trapp will represent the Barbs at state. During sectionals, Zhu and Trapp upset the No. 1 seeded doubles team from Palatine to advance to the sectional final, making it an all-DeKalb final for first place, which Collin and Liou won. Karely Castro also won one match in singles play, while Abbey Brooks claimed two. (Shaw Media)

“They came into the match and they weren’t afraid of the seedings,” Effler said. “We ask them to not be intimidated by the name of the team. I could sense their emotions bottled up inside. I know how well they’re capable of playing.”

Trapp, Zhu and Collin all have experience playing in the state final. Last year, Trapp and Zhu fell one game short of advancing to the Sweet 16 on Saturday. “[Trapp and Zhu] have been to state twice already and Collin and Liou are looking for their first state win,” Effler said. With state, it depends a little bit on the draw, but they’ve proven they can play their way through a bracket. The expectation is to make it to Saturday. “My goal for them is to play the gosh-darn-best badminton they can play.”