NEW LENOX – With the impact that Donna Thompson has had on badminton during her 20-plus year career as a coach in the Lincoln-Way School District. The renowned coach, who is retiring after this season, always will be remembered as one of the most respected pioneers of girls sports in Will County.

The veteran coach at Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way West, along with her longtime friend and assistant coach during recent years, former Lockport coach Denise Hadley, led the Warriors to their fourth sectional title in the past 10 years. She also won five sectional titles during a seven-year run with Knights, and she led them to a state runner-up finish in 2008. West captured first place in its own sectional.

West captured first place in the competition with 12.5 points while Joliet Central and Oswego East tied for second place with 11 points apiece. Bolingbrook (4.5), Romeoville (4.5) and Plainfield Central (4) also were in the six-team field.

The Warriors advance both of their doubles teams, who played for the sectional title, to the IHSA state finals, which will be held May 10-11 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Leading the way for West was its first doubles team of junior Alli Hullinger and senior Shaunna O’Malley, who defeated the Warriors’ second doubles team of senior Emilia Evans and junior Kayla Wojcik by a 23-21, 21-17 score to advance to the state championships for the second year in a row. Wojcik also advanced in doubles for the second year in a row.

Hullinger and O’Malley finished in fourth place at the sectional last season. O’Malley hopes that their second visit will turn out much better.

“This was our second year together, so hopefully we can get to the second day,” O’Malley said. “I’ll be going to Joliet junior College to study business next year.”

The other area doubles team that advanced was Bolingbrook seniors Michelle Gonzalez and Lily Torres, who beat Oswego East’s Ari Augustine and Sydney Granholm, 21-17, 21-12.

In the singles division championship, Joliet Central senior Lauryn Luangsomkham earned her second-straight state trip after beating Oswego East’s Crystal Hwang, 19-21, 24-22, 21-10, in the championship. And the Steelmen also captured a third-place showing as Daisy Catalan defeated Oswego East 21-15, 21-16.