Harding Team Champs

#2 posting 5.16.2007
your daily dose of badminton news & information

HARDING STATE CHAMPS AGAIN
St. Paul Harding picked up their second consecutive state title as they beat St. Paul Central in the semis 7-0 and then Eden Prairie 6-1 in the finals at Burnsville this afternoon. Eden Prairie, the #3 seed edged #2 Johnson 5-2 in the semis.

I will post the scoring and some individual highlights.
SEMIFINALS #1
HARDING knights 7, CENTRAL minutemen 0
Central was able to push Harding to three at third singles and third doubles, but Harding had a convincing win. In the singles Harding had five games decided by 10 or more with Pang Thao holding Lee Vue to single digits. At third singles Kazoua Yang went three for Harding and bounced back with a strong performance in game three 21-7. The third doubles team of Mor Xiong and Alana Yang suffered a sound beating in game two 21-8 but bounced back for a narrow 21-18 win in game three.
SINGLES
1. Pang Thao (H) def Lee Vue 21-6, 21-9
2. Mee Xiong (H) def Nha Phan 21-15, 21-5
3. Kazoua Yang (H) def Yer Chang 21-11, 19-21, 21-7
4. Crystal Yang (H) def Xiong Thao 21-18, 21-12
DOUBLES
1. Dia Xiong/Panhia Yang (H) def Tracy Vangh/Xiong Xiong 21-17, 21-9
2. Nalee Xiong/Pa Yang (H) def. Doua Thao/Da Chang 21-12, 21-8
3. Mor Xiong/Alana Yang (H) def. Ka Yang/Alexis Lor 21-14, 8-21, 21-18

BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Harding 4-0 1.000
Games: Harding 8-1 .889
Points: Harding 187-104 .643
decided by 10+: Harding 5-0
decided by 3 or less: 1-1
DOUBLES
Matches: Harding 3-0 1.000
games: Harding 6-1 .857
points: Harding 134-99 .575
decided by 10+: Harding 2-1 .667
decided by 3: Harding 1-0

SEMIFINAL #2
EDEN PRAIRIE eagles 5, JOHNSON governors 2
Johnson's plan going in was to sweep the doubles and pick off a single match. EP swept the singles and also took a tight three game set at first doubles to advance to the finals. Katie Vohnoutka for EP steamrolled Ye Thao in game one allowing five total points in two games. The tightest contest in the singles came at third with lefty Jenna Hartkopf going three with Gina Garcia. Garcia took game one, but Hartkopf took the next two.
SINGLES
1. Katie Vohnoutka (EP) def Ye Thao 21-2, 21-3
2. Maddie Lenhard (EP) def Kao Lee Xiong 21-19, 21-5
3. Jenna Hartkopf (EP) def Gina Garcia 20-22, 21-19, 21-14
4. Leslye Suarez (EP) def Desire Garcia 21-13, 21-16
DOUBLES
1. Becca Wade/Larysa Euteneuer (EP) def Pakou Vang/Pang Thao 16-21, 21-18, 21-18
2. Karen Obermeyer-Kolb/Kia Thao (J) def Kaitlin Shore/Krista Anderson 21-12, 21-7
3. Mai Ka/Belick Pha (J) def. Morgan Woodward/Laura Stone 21-18, 21-19

BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Eden Prairie 4-0 1.000
Games: Eden Prairie 8-1 .889
Points: Eden Prairie 188-113 .625
decided by 10+: Eden Prairie 3-0 1.000
decided by 3 or less: Eden Prairie 2-1 .667
DOUBLES
Matches: Johnson 2-1 .667
games: Johnson 5-2 .714
points: Johnson 141-114 .553
decided by 10+: Johnson 1-0
decided by 3: 2-2

3rd PLACE
JOHNSON governors 4, CENTRAL mintuemen 3
Johnson's strategy paid off in the third place game with a sweep at the doubles and picking off fourth singles for the narrow 4-3 win. The first two doubles had a pair of three game matches. Both started off with 22-20 wins for Johnson. Both finished with 21-14 wins. The third doubles also were tight with two two point wins for the pair of Mai Ka and Belick Pha. Desire Garcia took the fourth singles 21-10, 21-12. The fourth game to come in though was first doubles.
SINGLES
1. Lee Vue (C) def Ye Thao 18-21, 21-11, 21-18
2. Nha Phan (C) def Kao Lee Xiong 21-13, x-21, 21-15
3. Yer Chang (C) def Gina Garcia 21-19, 21-14
4. Desire Garcia (J) def. Xiong Thao 21-10, 21-12
DOUBLES
1. Pakou Vang/Pang Thao (J) def. Tracy Vangh/Xiong Xiong 22-20, 19-21, 21-14
2. Karen Obermyer-Kolb/Kia Thao (J) def. Doua Thao/Da Chang 22-20, 16-21, 21-14
3. Mai Ka/Belick Pha (J) def. Ka Yang/Alexis Lor 22-20, 21-19

BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Central 3-1 .750
Games: Central 6-4 .600
Points: since I don't have one score I am leaving it blank
decided by 10+: 1-1
decided by 3 or less: Central 2-1
DOUBLES
Matches: Johnson 3-0 1.000
games: Johnson 6-2 .750
points: Johnson 164-149 .524
decided by 10+: none
decided by 3: Johnson 4-0

CHAMPIONSHIP
HARDING knights 6, EDEN PRAIRIE eagles 1
Harding swept the doubles and took the first three singles in their second straight championship. There were some interesting matches. At first singles Pang Thao was pushed into extra points in game one by Katie Vohnoutka 23-21. Vohnoutka led 20-19, but Thao got the side out on a serve that went wide. After that it was advantage Thao as she scored on a drive to Vohnoutka's back hand. Third Doubles also went to extra points with Mor Xiong and Alana Yang pulling out the win. Just like Pang Thao they had a wider margin in game two. The only game that went three was at first doubles with Dia Xiong and Panhia Yang bouncing back in game three with a 21-16 win. Leslye Suarez was the only EP player to cross over into the left hand column with a two game win.
SINGLES
1. Pang Thao (H) def. Katie Vohnoutka 23-21, 21-11
2. Mee Xiong (H) def. Maddie Lenhard 21-9, 21-11
3. Kazoua Yang (H) def. Jenna Hartkopf 21-10, 21-12
4. Leslye Suarez (EP) def. Crystal Yang 21-15, 21-9
DOUBLES
1. Dia Xiong/Panhia Yang (H) def. Becca Wade/Larysa Euteneuer 21-11, 15-21, 21-16
2. Nalee Xiong/Pa Yang (H) def. Kaitlin Shore/Krista Anderson 21-11, 21-17
3. Mor Xiong/Alana Yang (H) def. Morgan Woodward/Laura Stone 24-22, 21-14

BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Harding 3-1 .750
Games: Harding 6-2 .750
Points: Harding 152-116 .567
decided by 10+: Harding 4-1 .800
decided by 3 or less: Harding 1-0 1.000
DOUBLES
Matches: Harding 3-0 1.000
games: Harding 6-1 .857
points: Harding 144-112 .563
decided by 10+: Harding 2-0 1.000
decided by 3: Harding 1-0 1.000

I am happy to report all the scores matched today.

Next up: later tonight with photos. and I will have individual games of Vohnoutka vs Ye Thao and Vohnoutka vs Pang Thao later.