Two Champs for Edison

#1 posting 5.6.2008
badminton news & information

EDISON DOUBLES UP CITY TITLES
Minneapolis Edison took both the Minneapolis city singles and doubles titles . Chu Mai Thao, the number one seed in the event beat her teammate Pa Nhia Xiong for the title. In the doubles event it was the Edison's Xiong sisters Xia and Kabao beating Martha Streng and Alba Bilani of Southwest.
The odd thing about the events today only one singles match went three games. Washburn's Dani Sack outlasted Desirae Garcia of South.
In the doubles there were two matches that went the distance, both in the first round.

Photos: #1 junior Pa Nhia Xiong, Edison #2 and second place finisher in the City tournament with senior teammate Chu Mai Thao, Edison #1 and City Champ 2008. #2 2008 city Doubles champs Edison's #1 team junior Xia Xiong and senior sister Kabao Xiong. photos by kja

Normally I breakdown each and every game I see. Today I will digest the championships and give a thumbnail of the other events.


First off the breakdown of matches
SINGLES
FIRST ROUND
Madeline Hunsicker, Southwest#1 beat North#2 21-17, 21-15
Dani Sack, Washburn#1 beat Yer Yang, Henry#1 21-9, 21-10
Brett Smith, South#2 beat Roosevelt's#2 21-10, 21-19
Pa Nhia Xiong, Edison#2 beat Hnia Yang, Henry#2 21-11, 21-14
North#1 beat Roosevelt#1 21-8, 21-8
Southwest#2 beat Washburn#2 21-15, 21-6
QUARTERFINALS
Chu Mai Thao, Edison#1 beat Madeline Hunsicker, Southwest#1 21-4, 21-12
Dani Sack, Washburn#1 beat Brett Smith, South#2 21-7, 21-15
Pa Nhia Xiong, Edison#2 beat North#1 21-15, 21-14
Desirae Garcia, South #1 beat Southwest#2 21-9, 21-7
SEMIFINALS
Chu Mai Thao, Edison#1 beat Dani Sack, Washburn#1 21-9, 21-9
Pa Nhia Xiong, Edison#2 beat Desirae Garcia, South#1 21-11, 21-14
THIRD PLACE
Dani Sack, Washburn#1 beat Desirae Garcia, South#1 (three games W-S-W)
CHAMPIONSHIP
Chu Mai Thao, Edison#1 beat Pa Nhia Xiong, Edison#2 21-16, 21-13

DOUBLES
FIRST ROUND
Washburn#1 beat Southwest#2 21-19, 21-12
North#2 beat Roosevelt#1 21-12, 21-10
Xia Xiong/Kabao Xiong, Edison#1 beat Henry#2 19-21, 21-17. 21-9
Martha Streng/Alba Bilani, Southwest#1 beat South#2 21-13, 21-19
Washburn#2 beat Roosevelt#2 21-19, 20-22, 21-15
Edison#2 beat Henry#1 21-16, 21-11
QUARTERFINALS
South#1 beat Washburn#1 21-6, 21-14
Xia Xiong/Kabao Xiong, Edison#1 beat North#2 21-13, 21-11
Martha Streng/Alba Bilani, Southwest#1 beat Washburn#2 21-18, 21-5
North#1 beat Edison#2 21-17, 21-4
SEMIFINALS
Xia Xiong/Kabao Xiong, Edison#1 beat South#1 21-19, 21-17
Martha Streng/Alba Bilani, Southwest#1 beat North#1 21-15, 21-15
THIRD PLACE
South#1 beat North#1 21-19, 21-13
CHAMPIONSHIP
Xia Xiong/Kabao Xiong, Edison#1 beat Martha Streng/Alba Bilani, Southwest#1 21-11, 21-17

SINGLES
OPENING ROUND
I opened watching the two #1s facing each other in the opening round of the singles: Dani Sack of Washburn jumped out to a 6-0 lead over Henry's Yer Yang and pushed it out to an 11-1 lead. Those two big runs put Yang in the hole and Sack finished up with a 22-8 win.
Game two started a bit tighter, but Sack had two runs of four and three on a 7-1 burst to go up 10-4. Another 7 point run put the game out of reach at 19-6. Yang had a three point run, but it was a matter of too little too late. Sack won 21-10.
Last year Yang was part of the city doubles championship for Henry
QUARTERFINALS #1
Chu Mai Thao had a bye in the first round and faced Madeline Hunsicker of Southwest. The first game opened with five straight side outs. Thao burst open the game with a run of six followed by a four followed by the final push of nine. Thao sided out five straight times against Hunsicker.

Game two was tighter. Hunsicker led 6-4 and held Thao's runs down to a minimum. Still Thao had runs of 3, 4 and 3. In fact for the series Thao had a 6-0 advantage in runs of 3+.

QUARTERFINALS #2
Dani Sack used a 11 point run in the first game to accelerate past South's Brett Smith. Sack rushed the net for five punch/dunks. Sack had Smith covering the entire court. Sack won 21-7
In game two Sack opened with a 9-2 run. Smith rallied with her own run of seven points to tie the game at 13. It was the side out game that put Sack over the top. Sack was 7/12 at .583 while Smith was 4/14 for .286. Sack finished with two consecutive four point runs in the 21-15 win.

SEMIFINALS
The side out game that worked well for Dani Sack in the quarterfinals disappeared in the semis. Sack was 4/15 in this game for .267. Chu Mai Thao held a 10/13 side out advantage good for .769. In game one Thao used a 7 point run to finish the game in a 21-9 win.
In game two Thao opened with five straight points. She added two more runs of five in the second game. Tabulating the total runs Thao had the advantage 5-2. Thao ended the second game with a smash, her fourth in that game and fifth for the series.

CHAMPIONSHIP
In an all Edison battle it was Chu Mai Thao over her teammate Pa Nhia Xiong. I had different scores that were given 21-15, and 20-13. With both familiar with each other's game their was a intensity not seen in the other games. Xiong had a four point run to go up 7-5. Thao didn't break free until a 8 point run to go up 16-9. Thao had two aces in that mix. Thao sided out at .600 (6/10) while Xiong checked in at .444 (4/9). Runs were few and far between with one each, but Thao had the huge 8 point run to propell her to victory.

In game two Thao held steady in the side out game at .667 (6/9) while Xiong was .400 (4/10). Xiong led early at 4-3. Thao didn't break free until she came up with a six point run to go up 17-10. The match ended on a Xiong hit that went wide.

CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES NUMBERS
SIDEOUTS:
Thao 12/19-.632; Xiong 8/19-.421
RUNS OF 3+:
Thao 1, Xiong 1
POINTS:
Thao 41
Winners 20: Drops 6, Aces 5, Clears 4, Soft Drives 3, Smashes 2
Xiong Errors 21: hitting 19 (Net 12, Wide 3, Deep 2, Fan 2), serving 2 (Deep 2)
Xiong 28
Winners: 16: Drives 8, Soft Drives 3, Smashes 2, Drops 2, Clears 1
Thao Errors 12: hitting 8 (Deep 4, Net 3, Wide 1); Serving 4 (Wide 2, Deep 2)
Time: 12:27

Photos: #1 The Minneapolis city champ Chu Mai Thao, #2: Pa Nhia Xiong goes so high her racket isn't in the shot. #3. The celebration between the two teammates after the match. photos by kja

DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
It was Edison's duo of Xia and Kabao Xiong winning the first game 21-11, and then rallying in game two for the championship. The Tommie pair had an advantage in the side out game and in the run department. The Xiongs had a side out % of .611 (11/18) to 5/19 (.263) and a 6-2 run advantage.

The Edison pair started off with a 2-0 advantage on their serve and built it up to 7-2 after a three point run. They pushed the lead out to a 14-7 advantage with another run of three. But it was the six point run that put them on the verge at 20-9. The Laker tandem scored two more points before Edison got the win at 21-11.

Martha Streng and Alba Bilani bounced back to take a 6-2 lead in game two. The SW pair had a four point run to get the lead. It was the side out advantage that kept SW from extending that lead. Edison got the side out in four of the next five SW serves. The Xiongs had a run of three to take their first lead at 13-12 since the opening point. Streng and Bilani regained the lead with three more points to go in front 15-13. Southwest's last lead came at 16-15 after Edison tied it up. The key at the end: Edison got two straight side outs, and SW didn't. Edison finished with a 6-1 to win the title 21-17.

photos: #1 Edison's #1 double team of Xia Xiong and Kabao Xiong city 2008 champs. #2. Southwest's Alba Bilani and Martha Streng. photos by kja

CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES NUMBERS
SIDEOUTS:
Edison 11/18-.611; Southwest 5/19 -.263
RUNS OF 3+:
Edison 6, Southwest 2
POINTS:
Edison 42
Winners 21: Drives 9, Smashes 6, Soft Drives 3, Clears 3
Southwest Errors 21: hitting 20 (Net 12, Wide 4, Fan 3, Deep 1), serving 1 (short)
Southwest 28
Winners 11: Drives 5, Clears 3, Soft Drives 2, Aces 1
Edison Errors 17: hitting 15 (Net 7, Wide 6, Fan 1, Drives 1); Serving 2 (net 2)
Time: 13:07

Next up: tomorrow