The562’s coverage of Millikan athletics in the 2023-24 school year is sponsored by Curtis Boyer.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
This Long Beach badminton recap is compiled from submissions.
Millikan vs. Lakewood
Visiting Millikan gave Lakewood a bit of a scare before falling to the Lancers 12-9.
Lakewood came out of the blocks quickly with three wins in the opening Mixed Doubles matches. Millikan then clawed their way back with two wins from the Rams No. 1 Girls’ Singles player Olivia Padilla and two more from Girls’ Doubles’ No. 2 pair Vickie Lam and Eileen Voung.
Lakewood’s boys proved to be insurmountable for Millikan, winning all eight of their matches. Jacob Vong and Richie Chhit, the Moore League’s only undefeated Doubles pair, thoroughly dominated their Rams’ opponents. The Lancers’ other pair of Andrew Heang and Anthony Heang did the same. Singles players Nato Sarin and Angel Bracamontes also swept their matches.
Millikan’s girls were nearly as dominant, winning all but one of their Singles matches with Padilla aided by Leonilla Moreno, and all of their Doubles games with Zoe Hunyh and Kaitlin Khamkhensouvann supporting Lam and Voung. However, Lakewood’s Mixed pairs tilted the scales the other way by winning three of their five bouts.
Millikan visits Cabrillo on March 21, while Lakewood travels to Wilson on March 26.
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Poly vs. Mira Costa
With another day off in their Moore League schedule Poly hosted their second consecutive non-league opponent, South Bay badminton power Mira Costa, on Tuesday. The Jackrabbits won 12-9.
Mira Costa was led by Girls’ Singles and Mixed Doubles player Isabelle Chen. Chen, who finished third in the CIF Southern California Regional Championship last year, was stellar for the Mustangs, keeping them in contention by sweeping both of her Singles matches and winning two Mixed Doubles contests with her partner Zack Berkes. Mira Costa won four of the five Mixed Doubles events.
Poly swept both Boys’ Singles and Girls’ Doubles. Lead Singles player Nick Jensen won both his matches in straight sets, while No. 2 Danny Lam made it interesting with two come-from-behind three set matches, 17-21, 21-17, 21-17; and 17-21, 21-19, 21-15. Girls’ Doubles pairing Alana Leuth and Cassandra Hervas won both of their matches authoritatively, while Araya Leuth and Theany Heng succeeded in two closer contests.
Poly was without its strongest Girls’ Singles player, Nga Pham. In her place Soki Phay had a breakthrough victory against the Mustang’s No. 2 player Jaclyn Wang. That win brought the Jackrabbits total to ten. Minutes later Poly Boys’ Doubles pair of Victor Lim and Josh Chhauy scored the 11th win for the Jackrabbits to seal the outcome.
Poly travels to Jordan on March 21.
