Trojans conquer Pirates in badminton match

The CVHS badminton team remains undefeated following a victory over the San Leandro Pirates on March 19, with a score of 13-2. It was only the Trojans’ fourth competition of the season, but the team has shown remarkable progress.

“The badminton team is really good this year,” said senior Kyle Chan. “The coaches and captains are great, and its been really fun.”

The game started out with varsity matches, with the top seed players going against their opponents.

“Playing Varsity 1 Girls Doubles is a lot of pressure, but I try my best in every match,” said senior Ada Huang. “I’m so proud of everyone and how far we’ve come.”

Junior Terry Kwok knew that his match would be tough, but continued to work towards victory.

“My first game was shaky with mistakes evenly distributed between me and my opponent. Going into my second game after a close win of the first one, I realized I had to stop my non-aggression,” Kwok said.

This match marked the first time playing varsity for junior Bethany Bin, a first-year member of the team.

“It was nerveracking,” Bin said. “I underperformed, but I’ll work to be better next time.”

While badminton is played in either single or doubles games, the amount of support and unity the team has as a whole is undeniable. Team members rooted for their peers from the bleachers, yelling “Nice shot!” or “Good save!” as encouragement. Doubles partners high fived on and off the court as they got ready for their matches. Players mingled in the stands, watching the matches, exchanging game tips, and showing their camaraderie in the most intimate way: in sharing their Chipotle.

As the season moves along, the team looks forward to continuing to play together and developing skills.

“This is my first season playing with my partner,” said senior Sarah Kim. “We’ve won all four of our games and I’m really glad and excited for the end of the season.”

As for her partner, senior Sunny Zhou, when asked about his hopes for the rest of the season, he says, “Give me a real challenge.”