Nina FifeComments Off on Long Beach Badminton Recap 3/20-3/21
The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family.
The562’s coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by former LBUSD superintendent Chris Steinhauser.
The562’s coverage of Millikan athletics in the 2023-24 school year is sponsored by Curtis Boyer.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
This Long Beach badminton recap is compiled from submissions.
Cabrillo vs. Jordan
Cabrillo completed its first tour of the Moore League undefeated. The Jaguars put an exclamation point on their first round success with a clean sweep of host Jordan, 21-0 on March 20.
Cabrillo dispensed with Jordan quickly in all but one match. Brian Habacon, the outstanding player of the Moore League season so far, was stretched by Jordan Singles’ player Jacob Bazan. Habacon lost the first set 20-22, before winning the next two 21-6, 21-12.
Cabrillo’s girls put their stamp on the evening by not only winning all of their Singles and Doubles events, but holding Jordan to single digits in each match.
Jordan was without its star Boys’ Singles and Mixed Doubles player, Chanvatana Puthy. Puthy suffered a broken clavicle over the weekend and is out for the season. The Panthers have had difficulty fielding a full team this season. Jordan was forced to forfeit four games against Cabrillo.
Cabrillo vs. Millikan
After blanking Jordan the night before, Cabrillo nearly did the same to Millikan, 20-1, on March 21 in their home gym.
Brian Habacon, who has yet to taste defeat in the Moore League this season, led Cabrillo with commanding performances in both Boys’ Singles and Mixed Doubles. Habacon dispensed with both of Millikan’s Singles’ players 21-6, 21-8 and 21-0, 21-8. Cabrillo’s second Singles’ player, Justine Yambao, swept his matches by similar margins.
For Millikan this was something of a return to earth after scoring nine wins against both Wilson and Lakewood in their previous two competitions. The Rams’ girls, who were exceptionally strong two days earlier against Lakewood, were swept 8-0. The only hotly contested match came when Cabrillo’s No. 2 pair of Suki Yem and Encarnation Fernandez played the Rams’ No. 1 team of Eileen Vuong and Vickie Lam. Yem and Fernandez won in two sets but were forced to sweat it out, 22-20, 21-17.
Millikan’s shinning moment came when the Boys’ Doubles’ pair of Jonathan Kelly and Joshua Kelley beat Cabrillo’s Joaquin Orozco and Aiden Reyes, 21-19, 21-18.
Cabrillo’s Mixed Doubles’ pairs, a strong point of the Jaguars this season, continued their dominance of the Moore League. Habacon and Jasmin Ramos, Orozco and Jaylene Ramirez Diaz, and Jomari Pickens/Suki Yem easily won all five of their matches.
Millikan travels to Poly on March 26, while Cabrillo visits Wilson on April 9.
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Poly vs. Jordan
Poly made a clean sweep of Jordan on Thursday afternoon in the Panthers’ gym 21-0.
The only really close match up came when Poly’s Bob Lim and Leo Torres Orozco survived a fright from Jordan’s No. 1 pair of Bruce Tap-Keo and Elijah Martinez. Lim and Torres lost the first set 19-21 before winning 21-12, 21-15.
For the rest of the evening the Jackrabbits won all of their matches in two sets. Poly Girls’ Singles player Soki Phay, and the Jackrabbits Girls’ Doubles pairs of Alana Leuth/Cassandra Hervas and Araya Leuth/Theany Heng all held their opponents to single digits.
As has often been the case this season, Jordan failed to field a full team. The Panthers were forced to forfeit two Boys’ Doubles and two Girls’ Singles matches.
Both Poly and Jordan play their next games at home against Millikan; the Jackrabbits on March 26, and the Panthers March 28.
Nina Fife is a freshman at Pepperdine University majoring in journalism. She began working with The562 in the inaugural intern class before being hired as their Social Media Director and now Assistant Editor. Nina is a proud Long Beach schools alum who graduated with valedictorian honors.
