Skyline’s badminton team continued their winning streak May 7 at the Coast Conference championship tournament where several of the players qualified for the state championships in Fresno May 12-13. The team had already clinched the North Coast Conference team title.
Stephanie Cheung held her number one position in singles all season long and continued her success at the conference tournament. Gina Gomez also held on to number two in singles at the tournament. Both Cheung and Gomez will be playing at the state championships. Skyline’s third-ranked singles player Mabel Lee also qualified, but was not be able to make the state championships.
Cheung and Gomez played together as the highest ranked doubles partners at the state championships. Gloria Cheung and Lisa Payte filled the number four spot in doubles for the state championships. Lee and her doubles partner Rosanna Tam also qualified at the number six spot but did not be play in the state tournament because Lee was not able to attend due to schedule conflicts.
The May 7 Coast Conference tournament was held in the main gym at College of San Mateo. It included the top three teams in the conference: Skyline, City College of San Francisco, and Fresno City College. Eight singles players and six doubles partners qualified for state competition from the conference.
The team championships were played on Thursday, May 12. The team as a whole competed for the state team championship against Irvine Valley College at Fresno.
“Irvine is a very tough team,” Coach Jan Fosberg said before the match. “They have not given up even one point this season. They have several players that are ranked nationally.”
Coach Fosberg also commented on Cheung’s chances to defend her title from last year as the top-ranked singles player.
“Stephanie has tougher competition this year,” Coach Fosberg said. “She will be playing a former state champion at Irvine. She’s playing a nationally ranked player. There are some outstanding players this year.”
The Trojan badminton team went undefeated last year and won second place in the state, their only loss to Irvine Valley. This year, the team’s record was 7-1, with the only regular season loss to CCSF. Stephanie Cheung was 2004’s most valuable player and ranked first place. Gomez was ranked second.
2005 Badminton Season
*Team’s overall record was 7-1. *Trojans were Coast Conference champions for the third year in a row with a win over Fresno City College. *Only team loss was to CCSF.
*Stephanie Cheung was ranked number one singles and doubles player.
*Gina Gomez was ranked number two singles player and number one doubles as Cheung’s partner. *Cheung had perfect season, sweeping every single one of her matches. *Team played Irvine Valley College in state championship tournament. *Individual state championship matches played on May 13 featured Cheung and Gomez as top players.
