State Badminton: Hamilton and Ironwood Capture State Titles

Hamilton And Ironwood Capture State Badminton Titles In Clean Sweeps

High school badminton supremacy in Arizona runs through Hamilton and Ironwood after both programs secured state team championships, according to AZPreps365. Hamilton claimed its third straight DI team title by sweeping the singles matches against Sunnyslope, while Ironwood captured the DII championship.

AZPreps365 reported that Hamilton’s path included an internal singles showdown for the Division I individual crown between top-seeded Hayley Koh and unseeded Katheryn Yi, which Yi won in a grueling three-set match.

How Hamilton Overcame Sunnyslope In Division I

Hamilton entered the championship match having secured a 9-0 regular-season sweep against Sunnyslope, but the postseason rematch proved significantly tighter. AZPreps365 noted that Sunnyslope took two of the matches to three sets, leaning on the grit that helped them defeat Red Mountain. We came in knowing we were going to push them, and make them earn every point, Sunnyslope coach Sarah Sleshinger said.

The Huskies sealed the team victory during the singles portion, rendering the doubles matches unnecessary as Hayley Koh, Katheryn Yi, Madison Sue, Sunan Zhang and Sanika Deshmukh won their matches.

Ironwood Sweeps Prescott To Claim Division II Crown

Ironwood’s championship run stemmed directly from a disappointing postseason loss a year prior, which triggered a renewed team-wide commitment during the bus ride home. AZPreps365 reported that the Eagles executed their game plan with precision, sweeping sets in all six matches to capture the program’s fifth state title since 2020. In Division II, the dominance of Ironwood’s Sophia Tijore continued.

Sophia Tijore, Madison Hutter, Reece Naylor, Bryanna Moser, Ella Hartsburg and Katrina Ulman rounded out Ironwood’s winning lineup, leaving no room for a comeback from a Prescott squad finishing as runners-up for the fifth time including 2022 and 2023, following a state title in 1985. (The performance) was because we lost last year; we weren’t going to feel like that again, Tijore stated regarding the bus ride back after falling to Sunrise Mountain.

Frequently Asked Questions About The State Championships

Which schools won the Arizona high school badminton state championships?

Hamilton won the Division I team championship by defeating Sunnyslope, and Ironwood won the Division II team championship by defeating Prescott, as reported by AZPreps365.

Who won the Division I individual singles title between the Hamilton teammates?

Katheryn Yi defeated her teammate Hayley Koh 20-22, 21-18, 23-21 in the Division I singles championship match at Independence High, according to AZPreps365.

How many consecutive team titles has Hamilton won in Division I?

Hamilton captured its third straight Division I team state title, maintaining a four-year streak of championship-match appearances against Sunnyslope, per AZPreps365 records.

Doubles And Additional Division I Details

Westwood’s Naitsirc Galvez Valenzuela and Ava Sharpe (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365) took the runner-up spot in the D-I doubles final. I hope badminton can grow more, Yi noted regarding the sport’s recognition.