The Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Elecs senior badminton team will be sending a competitor or team in each badminton event to the South East High Schools Athletic Association (SEDAA) District Championships at Oxbow Prairie Horizons School this Saturday.
Elecs badminton player Sage Dayman qualified for the boys singles event, Ruth Pecson earned a spot in the girls singles competition, Madison Daoust and Alyssa Cunningham picked up a berth in the girls doubles event, Jean Rose Be and John Sasi qualified in the mixed doubles competition and Ryland Daoust and Jarrett Daoust earned a berth in the boys doubles event. Each of these athletes earned the chance to move on to districts by placing first or second at the SEDAA Pre-District Championships held at ECS on Tuesday afternoon.
Jarrett said his boys doubles team has only lost one tournament since their competitive season began shortly before the Easter break, but their play at the Pre-District Championships was probably the best it has been all year. He chalked the performance up to strong chemistry between the partners due in part to having an hour to get ready for the championships as opposed to the usual 10 or 15 minutes they get before tournaments.
“We're pretty silent on the court,” said Jarrett. “We let each other think about it. If he makes a bad shot, I know he made a bad shot and he knows he made a bad shot, so nothing really to worry about. Just make it better next time.”
Carnduff Education Complex Tigers player Tanner Reynolds also qualified for the District Championships by finishing first in the boys singles event, while Oxbow Prairie Horizon School Black Knights player Janai Ricard earned a spot by placing first in the girls singles competition. Black Knights boys doubles teammates Josh Byers and Jordan Williams, girls doubles partners Emily Lesy and Morgan Haygarth and mixed doubles competitors Ben MacFarlane and Samantha Pouchard picked up the remaining spots by finishing second, second and first, respectively.
The top competitors and teams at the District Championships will advance to the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) Regional Championships at Kipling School on May 7, where they will attempt to earn a spot at the SHSAA Provincial Championships at Humboldt Collegiate Institute on May 14.
Ryland said almost everyone who competed with the Elecs in the Pre-District Championships has been playing badminton competitively since elementary school and each of the athletes who advanced to the districts is a strong player. He said the expectation is everyone going to Oxbow on Saturday will still be playing on May 7 and May 14.
“Our district is always really good,” said Ryland, “but I think they'll all make it.”
