The high school badminton season began Aug. 24 at schools across the state. West Valley Preps and Glendale Independent and Peoria Independent asked local high school coaches about their teams.
Here are their responses:
Ironwood Eagles
Coach: Amy Hutter (second year at Ironwood) Record: 15-3 (Division II runners up) Section: Division II Northwest Valley Who are your top returning players? Sophia Tijore and Madison (Sonny) Hutter. Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Not newcomers but much improved since last season, Reece Naylor, Ella Hartsburg and Bryanna Moser. What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Their positive attitudes, teamwork, and dedication. What are the primary goals for this year’s team? First and foremost, stay health and have fun and then, we want to make it back to team state, defend singles state championship, win state in doubles, and have a second doubles team place in state
Mountain Ridge Mountain Lions
Coach: Adam Korman (fourth year as Mountain Ridge head coach) Record: 10-6 (Division I quarterfinals)
Section: Division I Desert Valley Who are your top returning players? Eileen Lin (junior), Jules Cannoe (junior), Greeshma Sabbam (senior). Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Anishka Kumar (sophomore). She went to Basis last year before transferring. She earned a spot on the varsity team and continues to push returning players What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? The girls are competitive and want to improve. They work hard every day. What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Our biggest goal is to continue our streak of region championships. We were fortunate enough to win the past two years, and we would like to have a three-peat.
Sunrise Mountain Mustangs
Coach: Missy Carter (sixth year at Sunrise Mountain) Record: 17-1 (Division II champions) Section: Division II Northwest Valley Who are your top returning players? My returning varsity players are Violet Eisentraut and Norah Brooks. I am excited to have them back. Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Autumn Schmid and Ali Bittle were doubles partners last year and have a great chemistry. I am hopeful they will do well this year. Ali Souther and Sohpia Mazanec round out the varsity. What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? I think the leadership of the returning varsity players. They know the kind of work that has to be done to win a title or even just compete at a high level. What are the primary goals for this year’s team? I think the individual goals are to improve on and place higher in individual state. As a whole we would like to make it as far into the state tournament as possible. We have a positive outlook on this season.
Richard Smith Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps
Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.
An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.
For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.
As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.
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