San Diego Section Roundup : Hoover Avenges Its Only Loss, Wins Team Badminton Title

Friday’s San Diego Section badminton championship match at the Federal Building wasn’t just between the county’s top two seeded teams. It matched neighborhood rivals Crawford and Hoover.

Hoover’s only loss this season had been to the Colts, who were undefeated until Friday. Hoover (15-1) won, 11-6, for the section title.

“My kids wanted to win so badly after losing to Crawford, they were ready to go that extra,” Hoover Coach Nancy Miller said.

Last year, Hoover was undefeated until losing to Patrick Henry in the section final.

The No. 2 mixed doubles team of Hoa Dam and Lan Hua clinched the victory for Hoover, defeating Tri Dam and San Chan, 15-10, 15-0. Dam and Hua, both seniors, remained undefeated and were especially happy that they were the ones to secure the match. Hoover swept all three mixed doubles matches.

“I feel we are respected and honored (by the team),” Hua said. “I was upset that they beat us before. We were worried about this match all week long.”

There was an upset at No. 1 boys’ singles when Hoover’s Tai Truong defeated No. 2 Tri Dam, 5-0 in a tiebreaker, 13-15 and 2-3 in a tiebreaker. Truong doesn’t usually play singles, but Miller chose to put No. 1-seeded Bin Lam, ranked second nationally in the junior boys’ division, in boys’ and mixed doubles so Hoover could dominate in later matches if needed.

Truong had played with Tri Dam last year when Dam attended Hoover and knew the match would be difficult. He later had to default out of the boys’ doubles because of a cramped calf muscle.

“It was a very tough first match, and I was very tired,” Truong said. “He’s a very hard, fast person. I’ve played with him before, he can beat me easy.”

Crawford finished 15-1.

Section 2-A Volleyball

San Pasqual and University City advanced to the semifinals. San Pasqual got eight service aces from John Peng to defeat Gompers, 15-3, 15-6, 15-1. University City defeated Lincoln by winning three games in a row after dropping the first two, 12-15, 7-15, 15-6, 15-10, 16-14. Lincoln’s Ala Mikaele had 37 kills.

Baseball

Avocado League playoff

Carlsbad 7, Escondido 3--With the victory, Carlsbad earned a bye into the second round of the section playoffs. The game was marred by a fifth-inning brawl, which led to the ejection of five players.

Winner Jeff Myers (10-3) struck out four in four innings.

City Central League playoff

St. Augustine 4, Hoover 2 (11)--Jim Bitler’s two-run single with two outs in the top of the 11th earned St. Augustine (16-11) the No. 2-seeded position from the league in the upcoming section playoffs. Hoover (15-11-1) appeared to have scored the winning run on a single in the bottom of the ninth, but a Cardinal pinch-runner missed third base while heading home and was called out.