HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Unbeaten Crawford Finishes Job in Badminton Final

The way his team has played this season, Coach John King had every reason to be confident before his Crawford team won the San Diego Section high school badminton final Thursday at the Federal Building.

Top-seeded Crawford was 16-0, had disposed of La Jolla, 14-3, in the semifinals and was facing No. 3 Serra, a team it had routed, 12-5, in the 1990 season opener.

That didn’t matter to King, who could only remember how Crawford put up the same 16-0 record the previous year and lost to Hoover, 11-6, in the championship match. Crawford had earlier beaten Hoover, 9-8.

So when Serra jumped out to easy victories in the boys’ and girls’ No. 1 singles matches and was tied, 4-4, at the halfway point, King was a little worried. Then Crawford swept three mixed doubles matches and won four of six in boys’ and girls’ doubles, ending any doubts he might have had with an 11-6 victory.

“I was a little concerned when it was 4-4,” King said. “But we have so much depth, I was still confident. The key for us was our No. 1 and 2 guys came back and won their mixed matches. They didn’t let down; they came back.”

Khuong Thai lost to Serra’s Steve Hashimoto, 15-9, 15-5, in the boys’ No. 1 singles match but later teamed with San Chan to defeat Richard Cruz and Salina Siao, 15-9, 15-7, at No. 2 mixed doubles. The victory put Crawford ahead, 5-4, and it never trailed after that.

Section Volleyball

Top-seeded San Pasqual (2-A) and San Dieguito (3-A) advanced to the San Diego Section semifinals with victories over Mission Bay and Mar Vista.

San Pasqual (14-1) struggled but defeated Mission Bay, 13-15, 15-4, 15-6, 8-15, 15-6. Robb Foley led San Pasqual with 17 kills and Bruce Williams added 15.

San Dieguito (14-0) defeated Mar Vista, 15-3, 15-12, 15-1, behind Eric Sullivan’s 19 kills.

Lincoln, University of San Diego High and University City also advanced to the semifinals in the 2-A.

Torrey Pines upset No. 4 Mira Mesa, 16-14, 16-14, 15-9, to reach the 3-A semifinals along with Southwest and Mt. Carmel.