PREP BADMINTON / SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP : Katella’s Revised Lineup Can’t Stop Lakewood

Katella’s first loss of the season came in its last match of the season as the Knights were upset Thursday by third-seeded Lakewood, 11-8, in the Southern Section Division II badminton final.

Top-seeded Katella (19-1) had defeated Lakewood (16-2) earlier in the season, but this time the Lancers’ depth was too much for the Knights. Katella Coach Dave Green shuffled his lineup in mixed doubles and the results were promising: the Knights took a 3-2 lead.

By splitting up his two top players Ying Chansawangpuvana and Ed Soetanto, Green hoped to strengthen his lineup.

Quoc Vuong and Chansawangpuvana had to go three games, but defeated Aileen Yumul and Sokhom Oum, 15-10, 8-15, 15-6. Soetanto and Cindy Duong had a tough match, but came out on top, 3-0, 14-15, 15-9.

“We did what we wanted in mixed doubles,” Green said. “Our kids played well, but they just played better. We knew it was going to be close. If we played again next week, we might beat them.”

Katella, which has relied upon Chansawangpuvana and Soetanto to carry them through the season, got the usual reliable play from the two, as they picked up the only victories in singles for Katella.

Chansawangpuvana, the Southern Section singles champion, finished off her senior season undefeated, without dropping a game. In Thursday’s matches she swept by Yumul and Savinh Pouv, 11-1, 11-2, to close her high school career.

“We wouldn’t have made it this far without Ying,” Green said. “She is the main reason we are here.”

Soetanto, the Southern Section runner-up in singles, also swept his matches, but it didn’t come easy. In his first match with Tony Meas, Soetanto dropped the first game, 15-10, before rallying to win Game 2, 15-14. In the final game, Meas, suffering from leg cramps, took an 8-1 lead, before Soetanto slowly chipped away at the score, winning 15-9.

A turning point for Lakewood came in boys’ doubles, with the Lancers ahead, 7-6.

Lakewood’s No. 2 doubles, Tin Vo and Borin Eam upset Katella’s No. 1 Vuong and Toan Pham, 15-4, 15-8, putting the Lancers up, 8-6. Pham and Duong got the only victory for Katella in girls’ doubles, beating Lakewood’s No. 1, Tina Ouch and Poravam Mao. Pham and Duong took the first game in a tiebreaker at 18-12, then shutout Ouch and Poravam, 15-0, in the final game of the match.