Southern Section Badminton Championships

Garden Grove (18-0) vs. Alhambra Keppel (18-0)

3 TODAY, ORANGE COUNTY BADMINTON CLUB

In 1995, Garden Grove ended Keppel’s streak of five consecutive Southern Section titles by defeating the Aztecs, 10-9, in the final. Keppel rebounded to win the championship the next two years. Today’s Division I final should be emotional. Garden Grove Coach Vicki Toutz is retiring after 30 years and two section titles, and Keppel Coach Harold George is retiring after 15 years and eight titles. Keppel eliminated Garden Grove in last year’s quarterfinals. The second-seeded Argonauts should be able to pick up six of the 10 points they need to win if all their girls play to their capabilities. Top-seeded Keppel boasts the section boys’ doubles champions and the runner-up in boys’ singles, but George says Garden Grove has the edge. “They have too much depth.”

KEY PLAYERS

Garden Grove

Tam Nguyen: junior, boys’ singles

Cynthia Tran: junior, girls’ singles

Tina Lam-Rosie Pham: senior-junior girls’ doubles

Alhambra Keppel

Xiao Hong: senior, boys’ singles

Le Tu: senior, girls’ singles

Binh Tran-Nelson Chu: seniors, boys’ doubles

Loara (16-3) vs. Long Beach Wilson (16-1)

3 TODAY ORANGE COUNTY BADMINTON CLUB

This should be a close match. Top-seeded Wilson held on to edge Century in the semifinals, 10-9. Second-seeded Loara split matches with Century in Empire League play. During the section individual finals, Wilson won three of five titles: mixed doubles, boys’ singles and girls’ doubles. The Bruins’ only loss of the year was to Alhambra Keppel in their season opener. Loara Coach Diane Sweeney says the Saxons need a sweep in boys’ doubles and her girls’ singles players will have to step up and each win at least one match. Loara is looking for its second section title--the Saxons won in 1995; Wilson its first.

KEY PLAYERS

Loara

Sophea Kiet: senior, boys’ singles

Sothea Kiet: sophomore, boys’ singles

Chi Nguyen: senior, girls’ singles

Long Beach Wilson

Hoang Bui: senior, boy’s singles

Sara Vang-Sophy Chung: seniors, girls’ doubles

Bui-Chung: seniors, mixed doubles