Three Muskies have returned home from the all-Ontario badminton showdown in Ajax after impressing the competition with their skills.
Natalie Desjardins and Jason Pattison got as far as the ‘B’ flight quarter-finals in mixed doubles action, falling to Megan Gereghty and Roshabh Mehta (Kapuskasing District High School) on Friday.
The Muskie duo dropped the first game of the best-of-three match 15-4, but then battled back for a 15-9 win to force the third and deciding game, which they lost 15-12.
“They were actually almost winning,” said coach Manami Alexander, who accompanied the Muskies to Ajax. “They had a long match and they fought back against a team that was a little more experienced.”
Desjardins and Pattison had opened play Thursday with a 15-13, 15-6 win over Kate Atwood and Adam McClure (Midland High School), but then they were relegated to the ‘B’ flight with a 15-3, 15-3 loss to eventual ‘A’ flight semi-finalists Hilary Dugan and Liam Parkes (Woodstock Collegiate Institute).
The black-and-gold then beat the brother-and-sister team of Sandra and Jeffrey Trinh (Chinguacousy Secondary School) by scores of 15-7 and 15-4 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Simone Desjardins—competing in the senior girls’ singles event—was bounced from further contention after losing her first game in the ‘B’ flight on Friday to Amanda Durdan (Stamford High School) by scores of 15-10 and 15-6.
Desjardins had gotten off to a quick start Thursday, sweeping Ruthie Brown (Belle River High School) 15-11, 15-4 and then Karimah Green (Aurora High School) 15-9, 15-7 in her first two matches.
But the wheels fell off against eventual ‘A’ flight semi-finalist Vivian Tam (Holy Trinity Catholic High School), falling 15-3 and 15-4 to drop down to the ‘B’ flight.
“I think I did pretty well,” Desjardins said. “I did a lot more watching of their games, I watched how they play. It helped me in my second [match].”
“Simone showed her strengths and used her experience,” said Alexander. “Unfortunately, the third match she had to face someone who was pretty high-calibre.
“It was obvious she couldn’t figure out how to beat this girl, but she didn’t give up.”
Alexander was very happy with the way her players performed at OFSAA, where they were facing some tough competition.
“I was so happy to see them play more than their best,” she enthused. “They showed what we can do from a small town. A few coaches from Toronto were surprised.
“They had the right skills to compete in a high school-level competition.”
Pattison is now done with high school badminton unless he decides to return to Fort High next year. Otherwise, the other big decision has to be made whether the Desjardins sisters will play singles or as a team next season.
“That’s what I started to think about when they lost out of OFSAA,” said Alexander. “Anything could happen. We’ll see how things go next year.”
As a girls’ doubles team last year, the Desjardins cruised through to the ‘A’ flight quarter-finals.
“They can both play doubles, they can both play singles, they have the skills. It’s a matter of what the kids want to do,” said Fort High teacher-coach John Gibson.
In related news, the annual Muskie awards night will take place Tuesday, May 25 at La Place Rendez-Vous, with tickets costing $20 each. The Fort Frances Badminton Club will hold its season wrap-up and awards night Monday, May 31.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
