Roberto Astorga is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mountain Ridge High School for AZPreps365.com.

The Mountain Ridge badminton team finished the season with a record of 11-3. They were the No. 3 ranked team in Arizona’s Division 1 badminton and made it all the way to the semi-finals in the team championship. 

Much of their success was because of the experience of its players. 

“Some of the girls got older,” Mountain Ridge head coach Adam Korman said. “They gained experience. As the season went on, they became more comfortable.”

Four of the six players on the Mountain Lion’s varsity team were seniors. They helped their team accomplish all their success through hard work, teamwork and mental strength. They also contributed a lot of wins. 

Lilah Zafar (24-7) was the team’s No. 1 and captain. She was the third-ranked player in the state and finished fourth in the singles state championship. Despite starting slow in some of her matches this year, Zafar was able to overcome those early deficits by trusting her talent and skill. She also had the sole victory during Mountain Ridges’ semi-final match against Sunnyslope.

Mountain Ridge's No. 2 was Sophia Grabham (16-15). She participated in the doubles state championship with her partner, Bhavana Vinodh, and made it to the second round, eliminating a doubles team from No. 13 ranked Highland. Even when things did not go Mountain Ridges’ way, Grabham was always positive, performing her “worm” dance and cheering for her teammates. 

The team's No. 4 Prarthana Udayakumar (22-9) was one of its most consistent players. In close matchups against the fourth-ranked Desert Vista and the sixth-ranked Pinnacle, Udayakumar had the winning match alongside her partner and fellow senior Emma Post.

“All of our varsity players did off-season training,” Udayakumar said. “That helped all of us a lot.”

Emma Post (22-8) was Mountain Ridge's No. 6 one of the most determined players on the team. A lot of Post’s matches went all the way to three sets proving her comeback ability. In an important state matchup against Xavier Prep, Post had the winning match sending her team to the state semifinals. Even in her last match, Post fought hard, winning herself a set. 

“I practiced really hard over the summer because I really wanted to get on the varsity team,” said Post. “We all practiced a lot and that was a big key to winning.”

With this being one of the best seasons in Mountain Ridges’ badminton history, these girls have left a lasting impression on their school and team. 

Whether it was helping their younger teammates, telling their coach jokes, or motivating each other on the sidelines, their impact on and off the court will be missed. 

With the sights set on the future, Korman will have to find new players for varsity and junior varsity next year. While this year he had an experienced team, next year he will likely have a young one.

The other two players on varsity this season, junior Shresta Narayanan and sophomore Bhavana Vinodh, will be the most experienced players on the Mountain Lions team next year, likely leading the way next season.