Downers North’s Eckdahl keeps rolling

Downers Grove North senior Maureen Eckdahl got off to a slow start this badminton season but she heads into next week’s state finals as one of the hottest singles players around.

Eckdahl cruised through three matches en route to winning the Downers Grove North Sectional Thursday night, capping her performance with a 21-15, 21-10 victory over Hinsdale Central senior Kim Ziolkowski in the final.

“It felt really good,” Eckdahl said. “Going into it I wasn’t underestimating anyone. I was nervous, so I just knew I had to play my game, play my hardest and then the outcome would be good.”

Eckdahl was the tournament’s No. 1 seed, but had lost before to Ziolkowski, a top-12 finisher at last year’s state meet. Eckdahl went 0-2 at state last year but has shown vast improvement this spring.

“I just think overall my whole game has improved,” Eckdahl said. “I’ve gotten faster. I’ve worked on a lot of different shots. My serve has gotten better.”

Eckdahl is the youngest of three sisters who have starred for Downers North. Her oldest sister, Katie, played singles on the Trojans’ 2006 state title team, while Maureen and another sister, Anne, were on last year’s third-place finisher.

“It’s kind of crazy because I remember when my oldest sister, Katie, was playing badminton when I was little, I was like, ‘I want to play badminton, I want to go to state.’” Eckdahl said. “I want to finish strong, hold the Eckdahl name up.”

Hinsdale Central edged the Trojans 14.5-14 for the team title and qualified all four entries. The Red Devils’ Konstantina Rousonelos and Claire Foster captured the doubles title with a 21-19, 21-15 victory over Downers North’s Jackie Bland and Anna Marek.

“That was huge for us,” Hinsdale Central coach Carissa Niemann said. “Coming in we knew that Downers North beat us in a dual, they beat us in tournaments. I told the kids we’ve got to go in and play some simple badminton and play hard and whatever happens, happens.

“My No. 1 doubles team was determined to win today and they came out and definitely did a good job. I knew they could win if they could get momentum. After they won that first game they were not going to let that second game (be a loss).”

The Red Devils also qualified the doubles team of Taylor Proudfoot and Ali Gibson and singles player Brina Gartlan, all of whom placed fourth.

Downers North only qualified three entries, including the doubles duo of Claire Bedalov and Hannah Henson, because singles player Meghan Schmitt dropped a marathon 21-18, 17-21, 22-20 decision in the consolation semifinals to Downers South’s Hayley Stankiewicz, who went on to take third place and earn her second trip to state.

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