Lyons Township Badminton Trio Reflect on Stellar Seasons, Near State Qualification
Despite a strong showing at the York Sectional, Lyons Township High School’s standout badminton players, Simone Brown, Mia Graziano, and Audrey Shell, narrowly missed qualifying for the state tournament. The senior trio, who have been making badminton history together since their sophomore year, concluded their season with notable individual performances and a shared sense of accomplishment.
Trio’s Journey: From Summer Class to Varsity Stars
The bond between Brown, Graziano, and Shell began unexpectedly in a summer school world history class before their freshman year. However, their friendship truly blossomed during their sophomore year when they all made the varsity badminton team. This marked the beginning of their journey as key players for the Lyons Township Lions, with Graziano earning two state tournament qualifications.
Near Miss at Sectionals, Personal Bests Achieved
At the york Sectional, Graziano and Brown finished fifth in doubles with a 28-11 record, while Shell secured fifth place in singles with a 23-23 record. Despite falling just short of state qualification, all three athletes agreed that this season was their best yet.
“Especially this season, I’ve just played well with every match,” Shell said, emphasizing her commitment to continuous enhancement.
Doubles Team Falls Short in State-Qualifying Match
graziano and Brown, seeded fourth, aimed for their second consecutive state doubles berth but were defeated by Illinois Math and Science Academy’s Nara Feng and Alison Fung in a tough match.
Shell’s Singles Run Ends in Sectional Semifinals
Shell, seeded third in singles, also faced a challenging path, losing to IMSA’s Shruthi Vasudevan and York’s Mia Koenigsberger, preventing her from reaching the state tournament.
Growth and Improvement Define Their Badminton Experience
Graziano reflected on the team’s progress, stating, “I feel like we’ve made big improvements (from 2024) and are definitely one of the best doubles teams that we’ve had at LT for a while. We’ve beaten really tough opponents this year.”
Graziano’s Future in Collegiate Athletics
In addition to badminton, Graziano also excelled in tennis, narrowly missing state qualification in doubles. She is set to continue her athletic career at St. Mary’s University (Notre Dame, Ind.).
Brown’s Journey: From Team Experience to Passion for Improvement
Brown initially joined badminton seeking a team experience similar to tennis. “I loved my (badminton) team. My team was so nice, so amazing,” Brown said. “I joined it just for fun,to have that team experience and now I join to get better every day.”
Shell’s Perseverance Pays Off
Shell’s journey was marked by early challenges.”I was really bad,” Shell recalled. “I think I lost my first 10 matches, at least, but that first win felt so good and I wanted that over and over again.” Her dedication lead to meaningful improvement, culminating in a varsity spot as a sophomore.
“I just fell in love with the sport and it became my thing,” Shell said. “If you really give your all to the sport, you get so much out of it.”
While Lyons Township may not have had state qualifiers this year, the dedication and growth of Brown, Graziano, and Shell exemplify the spirit of high school athletics.
How did the players’ initial experiences with badminton influence their continued involvement in the sport?
Lyons Township Badminton Trio Reflect on Stellar Seasons, Near State Qualification
Despite a strong showing at the York Sectional, Lyons Township High School’s standout badminton players, Simone Brown, mia Graziano, and Audrey Shell, narrowly missed qualifying for the state tournament. The senior trio, who have been making badminton history together since their sophomore year, concluded their season with notable individual performances and a shared sense of accomplishment.
Trio’s Journey: From Summer Class to Varsity Stars
The bond between Brown, Graziano, and Shell began unexpectedly in a summer school world history class before their freshman year.however, their friendship truly blossomed during their sophomore year when they all made the varsity badminton team. This marked the beginning of their journey as key players for the Lyons Township Lions, with Graziano earning two state tournament qualifications.
Near Miss at Sectionals, Personal Bests Achieved
At the york Sectional, Graziano and Brown finished fifth in doubles with a 28-11 record, while Shell secured fifth place in singles with a 23-23 record.despite falling just short of state qualification, all three athletes agreed that this season was their best yet.
“Especially this season, I’ve just played well with every match,” Shell said, emphasizing her commitment to continuous enhancement.
Doubles Team Falls Short in State-Qualifying Match
graziano and Brown, seeded fourth, aimed for their second consecutive state doubles berth but were defeated by Illinois Math and Science Academy’s nara Feng and Alison Fung in a tough match.
Shell’s Singles Run Ends in Sectional Semifinals
shell, seeded third in singles, also faced a challenging path, losing to IMSA’s Shruthi Vasudevan and York’s Mia Koenigsberger, preventing her from reaching the state tournament.
Growth and Advancement define Their Badminton Experience
Graziano reflected on the team’s progress, stating, ”I feel like we’ve made big improvements (from 2024) and are definitely one of the best doubles teams that we’ve had at LT for a while.We’ve beaten really tough opponents this year.”
Graziano’s Future in Collegiate Athletics
Along with badminton, Graziano also excelled in tennis, narrowly missing state qualification in doubles. She is set to continue her athletic career at St. Mary’s University (Notre Dame, Ind.).
Brown’s Journey: from Team Experience to Passion for Improvement
Brown initially joined badminton seeking a team experience similar to tennis. “I loved my (badminton) team. My team was so nice, so amazing,” Brown said. “I joined it just for fun,to have that team experience and now I join to get better every day.”
Shell’s Perseverance Pays Off
Shell’s journey was marked by early challenges.”I was really bad,” Shell recalled. “I think I lost my first 10 matches, at least, but that first win felt so good and I wanted that over and over again.” Her dedication lead to meaningful improvement, culminating in a varsity spot as a sophomore.
“I just fell in love with the sport and it became my thing,” Shell said. “If you really give your all to the sport, you get so much out of it.”
While Lyons Township may not have had state qualifiers this year,the dedication and growth of Brown,Graziano,and shell exemplify the spirit of high school athletics.
Q&A: Lyons Township Badminton
- Q: What are the key differences between badminton and tennis, and why might someone choose one over the other?
- A: Badminton uses a lighter racquet and a shuttlecock (instead of a ball) which is hit over a net, making it a faster-paced game with more emphasis on quick reflexes and agility. Tennis is played on a larger court with a ball, requiring greater power and endurance. Simone Brown’s preference for the team aspect of badminton, similar to tennis, highlights that the social surroundings can be a key factor in choosing a sport.
- Q: What does it take to qualify for the Illinois State Badminton Tournament?
- A: High school badminton athletes in Illinois must compete in sectional tournaments. The top finishers in singles and doubles at sectionals advance to the state tournament. The exact number of qualifiers varies by sectional, but generally, the top 1-3 players/teams qualify. strong performance at the sectional level is therefore crucial.
- Q: How meaningful is seeding in a badminton tournament?
- A: Seeding is very important. The higher the seed, the better the chances of advancing, as players are matched against lower-ranked opponents in the early rounds. Graziano and Brown being seeded fourth in doubles shows they were considered strong contenders, but the competition was tough.
- Q: What’s next for Mia Graziano and her badminton/tennis career?
- A: Mia is continuing her athletic career playing tennis at St. Mary’s University (Notre Dame, Ind.). Her experience in both badminton and tennis shows the benefits of cross-training and adaptability in sports.
- Q: What’s the key takeaway from the Lyons Township players’ experience?
- A: Audrey Shell’s story of early struggles transforming into a passion for the sport exemplifies the rewarding nature of perseverance and dedication. Putting in the effort and enjoying the process are central to success.
The Lyons Township badminton trio’s journey underscores the importance of teamwork, improvement, and the love of the game. Their story is an inspiration to all young athletes.
