The badminton season winds down to the final game for many athletes. Carlmont’s last game of the season before the PAL championships was against South San Francisco. But Carlmont came to play in this game as they shone against South San Francisco. The Scots ultimately triumphed in a 24-6 victory.
These 24 points were earned from a combination of all the player’s efforts. Badminton competitions consist of 15 matches. The team that wins two sets first wins the match overall. Depending on the seeding of the players, these matches can be worth three, two, or one point. All the matches total together to 30 points.
South San Francisco did not compete in every match so Carlmont won four of these matches by default gaining nine points. However, the Scots still overpowered the Warriors during the matches they did play. The Scots won nine matches and lost in only two.
“In this kind of team sport where every smash counts, every hit counts,” said Ethan Ng, a senior. “This is how we see our resilience and show teamwork.”
When we get together, when we do our huddle, they are always one team. That’s one thing special about us.
— Shervin Mobasher
This overwhelming performance for the Scots is not rare; they have been dominant all season. While besting opponents in many contests, they have only lost two games.
Carlmont’s winning record is well deserved and results from the player’s hard work. The Scots have strived to be the best team they can be throughout the season. The results of their effort are evident in the last game of the season.
“I think our students just put in the time and effort on their own compared to the average [player],” said head coach Shervin Mobasher. “You don’t even need to push them that hard. They’re always just motivated to play badminton.”
Another reason for the Scots’ continued success is the sense of unity and teamwork accompanying the sport. A connection forms between the players on the team. The impact of the Carlmont community was evident during this game.
Directly after the bout with the Warriors, Carlmont began their senior night to wish graduating players off. Their players had already begun to reflect on their time spent at Carlmont.
“It’s been a great experience; you meet a lot of different people from all grades,” Ng said. “I know a lot of us will treasure the experience.”
Although Carlmont made the most of their last game, a sense of melancholy accompanied them into the end of the season. With the season coming to a close, many will miss the memories formed.
“It’s going to be like missing a part of me [when I move on],” said Nathan Joe, a senior. “My soul is attached to this team.”
