Amy Chen, Hannah Miu help Jericho sweep past Commack to LI title
Hannah Miu of Jericho reaches for the return in doubles play alongside Amy Chen during the Long Island girls badminton final against Commack on Wednesday in Plainview. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Jericho girls badminton had been spectators of the Long Island championship for each of the last four years, cheering on the boys team. After beating Great Neck South Monday in the Nassau team championship, the girls’ team finally got a chance to compete alongside the boys side.
And like any worthy champion, the Jayhawks seized the moment.
Jericho (18-0) completed a sweep of Suffolk champion Commack (17-1), winning 7-0 in straight sets in Wednesday’s Long Island championship match at Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School.
“Since we are graduating seniors this year,” first doubles Amy Chen said, “it really is a dream come true.”
Chen was speaking of her doubles partner, Hannah Miu, with the duo defeating Commack’s April Chu and Julia Kim, 21-4, 21-5. Chen and Miu both spend time outside of practice preparing for matches, whether that’s talking strategy or playing on the court.
“It’s more pressure,” Miu said. “We worked so hard for it, so we better win.”
“But I think it’s good pressure,” Chen added. “When there’s pressure and a goal, we want to go for it … if it’s not today, then when are we ever going to make it?”
Sandra Chen added a dominant win at first singles, defeating June Yoon, 21-2, 21-4, after opening Game 1 with 16 consecutive points. Jasmine Peng won, 21-9, 21-1, over Bianca Lee at second singles, and Judy Liang won, 21-1, 21-4, over Brooke Hofer at third singles.
The most competitive game came at fourth doubles as Jericho’s Ellen Li and Nikita Bajaj fended off Cailyn Cho and Jinny Lee, 21-8, 22-20. Li and Bajaj trailed 19-20 in Game 2.
“We knew we had it in us and the potential [to win],” Bajaj said. “We knew we could turn the game around at any point.”
“I’ve been playing badminton since I was very young, like in elementary school,” Li said. “It feels like a very big achievement right now.”
A tangible example of that “very big achievement” could be seen in the parking lot. It came in the form of a bus, a bigger one than usual that wasn’t just there for the Jericho’s winning boys team but for the girls team as well.
“Each year, I know that the boys always win, but the girls were one step behind,” Amy Chen said. “This year, we are on the same line, and I feel proud of our team.
I feel like coach [Mark Burkowsky] is really proud of us, because this has been his hope and dream.”
Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday. He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023.
