Adriana DoPadre is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Queen Creek High School for AZPreps365.com

MESA — Queen Creek badminton coach Jason Rhone’s superstitions may have helped the Bulldogs edge the Desert Ridge Jaguars by a final score of 5-4 on Thursday.

Following a 9-0 loss on Senior Night to the Desert Vista Thunder, the Bulldogs were ranked 17th in Division Ⅰ rankings and the Jaguars  ranked 16th. With only the top 16 teams making the state tournament, this game was especially important for Queen Creek.

“I usually hide during matches,” Coach Rhone said. “I hide in the corner that’s one of my superstitions.” 

It doesn’t end there, either. Coach Rhone runs three miles every day. He runs the same path until the team loses, which forces him to run a different route. 

“I ran a mile by my house then I went to school and ran two more,” Coach Rhone said. “Now on Tuesday I’ll run a mile in my neighborhood the same route I did today, go to school, and run the same route I did today.”

Coach Rhone’s new route must have worked as the Bulldogs captured victory after a two-game losing streak. 

The match started with senior Raigan Petersen moving back to varsity one. Petersen showed she has earned that position by defeating Jaguar senior Bossy Myers 21-19 in the first game and 21-17 in the second. 

“Today I figured out what I needed to do better," said Petersen, "and I changed it quicker." 

From there Bulldog senior Jaye Estrada would dismantle Jaguar junior Haley Louzek 21-10 and 21-13. After the Jaguars evened the overall score at two games apiece, Rubi Trujillo and Lauren Ripley put Queen Creek back ahead with singles wins of their own.

Once the singles matches were completed the Bulldogs led 4-2. Queen Creek only needed to win one of the three doubles matches in order to secure victory.  

The Jaguar duo of Myers and Louzek defeated  Estrada and senior Kaia Turner 21-14 and 21-17 in the first doubles match. In the secon doubles match, Petersen and junior Lauren Ripley won 21-18 and 21-13. Their victory earned the Bulldogs their fifth overall point of the match, guaranteeing victory no matter what happened in the final doubles game, which would result in a three-set loss for the Bulldogs.

The win should help set up Queen Creek to overtake Desert Ridge for the 16th spot in the State Tournament.

“Me and Kaia will go to state as doubles and Raigan will go as singles,” Estrada said. 

Seniors Jaye Estrada and Kaia Turner getting ready for a Jaguar serve during doubles varsity (Adriana DoPadre/AZPreps365)

Last year’s badminton team was the first team to make it to the state tournament. After losing five of the squad's six starters, there is anticipation to make it to the tournament year after year.

The Bulldogs are set to play their final scheduled match of the season on Tuesday, October 19, in Tempe against the Corna del Sol Aztecs at 4:00 p.m. The Aztecs are currently ranked seventh and a victory would go a long way in securing a spot at the state tournament.

“We haven’t seen Corona del Sol this year, but it’s going to be very tough,” coach Rhone said, “because they are leading the region right now.”