Desert Vista’s Guo caps 26-0 season with state title
Power and finesse. Usually, that’s a difficult combination to overcome. Yet, Karen Guo made these pathways to victory look routine, and the Phoenix Desert Vista junior cruised to the AIA state badminton title with an 11-9, 11-2 victory over Dristhi Panse of Chandler Hamilton on Saturday afternoon at Independence High.
Efficiently utilizing the essential elements of rushing the net, perfecting the drop shot and playing an aggressive baseline, Guo concluded a 26-0 season with the state title.
“This is a nice reward for all the hard work I put in and the effort,” she said. “I like to think I can use all parts of the game and try to attack opponents.”
Seeded No. 1 in the tournament, Guo lost only 16 points in all of her tournament matches and that was coming into the state-title match.
Despite a strong showing through the season and into the tournament, Guo fell behind in the championship match at 1-5, 3-6 and 5-9. Yet, she rallied and, after tak- ing the first set, dominated the final set.
“I don’t think about the score but try and relax,” she said. “I was able to focus, and when I focus I feel better.”
Desert Vista coach Jeremy Williams calls Guo “a very special player.”
“Karen is not only a great athlete but a great student,” Williams said. “She leads by example and remains humble. You can’t say much more for a kind of student-athlete she represents.”
Guo excels in the classroom and was named the school’s Student-Athlete of the Year in both her freshman and sophomore years, and she transforms a high standard of intelligence into a powerful game. Her overhead slam is nearly impossible to return and Guo constantly remains confident on the court.
Guo reached the finals with an 11-5, 11-1 victory over Areta Buness of Xavier Prep while Panse advanced to the championship match with an 11-7, 11-3 victory over Samantha Berg of Red Mountain.
In the state-championship doubles match, the pair of Tara Garrestson and Kristin McCann of Mountain Pointe defeated Alexis Mee and Qindeer Kanwar of Chandler, 15-13, 15-13.