LHS Senior Becomes School’s First Badminton State Qualifier

LEMONT, IL — Lemont High School senior badminton player Karla Pulido etched her name in the school’s record books thanks to her performance in sectional competition. The school said Pulido won the singles crown at the IHSA Plainfield East Sectional on May 2 to earn a berth to the 2019 IHSA Badminton State Finals, which will be contested from May 10-11 in Charleston on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

Pulido is the school’s first badminton sectional champion, but she also is the first state finals qualifier from head coach Olivia Mattingly’s program, which is in just its second season of competition, according to LHS.

Pulido won all three of her contests in the singles flight, including two that went to three sets. She overcame first-set losses in both the quarterfinal and semifinal matches, and won the title match in straight sets, the school said.

The 2019 IHSA Badminton State Finals will begin with matches on Friday, May 10. Pairings will be announced early next week.