By Andre Fernandez
When senior Katarina Slazas first played a badminton match for Miami Palmetto High, she lost.
It was a wake-up call and a turning point for Slazas, who would spend the next four years becoming one of the best players in Miami-Dade County history.
“It was an eye-opener,” Slazas said about that loss to open her career. “I put in a lot more effort and time to get where I am now.”
Slazas wrapped up her high school badminton career on Wednesday the way she has every time she stepped on the court since - a winner.
Slazas completed a career sweep, winning her fourth girls’ singles individual GMAC championship in four years while leading the Panthers to their fourth team title in a row.
Slazas, who has also played soccer during her career at Palmetto, dominated the field once again and beat Hialeah Gardens’ Annabelle Calles 21-5, 21-1 in the final. None of Slazas’ opponents in this year’s tournament even reached double-digits in points against her.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” Slazas said. “I’m really grateful to coach (David) Zarco. I couldn’t have made it this far without his help.”
Although Gardens didn’t get the victory in the matchup with Slazas, the Gladiators had a champion in boys’ singles when junior Joshua Peralta outlasted Coral Park’s Leandro Villalobos, a former GMAC champion who beat Peralta at this year’s Youth Fair tournament. Peralta prevailed in three sets, 18-21, 21-11, 21-11.
“Last year, I lost and got second place and was very disappointed with myself and unmotivated,” Peralta said. “But I kept on playing and training and even though I lost to him at Youth Fair, I had another battle I had to go through. I won, but I feel like it was bittersweet. I hope I can come back and win it again next year.”
Peralta said his loss at Youth Fair actually helped him calm his nerves and prepare himself for a possible rematch with Villalobos on Wednesday.
“That flipped everything for me,” Peralta said. “I think I got over the fear of losing and playing Leandro and I just relaxed and composed myself when I played games.”
Zarco guided Palmetto to another team victory, although this year, the Panthers were tested by runner-up Coral Park.
Palmetto finished with 17 points and only six points ahead of the Rams, who were led by mixed doubles champions Danny Hernandez and Aaliyah Soto. Hernandez and Soto beat Palmetto’s team of Joshua Cohen and Ilana Damski 19-21, 21-15, 21-9 in the mixed doubles final.
As has become almost traditional at Palmetto, its boys’ and girls’ doubles teams put together strong performances to win those two divisions.
Nicholas Jagers and Frederick Landsea paired up this season and finished off a strong year by beating Braddock’s tandem of Leonardo Pinera and Yeitzon Matos 21-16, 21-17. On the girls’ side, Khanh Duong and Alexandra Morgado beat Coral Park’s Isabella Morales and Julie Vital 16-21, 21-16, 21-11, which helped Palmetto cement the team championship.
RESULTS
Team scores: 1. Palmetto 17; 2. Coral Park 11; 3. Hialeah Gardens 7; 4. Sunset 6; 5. Braddock 3; 6. Southwest and Coral Gables 2; 8. Goleman and Reagan 1.
Individual results - Boys’ singles: Joshua Peralta (HG) d. Leandro Villalobos (CP) 18-21, 21-11, 21-11; Girls’ singles: Katarina Slazas (Pal) d. Annabelle Calles (HG) 21-5, 21-1; Boys’ doubles: Nicholas Jagers/Frederick Landsea (Pal) d. Leonardo Pinera/Yeitzon Matos (Brad) 21-16, 21-17; Girls’ doubles: Khanh Duong/Alexandra Morgado (Pal) d. Isabella Morales/Julie Vital (CP) 16-21, 21-16, 21-11; Mixed doubles: Danny Hernandez/Aaliyah Soto (CP) d. Joshua Cohen/Ilana Damski (Pal) 19-21, 21-15, 21-9.
