Boranah, Ortega top mixed doubles C

The pair of Kim Boranah and Joel Ortega was the first team to win a championship in the 2011 Shirley’s Badminton Classic after sweeping its finals foe last Saturday night at the TSL Sports Complex.

Boranah and Ortega defeated Kanata Omori and Cleofe Santos in the mixed doubles C title game, 21-4, 21-14.

The eventual champions advanced to the finals after winning two games in the playoffs. They first downed Jerome Malasarte and Chris Obaldo, 21-19, 21-18, to arrange a semis tiff against Brandon Talania and Wendy Fernandez, who survived Elna Curate and Luis Camacho in the other pairing in the first round of the playoffs, 21-7, 19-21, 21-6. In the semis, Boranah and Ortega prevailed anew, 21-18, 16-21, 21-16, to move into the championship game.

Omori and Santos had an easier route to the finals as they automatically advanced to the championship match after sweeping the elimination games, 6-0. Then Omori and Santos didn’t play for several days, as they waited for their finals opponents and when it was game time, they were lethargic and could not keep pace with Boranah and Ortega.

Ortega and Boranah raced to a 12-2 lead and never looked back to take the first game. In the second game, Omori and Santos played better, but Boranah and Ortega were more aggressive, out-hustling their well-rested but sluggish foes.

Meanwhile, the championship games of the four other divisions were played last night, but results were unavailable at press time.

In the mixed doubles lower A finals, it was Gary Bandoja and Hannah Choi versus Toshiko Obata and Dick Guintu. Bandoja and Choi marched into the title game after sweeping their elimination round games, while Guintu and Obata booked the second championship ticket after slipping past Annette Quiambao and Ferdie Arago in the semis on Saturday night, 21-16, 14-21, 21-18.

Bandoja also played in the mixed doubles B and teamed up with Oh In Sook. They were scheduled to battle the championship against Oh Imbog and Toshiko Obata, who prevailed over Marylyn Montano and Lito Mendoza in the semis, 21-17, 21-13.

In the elite mixed doubles A finals, Guintu and Choi earned a chance to challenge the unbeaten tandem of Angie Ito and Andrew Galvez. Choi and Guintu marched into the finals after topping Arago and Lani Bartolome in the semis, 21-10, 21-14.

The mixed doubles 40-and-above finale featured the undefeated pairs of Guintu and Sook and Mario Diola and Choi.