This is All-City.

Lowell’s undefeated season, the playoff win, the championship title, it all whirled down to this. After winning the championship trophy May 11, the team traveled up the competitive bracket. Everyone was there: reporter Phil Wong, who has been covering the high school sports beat for the San Francisco Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle since 1976; Joe Zlatuvich, athletic head of the AAA division; even Comcast’s SF Youth Sports made a triumphant return and set up next to Lowell’s camp, and went so far as to eat some of the team’s sushi.

Before the Cardinals attempted to rise to glory in All-City, they handily beat Wallenberg 5-0 sweep during the playoffs and Washington 3-2 in the championship, their hardest-fought win of the season.

One of the many bright spots in the match were juniors Nancy Mei and Jaqueline Ng. The pair, who had been doubles partners for only three days, surprised themselves and most of the competition when they quickly fought up the bracket to third place.

Joanne Poon, badminton MVP

Meanwhile, the first-seeded Lowell doubles team, seniors Maria Chow and Serena Zhu, defeated the Washington doubles team that had beaten Lowell’s third starting doubles squad.

As Chow and Zhu’s game ended, sophomore Sophia Lee began her third place game against a Washington singles player. She woreo an uneasy smile as her game started, the different factions of fans filling the stadium with a high-pitched scream. Lee’s was the only game left on the court.

Bullet-sized drops of sweat shot from the players onto the hardwood. “C’mon, Sophia,” P.E. teacher Carolyn Louie, an avid enthusiast, said under her breath. “Play hard!”

In the end, though, Lee lost her game, 2-1, and settled with fourth place. However, Mei believes that Lee is “next in line to the throne” after junior team captain Joanne Poon graduates.

Poon was the second seeded singles player and the only junior in the top three in the singles competition. However, awaiting her in the final was Lincoln senior Yan Li, a badminton child prodigy from China.

As the battle progressed, Poon began to show signs of frustration, while Li remained stoic. Visibly tired and disappointed, Poon lost to Li, 0-2.

Most Valuale Player

Despite the heartbreaking loss in the final, The Lowell’s choice for the team MVP is junior Joanne Poon. Lowell might not have advanced as far as it did, or even have uniforms, without Poon, according to Zhu.

The team’s starting singles player, Poon has set the example for the team. Lee praised Poon’s determination, and cited Poon as her role model on the team.