Bustard, Hasse in rivalry

Heidi Bustard and Lisa Haase are co-captains for the DownersGrove North badminton team and are the best of friends.

But they've found out that on the court, they're better offapart.

Paired at No. 1 doubles for the Trojans for half of the season,Bustard and Haase are concentrating on singles now and should giveDowners North a pair of state title contenders at the state meet May10-11 at Evanston.

Coach Don Moravec entered the season with a wide-open lineup anddecided to try Bustard, who finished fourth in state doubles lastyear with partner Clare Crawford, and state singles qualifier Haaseas a doubles entry.

The duo posted a solid 12-3 record but wasn't clicking on allcylinders. Moravec made up his mind after they finished second atthe Hersey Invitational that breaking them up was easy to do.

"They had to go three games in all but one match at Hersey, andit was apparent that it wasn't working," Moravec said. "I went tothem and said I don't think doubles is the thing for you. They havea lot of talent, but they just didn't play well together.

"I think part of it was that they're both headstrong and bothpower players. It can work, but you also have to have a sense ofwhere your partner is and what she's going to do. Doubles is so muchfaster than singles and if there's the slightest hesitation, you'rein a lot of trouble."

If Moravec's doubted having the pair concentrate on singles, itwas erased at last week's New Trier Featherfest when Bustard wasrunner-up to defending state champion Angela Zemla of Palatine at No.1 singles and Haase won the No. 2 singles division.

"Separately we both had the ability, but it just didn't seem toclick," Bustard said. "I really like playing doubles, but when wegot on the court we both got pretty frustrated. Lisa and I had neverplayed together before this year. Lisa has always been more singlesoriented and I think that was in the back of her mind."

Bustard's over-all individual record is 17-3, including a 14-3mark at No. 1 singles. Haase is 19-1 (17-0 at No. 2) and her onlyloss was to Zemla in a quadrangular.