Hamilton and Sunnyslope is becoming a must watch affair.

For the second year in a row, they battled for the Division I badminton team crown.

And just like last year, the Hamilton Huskies were undefeated and seeded No. 1 heading to the final.

But unlike last year, when it was upset by No. 2 Sunnyslope, Hamilton didn’t fade out in front of Desert Vista High’s bright championship lights. This time, during those anxious moments, the Huskies responded like champions do to beat Sunnyslope 5-3 on Saturday.

“Our girls were ready for that all year,” Hamilton coach Lauren Rosales said. “All week we prepared to stay calm under pressure, to block out the noise, and to focus on one point at a time.”

The Huskies let their coach do the nail biting while the title tilt was tied 3-3 after the singles matches.

“Leaving singles 3-3 was nerve-racking,” Rosales said.

But sophomores Katheryn Yi and Shreya Deshpande and Hayley Koh and Nihira Sane stepped up when their team needed them most.

Each doubles team won their matches in two very competitive games to close out the D-I tournament.

“After watching them the first few points of doubles, I knew they (every doubles team) had recentered themselves, and they were playing really well together,” Rosales said. “I’m very proud of them and how hard they worked this year. They were more prepared and more composed this year, and that’s what made the difference.”

In their team doubles final match, Yi and Deshpande defeated Sunnsylope’s No. 1 doubles team for the second time this season.

The Hamilton duo went undefeated in doubles this year. Sane and Koh didn’t drop a match as partners this season as well, helping the Huskies wrap up an 18-0 season and its second crown in the past three years.

Sunnyslope, which hasn’t lost a region match in the last 12 years, finished 16-2, with its two losses coming against Hamilton.

“The girls were very focused on beating Sunnyslope this year,” Rosales said. “They are always such a well-coached and competitive team. They show up in the big moments, and they are always such a tough competitor.”

Next year, when Hamilton returns every player on its 2024 roster, the players feeling nervous will likely be their opponents.

D-I team results

Hamilton’s No. 1 Nihira Sane def. Sunnyslope’s Annabelle Schlesigner 21-9, 21-12.

Sunnyslope’s No. 2 Eleni Economopoulos def. Hamilton’s Kathryn Yi 21-17, 22-24, 21-16.

Hamilton’s No. 3 Hayley Koh def. Sunnyslope’s Layton Hunter 21-17, 21-13.

Hamilton’s No. 4 Shreya Deshpande def. Sunnyslope’s Addie Orihuela 21-19, 21-18.

Sunnyslope’s No. 5 Delaney Chappell def. Hamilton’s Tania Pariva 21-17, 21-5.

Sunnyslope’s No. 6 Brianna Valente def. Hamilton’s Sunan Zhang 21-16, 21-18.

Hamilton’s No. 1 Shreya Deshpande/Katheryn Yi def. Sunnyslope’s Eleni Economopoulos/Addie Orihuela 21-9, 22-20.

Hamilton’s No. 2 Hayley Koh/Nihira Sane def. Sunnyslope’s Layton Hunter/Annabelle Schlesinger 21-17, 21-11.