Ironwood and Chaparral weren’t purposely avoiding each other.

Over the 12 past seasons, they just kept missing each other as they were moved into different conferences. But the long-awaited meeting between the two finally happened.

On Saturday, in a setting befitting the championship pedigree of the programs, they met at Desert Vista for the Division II team badminton title. As expected, the closely contested battles between their top singles players each went three games, with Chaparral winning both.

But from there on, it was all Ironwood, which defended its title with a 5-2 victory.

“They were playing for something bigger than just themselves,” Ironwood coach Brett Stafford said.

His players were aware of that as soon as they saw their strong fan base in the stands rooting for them.

Ironwood’s Alyssa Ridgley, Sophia Tijore, Mariya Peru-Ray, and Alexis Jones each swept their singles matches. Up 4-2, Ironwood only needed to win one doubles match to clinch the crown.

Before the doubles portion, Stafford gave his doubles teams a little pep talk.

“I told them, ‘Who can finish first?’” he said. “Who is going to end this for us?”

Madison Nguyen and Alexis Jones, Ironwood’s No. 3 doubles team, were up to the task, winning 21-10, 21-12, allowing Ironwood to start celebrating.

Ironwood’s No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams each won their first game and were leading in their second games before the tournament ended after Nguyen and Jones won. This was Ironwood’s fifth time in the last 12 years playing for a title (4-1 record).

For top-seeded Chaparral, the Firebirds, making their 11th team title appearance, finished with a 16-2 record this year.

Hadley Huffman, the state D-II singles champ, and Addie Seidel won their singles matches in the team final for Chaparral.

“Give Hadley credit,” Stafford said. “She played a great game the both times she played Madison.”

Ironwood, which hasn’t lost to a D-II team in the last two years, finished its 2024 championship campaign with a 16-2 mark.

Its two losses came to the teams that reached the Division I team final, Hamilton and Sunnyslope.

D-II team champioship results

Chaparral’s No. 1 Hadley Huffman def. Ironwood’s Madison Nguyen 19-21, 22-20, 21-16.

Chaparral’s No. 2 Addie Seidel def. Ironwood’s Sasha Tijore 18-21, 21-15, 21-18.

Ironwood’s No. 3 Alyssa Ridgley def. Chaparral’s Addie Scott 21-12, 21-14.

Ironwood’s No. 4 Sophia Tijore def. Chaparral’s Emerson Lewis 21-10, 21-11.

Ironwood’s No. 5 Mariyah Peru-Ray def. Chaparral’s McKenzie Tover 21-5, 21-4.

Ironwood’s No. 6 Alexis Jones def. Chaparral’s Pallavi Narayanan 21-5, 21-14.

Ironwood’s No. 3 doubles Madison Nguyen/Alexis Jones def. Chaparral’s McKenzie Tover/Sophia Peries 21-10, 21-12.