Members of the University of Toronto Varsity Blues badminton team participated in two provincial championships over the courts of the weekend (March 20-22) across Ontario.

Shilin Cheung picked up a first-place finish in both women’s singles and doubles action at the Ontario B provincial championships in Oshawa, Ont., while up-and-comer Mark Chang placed second in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories at the central Ontario junior championships in Trenton, Ont.

A fifth-year veteran and team captain of the Varsity Blues badminton team, Cheung (Hong Kong) was named a 2008-09 OUA all-star and was Toronto’s nominee for OUA MVP. She was undefeated in doubles action with teammate Caroline Cheung and recorded only one singles loss to OUA MVP Jennifer Lam of the Western Mustangs this season.

Shilin Cheung defeated Vivian Kwok (Suria, B.C.) 21-6, 20-22, 21-15 to claim the singles gold medal before pairing up with Vivian Tam (Ottawa, Ont.) to earn a first-place finish in doubles action.

In other action Dustin Yu defeated Georgian College’s Jonathan Pointer to win the B flight at the Ontario B championships.

Mark Chang was the lone Blue to reach the podium at the central Ontario junior championships in Trenton, Ont. this weekend. Despite not participating in OUA competition this season, Chang was the Blues most improved player this year and will look to make an immediate impact in 2009-10.

In a hard fought battle, Chang fell to a very experienced Kyle Thompson (Port Hope, Ont.) 21-19, 27-25 to earn a silver medal in men’s singles.

In doubles action, he paired up with Patrick Buckley (Pickering, Ont.) and easily garnered a spot in the finals without dropping a set in the preliminary rounds. Unfortunately, the duo met the number one seeds, Kyle Thompson and Phil Tungate, in the finals and fell 21-13, 21-13.

Chang was then partnered with Lindsay Dunford (Peterborough, Ont.) in the mixed doubles category and again was very successful in the first and second rounds. The pair faced Thompson and Rebecca Hawthorne (Port Hope, Ont.) in the finals where, despite some extended rallies and strong play, Chang and Dunford fell short 21-15, 21-19.

The Varsity Blues return to action April 3-5 at the Ontario U-23 provincial championships in Barrie, Ont.