By: Gary Evans, A Community Contributor

10/01/2009 -- Towson's mixed varsity badminton team defeated Pikesville High, 9-2, in a league contest played Thursday .

In a game between two of Baltimore County's badminton powerhouses, the Towson Generals made the statement that they are the team to beat in Division 1.

Pikesville traveled to Towson and played before the largest crowd of the season. The Panthers left after the Generals put nine wins on the scoreboard.

The score, however, was not indicative of the closeness of the match. In boys' singles, the No. 1s got off to a scorching start. Pikesville's Mick Koppenhaven was winning before Towson's Guoshang Xiao came back to win the first game, 17-15. Xiao took the second game and the match, 15-4.

In No. 2 boys' singles play, Towson's Blessan Sebastian defeated Pikesville's Jamison Kyman, 15-5. Using a strong net game, Kyman came back to win the second game, 15-13. Ultimately, Sebastian won the third, 15-1.

Pikesville did post wins in girls' No. 1 doubles as Sasha Polyanskaya and Rebecca Riter beat Natalie Francis and Angela Lee, 15-12, 8-15, 15-11 in a nail-biter of a contest.

Also winning for the Panthers was their No. 2 boys' doubles tandem of Max Needleman and Nitin Sampathi.

Towson goes to Perry Hall next week before hosting Western Tech.