Wednesday Opponent Overview: Northridge

Last Season Review
Northridge will enter the 2009 season as our area's defending Regional champion. They ended the season on an impressive run, defeating Concord in the Sectional championship match, a match in which Concord had 7 match points to win the whole thing. It is something that the Northridge team will certainly not forget. Continuing to perform well under pressure, they defeated Warsaw 3-1 in a rain-shortened first round Regional match. Then they defeated East Noble 3-2 in the Regional championship before falling to Munster 5-0 in the first round of Semi-State.
They ended the season with a record of 15-3.

Returning Varsity Players

Nick Myers - One of the outstanding number two singles players in the area last year, Myers will look to take over the number one singles position that he challenged for the last couple of years. Against Bethany last year, Myers defeated Jonny Shenk as we shifted our lineup around to accommodate injuries. That match was over quickly and efficiently, with Myers winning 6-1, 6-0. Quick and efficient is a good way to describe Myers game, as he is very technically sound in every aspect of the game. He looks as if he has spent many hours honing his form on every stroke, which is a credit to him. I believe that Myers will be one of the top players in Northern Indiana next year and an All-District performer by the end of the season.

Dylan Pieri - Dylan Pieri was one of the many players who must have benefited greatly from Coach Doug Gossman's time with Northridge. At the beginning of the season, Ben Mast pulled off a great come from behind victory to defeat Pieri 0-6, 6-4, 6-4. And at that point in the season I would have said that Ben, our #1 JV player, deserved to win the match based on skill and talent. But by the end of the season, Pieri was playing a much more consistent brand of tennis. He pulled off an enormous comeback of his own, from down 1-5 in the third set against East Noble, to bring his team a Regional championship. I would think that this experience would buoy his confidence for next season. I really look forward to our matchup with him next season, as it should be a great match.

James Brandenburger - A member of number one doubles in 2008, Brandenburger is a steady performer. For the past two years he has partnered Blake Lukin, who will have departed due to graduation for the 2009 season. As often is the case with doubles teams, I have a hard time separating and evaluating individual players from other teams. I have long been an admirer of Brandenburger's doubles teams however, they always seem to stay steady under the course of pressure. Two years ago, Daniel and Mikey had them down 4-1 in the first set, but Brandenburger and Lukin didn't panic and came back to win the first set and steal our momentum. This year I watched them seal the team match against Warsaw in an intense second set tiebreak, that went to 13-11 I believe. In that match they fought off several set points. I believe that it was also Brandenburger's match in Sectional where the multiple match points were fought off. Either way, Brandenburger is a proven pressure player, something I admire.

Jeremy Runge - Jeremy Runge has provided some interesting matches for us over the past two years. In 2007, he played Jonny Shenk at three singles and we went into a long three set match. Jonny took the first set, but then Runge became more patient and won the second. In the third set, Jonny returned to his very patient ways, and won 6-0. Last year again, Runge played two doubles against Daniel Buschert and Seth Krabill, and it seemed that he and his partner (graduating senior Colin Chocola) were a bit anxious and over aggressive. They made many unforced mistakes, and provided little opposition, as Bethany won 6-1, 6-0. By the end of the season, these mistakes had been severely limited. In the first round of the Regional, they were able to defeat Warsaw's number two doubles to provide one of the precious winning points. So it seems progress was made here as well.

Other Possible 2009 Varsity Contributors

Cole Wogoman - lost 6-8 to Matthew Amstutz
Jeff Eash - defeated Mikey Kelly 8-5 (Mikey was playing left-handed)
Tim Wagner/Collin Roberts - defeated Kyle Miller/Austin Loucks 8-5

Outlook
This team has some serious holes to fill, but more than capable talent to do so. Losing All-District senior Jeff George will hurt, maybe not necessarily in the number one singles spot (as Nick Myers will probably be able to pick up the slack), but more likely at the bottom of the singles lineup. Also, it will be interesting to see how Jeremy Runge and James Brandenburger will be worked into the lineup, as they both lose doubles partners that they shared successful seasons with. Will they be paired together to make a new number one doubles team or will Brandenburger or Runge slide into the vacant three singles spot? These will be key questions for the Raiders, but they still have enough returning talent to have a successful season in the wins column. On top of this, they have a fantastic coach who seems to have really helped develop the talent they had at the beginning of the season. Coach Gossman is a big reason there will was a Regional title brought back to Middlebury. They will again be one of the top teams we play on our regular season schedule, a high marker for us to measure ourselves against.

Blessing
Lord, may You be in the work that these Raiders do to prepare for next tennis season. May You protect them as they put in time of concentration and learning. May each of them continue to develop talents and skills that You have given them athletically, just as we pray for ourselves. Thank You for the talent You gave them, and for the success they were able to have this past season. May You continue the work in their lives that You have started.