Our Hero Award

Sorry for the hiatus. I both had trouble with the internet here at school (early last week) and flew to Colorado to officiate the wedding of my sister (late last week). So here I am, back at school, back in the flow, and ready to hand out another award.

Throughout the year, there are many exciting matches that we get to take part in. That is what makes memories. In some of those matches, we come out victorious. In some of those matches, we fall to our foes. But if someone consistently comes up big under pressure, they find themselves as a team hero.

This year, we had one team come through under pressure multiple times. Twice they won matches for the team by closing out opponents and sealing 3-2 victories. 5 out of 6 times they won the third sets that they played in (their only 3rd set loss came in a super tiebreak).

First, they helped us beat Jimtown early in the season when we had to forfeit a position because Mikey could not continue his match. After winning the first set, Jimtown stole the momentum by taking a very close second match and sending the decider into a third set super tiebreaker. But Kyle and Austin came through, from being down 6-3 they pulled out 7 straight points in the tiebreak to seal the win for themselves and for Bethany. It was a great moment of victory for them, and set the tone for a heroic rest of the season.

In their next close match, they took on an undefeated team (that was named to the All-District team this week) from Triton. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Austin and Kyle roared back to take the second set 6-3. The third set went back and forth, with Kyle and Austin holding a 5-3 lead and poised to take the game. The team match was tied at 2-2, and this was a big victory on the season for us. Austin and Kyle gave away the lead, but were able to take the third set to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak they performed valiantly, never falling to the pressure but staying aggressive. They won 7-5, and the team won 3-2.

Those are great herioc memories, and they rival ones created by other late match heriocs through the years. The Triton match is one of the great Bethany matches ever that I've coached. And it gives future players the goal to aspire to. Congrats to our heroes, Kyle Miller and Austin Loucks.