Letters from West Noble

Dear Varsity,
I have two messages for you brothers, after today's match. First of all, we've got to come into each match with the intensity that we did the Fremont match, and then sustain it with our play. Tonight, most of our positions came out a little flat. Even where we didn't we lost our edge as we gained a lead. Tennis is a mental sport. You have to get an edge and keep it. Otherwise things turn quickly. Like they did in #1D tonight. We were off and West Noble steamed to a 5-1 lead. Then we got aggressive and intense and reeled off 9 of the next 10 games. But we lost the first set before winning the second. Despite our momentum, we were in a third set and got nervous and tentative again. West Noble's guys got the edge and ran with it, talking encouragement to each other between each point. They finished off a Charger victory. But my those changes. We need to get momentum and keep it.

We did that at a couple positions tonight, and that was one of the things that allowed us to win the match. Byeong Min and Jesse both had their "A" games from the get-go. Their consistency and well timed attacks frustrated opponents and there was no let up. We won the first sets comfortably and then kept attacking. We need to see these types of efforts across the board, match after match.

The second message, and the second factor that helped us win, was our play under pressure tonight. Both Sol at #3S and Landon and Ryan at #2D performed impressively under pressure. Despite that, only #2D was able to pull off a victory. But combined with Jesse and Byeong's complete games, that was enough for a team victory.

Sol, I was impressed with your mental fortitude to capture the second set. Playing a consistent player, a "dinker" as some say, takes a lot of poise. When you lost the first set after leading 5-4, I thought the second set would be quick and bad. But you kept at it. You were smart. You changed strategies. You hit a variety of shots. You hit aggressive overheads, approaches and volleys. I also know that you know why you lost the super tiebreaker. And that's a start... next time we'll swing through.

And #2D, I'd have loved you to put away that match when you were up 4-1 in the second. Then nerves have no play in the match. But you didn't, and you even went down 6-5 in the second before the tiebreak. But under the tiebreak pressure, you played with confidence and aggression. Everything that we've been preaching. I don't know if you realized but you hit 2 putaway volleys and 4 overheads (including 3 over the fence :-) to finish off the 7 points in the tiebreaker. Talk about getting forward and taking it to them!

All in all, I'm very proud of the team. We've had a tough week, and we've ended it with two pressure filled 3-2 wins. Hopefully this will be the springboard to some confident play.

Dear Junior Varsity,
8-3 is a popular scoreline eh? All three wins came that way. We are solidly taking care of our opponents this season, and hopefully that continues today as you play at Jimtown. I love the way that you've performed no matter where I put you. Do you realize that we've had 4 different players play #1 singles this season? And 3 different #1 doubles combinations? Or that everybody except for 2 people have played at least a match of singles and a match of doubles? Your versatility will serve you well as you prepare for playing varsity. Don't be afraid of any type of match. Just do what you do with confidence.

Dear Bryce,
I'm sorry that your playing time this season is coming to an end. It has been inspiring to watch you fight through injury, and, while I'm glad you have a medical answer, I'm sorry it means you can't play anymore this season. Tonight, I was glad to see you gutting it out against an opponent who looked like he could have competed for their #2 varsity singles spot. I'm really excited about your potential. So get well, get strong, and come back to hit some bone-crushing forehands when you are ready!

Dear God,
Thank You. You have provided for joy. In the moments where we sit behind the last match on the courts, eating and cheering and into it for one another... in those moments I am so thankful. I know that many teams have this tradition, but there is a support and a love amongst our team. Please allow us to speak that to each other, to tell each other that we are always there for each other.

Moment of Sheer Beauty
No moment made me smile more broadly than Jesse Amstutz's match at #1S. Jesse has played some great matches this season. Twice he has gone to three sets. At Goshen, he held a 6-5 lead in the first set when the rains hit and couldn't finish the set when we picked up a week later. Transitioning to #1 is tough, there are no easy opponents.

So congratulations on getting that first win tonight Jesse! The way you played, controlling your opponent and stepping up to attack the net, well, it was beautiful. It there was any one point to pull out of your match, I think I'll most remember one in the first set where the ball was dropped short with slice and you came and attacked it with control and angle, because it had dropped near your shoelaces. You picked it up and curled it down the line, followed it in, got ready, and put the backhand volley crosscourt for the winner. In control, under control, with aggression. Winner.

Moment of Savage Beauty
There's no doubt here. No doubt at all. Landon Weldy, in the 2nd set tiebreak, to win the match for the Bruins. Despite the pressure, despite the situation, Landon hit two overheads smashingly. Down with power into the court, and to make sure that the opponent had no chance, he pounded them so that they leapt over the court and into the second bank of courts behind. It was also so satisfying because this match was a similar script to the Jimtown match. But we didn't let that script play out in our mind. Instead, we focused on exactly how we wanted to play. Ball in the court. Feet moving quickly. Two to the net. Overheads all around. Savagely done.

SCORES

Varsity
#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 6-1, 6-1 - Jared Swank (11)
#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-0, 6-1 - Kolten Peterson (11)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 5-7, 7-5, (7-10) - Josh Gaff (11)
#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 4-6, 6-1, 3-6 - Ryan Kendall (11)/Grant Moser (11)
#2D - Ryan Duckworth/Landon Weldy - 6-2, 7-6 (3) - Trey Waring (12)/Jacob Musselman (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Ethan Lapp - 8-3 - Luke Moore (10)
#2SJV - Bryce Miller - 5-8 - Luke Moore (10)
#1DJV - Lane Miller/Brandon Nguyen - 8-3 - Tyler Clouse (12)/Marcus Weimer (9)
#2DJV - Jackson King/Daniel Robles - 8-3 - Tyler Clouse (12)/Marcus Weimer (9)

Area Scores

Sectional Opponents
EAST NOBLE 4, FAIRFIELD 1
1. Austin Mohamedali (EN) def. Adam Yoder 6-4, 6-4.

2. Evan Hart (EN) def. Landyn Nunemaker 6-4, 6-1. 

3. Cory Wagner (EN) def. Clayton Bender 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

1. Nathan Azzarito/Joseph Line (F) def. Adam Albertin/Kyle Manns 6-1, 6-3. 

2. Aaron Beard/Adam Dills (EN) def. Andrew Hoover/Isaac Miller 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

GOSHEN 5, LAKELAND 0

1. Hudson Kay def. Austin Buonocore 6-0, 6-3. 

2. Evan Beck def. Christian Roose 6-1, 6-0. 

3. Hugh Birky def. Isaiah Lehman 6-0, 6-4. 

1. Logan Troyer/Luke Rush def. Ian Sonner/Anthony Combs 6-0, 6-3. 

2. Dirk Oyer/Giaovanni Aguayo def. Tony Koluder/Drew Grossman 7-5, 7-6 (8-6).

Season Opponents

NORTHRIDGE at PENN INVITATIONAL

Crown Point 5, Northridge 0

Marion 4, Northridge 1 - Northridge won #3S

Penn 4, Northridge 0

Letters from Fremont

Dear Varsity Team,
I was impressed tonight with your initial energy. We came out onto the courts flying, I believe we won the first game at every single position and really looked like we were ready to play. Against Goshen on Wednesday, we looked flat as matches started. Today we looked fired up. The fire turned into big first set wins at almost every position, with doubles both winning first sets of 6-0 for #1D and 6-1 at #2D. Byeong Min Lim got a good first set win as well, while Sol Brenneman had to fight it out in a close one. Only Jesse at #1S dropped his first set.

The tides turned a bit in the second sets. I was proud though of how you kept your heads. #1D had to fight off an opponent who suddenly began to play with confidence. Fremont ripped forehands especially and finished off big overheads to challenge Hans and Simon. In a close second set, the #1D match was forced into a third set. At #2S, Byeong Min suddenly found himself down 0-4 to start the second set, which was very surprising considering the ease at which he'd won the first. Feet got a little slow, which happens when we lose our focus. Sol's went back and forth at #3S, only to fall in the second set.

As matches like this become tight, it's important to remember our tactical triangle. What's your strategy? What's your mentality? What are you hitting well? #1D entered the third set with renewed confidence. "Going and getting it" instead of "letting it happen" is a huge part of playing under pressure. #1D began to convert their serves and volleys, they cut off the middle of the net. They made plays. At it turned out for the best in a 6-3 third set win.

And Ryan and Ethan, well they also "went and got it." It was a joy to watch Ryan control the net the way he did.

At #2S, Byeong Min started moving his feet and he won a game. Then he won two. In a back and forth pressure filled game, he finished a forehand down the line to take the third game. In fact, from 0-4 down he came back to take a 5-4 lead. But the match wasn't done. Junior Logan Miller denied a match point from Byeong and tied the match up at 5-5. But team, Byeong then relaxed and just played how he wanted to play. If I could bottle that mentality and give it to you all, I would. Byeong looked smooth and in control under pressure. I was glad to see him play that way. His win clinched the match for us! And he deserved that, because he wasn't thinking about that, he was just playing every point.

Dear Junior Varsity Team,
You played another confident match against a good junior varsity team. I was really proud of the way you focused and attacked against opponents that were (in general) more experienced than you were. Now that same confidence level needs to be maintained against players who are at or above your own level. That's the next step to becoming varsity players, which I can't wait to see that step happen. Brandon smashing forehands, Bryce lacing backhands, Lane cracking overheads, Lucas controlling long rallies with his forehand, Daniel chasing everything down, Jonathan popping volleys from the middle of the net, Jacob with his devastating topspin, Dustin's one hand backhand beauties and Joel hitting overheads between his opponents legs. Let's do these things to our own varsity, to other good teams, and grow in the process!

Dear Byeong Min,
I'm grateful for our beginning of the season. I'm grateful that you listen so well. I'm grateful that you keep such a good attitude. I'm grateful that you never quit. You clinched the match for us tonight, coming for 0-4 down in the second set to seal the deciding point. And you did it by focusing on little steps and how you swing. I have nothing for praise for the way you sealed up that match. It was a good one. Your opponent was a great player. Keep up the way your playing. But what I loved even more was what you did after we sang Sarasponda (continued in the next letter . . .)

Dear Byeong Min, Brandon, and Jacob,
After the matches, it is such a joy to see you guys out hitting the ball. You go out and hit after you've played a match simply because hitting a moving tennis ball is fun! I love that. That's the joy and the relaxation I wish we'd bring to all of our competitive matches. I also love that you are hitting more together. I know that right now you are sophomores, and so you are waiting for rides and just killing the time. I hope that as you get older, you continue to stick around late into the sunsets, just killing the tennis ball because it is fun!

Dear God,
Thanks for a good night last night. The weather was great. The match went well. Help us to continue to learn that it isn't about winning and losing but instead about how we play. Just like life is really not about the outcomes, but instead about how we live together. Help us live together like You live amongst us, with goodness, joy, faith and love.

Moment of Sheer Beauty
There is just radiant joy in watching our young guys play. At Goshen I loved watching Dustin and Joel, at Concord it was a blessing to watch Jonathan and Lucas. They play with such intensity and fun. They truly look like they enjoy the game. No where was that more evident than when Lucas and Joel were playing doubles tonight. Lucas crept over to pinch the middle off of one of Joel's serves to the ad court and his opponent lifted a shot down the alley. It looked a sure winner. But there was Joel sprinting across the baseline from his serving position. Just before the ball hit the ground Joel swept it over the net. So surprised was the Fremont player that he netted the volley. He wasn't prepared for the hustle from Joel. The varsity team seated behind the court burst into cheers for the great rundown of the ball. And Joel burst into his smile!

Moment of Savage Beauty
We played an intense match today. Everybody came to play with a fire. Because of that, there were a lot of savage plays. There was Ryan's whole net game. There were Sol's piercing volleys. There were Hans's overheads, Lane's overheads, Bryce's overheads . . . There were lots of points that could be nominated.

But I'm going to recognize Simon Hurst here. His picture is on the award so it seems like he should get it every once in a while right. In the third set tonight, he finally performed the way he wanted to under pressure. At some points, that involved simply putting the ball back into play. But at some points, that involved stepping up to the ball and ripping his forehand. On one point in particular, he stepped into a weak return and crushed it up the line. His opponent stuck out a racket, but the force of Simon's shot knocked the racket backwards and sent the ball straight up in the air. Simon was so into the point, so energized and focused, that he shuffled to the net to finish the ball if the weak shot came over. It didn't but bounced just in front of the net. It was a powerful, confident play made at the right time - by a player who was simply playing how he wanted to.

SCORES

Varsity
#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 2-6, 1-6 - Blake Trusty (12)
#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-2, 7-5 - Logan Miller (11)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 6-4, 5-7, 2-6 - Brandan Arnos (11)
#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 - Wade Regedanz (10)/Evan Trusty (9)
#2D - Ryan Duckworth/Ethan Lapp - 6-1, 6-2 - Jeremy Seiler (11)/Matt Armstrong (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Jacob Gonsalves - 8-2 - Alberto Figueroa (12)
#2SJV - Jackson King - 8-1 - Joe Conti (10)
#3SJV - Daniel Robles - 8-2 - Thayne Camp (9)
#1DJV - Landon Weldy/Brandon Nguyen - 8-1 - Drew Sullivan (12)/Connor McCann (12)
#2DJV - Bryce Miller/Lane Miller - 8-2 - Kyle Boekhout (12)/Jayce Colclasure (10)
#3DJV - Dustin Miller/Jonathan Yousey - 8-0 - Cole Thomas (9)/Jacy Blades (9)
#4DJV - Lucas Brownsberger-Keyes/Joel Yoder - 2-8 - Jordan Rode (11)/Nathan Midtgard (10)
#5DJV - Jacob Gonsalves/Daniel Robles - 6-1 - Dylan Wesenfelder (9)/Caleb Shannon (9)

Area Scores

Sectional Opponents
FAIRFIELD 5, CHURUBUSCO 0
1. Adam Yoder (F) def. Luke Lillmars 6-0, 6-3.
2. Landyn Nunemaker (F) def. Landen Lillmars 6-2, 6-2.
3. Clayton Bender (F) def. Derek Bowyer 6-1, 6-3.
1. Nathan Azzarito/Joseph Line (F) def. Seth Borwn/Colin Mullins 6-1, 6-0.
2. Andrew Hoover/Isaac Miller (F) def. Jacob Howe/Justin Schrock 6-0, 6-1.

GOSHEN 5, WESTVIEW 0
1. Hudson Kay def. Stephen Gierek 6-0, 7-6 (7-5).
2. Evan Beck def. Zach Schrock 6-1, 6-0.
3. Luke Rush def. try Zabona 6-0, 6-1.
1. Logan Troyer/Zach Troyer def. Andrew Yoder/Jeryl Weaver 6-1, 6-1.
2. Peter Vukovich/Andrew Vetter def. Taylor Eash/Benson Stoltzfus 6-2, 6-0.

NORTHWOOD 3, CONCORD 2
1. Will Boyer (C) def. Jared Hoffman 6-4, 6-0.

2. Mitch Boyer (C) def. Ryan Menzie 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

3. Evan Nix (N) def. Spencer Jaenichen 6-0, 6-1.

1. Quinn Stillson/Caleb Yoder (N) def. Aaron Allen/Riley Hoffer 6-2, 6-3. 

2. Nick Myers/Devyn Maugel (N) def Nathan Hermon/Braden Fish 6-1, 6-3.


Season Opponents
WEST NOBLE 4, WAWASEE 1
1. Cal Heinisch (Ww) def Jared Swank 6-4, 6-3.
2. Kolten Peterson (WN) def. Cameron Brill 6-2, 6-3.
3. Josh Gaff (WN) def. Nathan Perek 6-1, 6-2.
1. Grant Moser/Ryan Kendall (WN) def. Todd Hauser/Jake Hutchinson 7-5, 6-2.
2. Trey Waring/Jacob Musselman (WN) def. Brayton Fretz/Nate Haines 6-2, 6-3.

BELLMONT 3, BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN 2
1. Selking (Bel) d. Hoover 6-4, 6-3
2. Bailey (BC) d. O’Campo 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
3. Alines (Bel) d. Hall 6-4, 7-5
1. Vastbinder/Fiedler (BC) d. Baker/Selky 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
2. Fullenkamp/Hess (Bel) d. Gnagy/Angelo 6-1, 6-3

PENN 5, ELKHART CENTRAL 0
1. Michael Wang (P) def. Eric Burton 6-0,6-0.
2. Jacob Macri (P) def. Andrew Salmon 6-0, 6-0.
3. Stewart Feeley (P) def. Matt Stutzman 6-0, 6-0.
1. Brendan Butler/Mason Lee (P) def. Scott Hanberg/Will Riblet 6-0, 6-4.
2. Thomas Gifford/Tim Porsche (P) def. Adam Deshone/Christian Lankford 6-2,6-2.

LEO 3, ANGOLA 2
1. Steiner (L) d. Cavelage 6-1, 6-3
2. Nofziger (A) d. Herran 7-5, 6-4
3. Honer (A) d. Christlieb 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
1. Lukemire/Brandenberger (L) d. Sager/Lehman 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
2. Roth/Lomont (L) d. Nofziger/Davis 6-3, 6-4

Tournament Opponents
HIGHLAND 3, ANDREAN 2
1. Michael Kinasiewicz (A) d. Brett Sabo 6-3, 6-0
2. Jake Brown (A) d. Anthony Juranovich 6-3, 6-1
3. Anthony Kowalkowski (H) d. Evan Karpen 6-1, 6-1.
1. Jack Gluth-Tyler Betustak (H) won by forfeit
2. Nick Donsbach-Matt Cotner (H) won by forfeit.

WHEELER 4, MERRILLVILLE 1
1. Jack Hibbard (W) d. Ayron Williams 6-1, 6-0
2. Trent Foster (W) d. Steffan Santiago 6-1, 6-2
3. Montriel Shell (M) d. Dru Carrigan 6-1, 7-6.
1. Austin Greiner-Christian Rosta (W) d. Alonzo Brown-Jason Bell 6-3, 6-0
2. Drew Simatovich-Josiah Lee (W) d. Marcus Miller-Derel Shell 6-7 (4-10), 6-4.

WABASH 4, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 1
1. Kody Fuller def. Trevor Neeley, 6-1, 5-7, 7-5
2. Taylor Vigar def. Wyatt Nelson, 6-3, 7-5
3. Keith Wright (TV) def. Luke Mattern, 7-6, 5-7, 10-8
1. Cal Stone/Aaron Hartley def. Nick Caudill/Kane Steller, 6-4, 6-4
2. Aidan Benysh/Adam Driscoll def. Cole Walter/Dakota Parke

PERU 5, TAYLOR 0
1. Logan Primerano def. Camden Kimbler 7-5, 6-2.
2. Jose Morales won 6-2, 6-0
3. Jack Zvers won 6-3, 6-0
1. Brandon Bales/Carson Ray won 6-1, 6-1
2. Peru won 6-1, 6-1 

Letters from Goshen

Dear Varsity Team,
I know that we all fought hard last night. I know that it is difficult to finish matches. I know that it is really hard to restart a match where you were playing so well and got a lead, only to be interrupted by the rain. And really, that's part of what happened. For the most part, we were playing great tennis last Thursday when this match started. We had taken the lead at several positions and were trying to close it out when the rains hit.

Coming back out, credit to Goshen, they had taken a new attitude and attacked with aggression. We didn't meet that as well as we could have. We got put on our heels and honestly looked scared. At #2D, we had won the first set but then lost 3 out of 4 games to lose the second. At #1D, we lost the first 5 games played to be forced to a second set. At #1S, we lost 2 points to force a tiebreak, then lost the tiebreak to lose a heartbreaking first set. Those setbacks are difficult to overcome.

Interestingly, at #3S the opposite happened, we had lost the first set but turned it around to win the second. Sol played aggressively with nothing to lose and took the set. So the match ended up coming down to 3 third sets.

And we lost each of the 3rd sets, including the #2D and #3S in third set tiebreaks, #1D by the score of 6-3.

And as tough as that was to swallow, let's stop and look at this with realistic eyes. We've got to play better and focus on how we're playing the points, not what the score is. We know that. We've got to do that now. But, look how close we were in this match with a good team. We know we need to get better, but the truth is that we're very close to being a great team. The thing that is left, to put us over the top is winning close matches.

Dear Junior Varsity Team,
Your first night of tennis at Goshen was not so good. In the restart, things went much better. I'm especially proud of the freshman, who all picked up wins tonight. Every time I looked over, it looked like you guys were having fun and enjoying yourselves. That's what I long to see. Make sure you bring that in support of the varsity guys too, and vice versa, because that's what makes the whole team a joy to be with!

Dear Joel Yoder,
Congratulations on your first win. Pretty nice, isn't it? I'm glad that you've come out for the team because you have such a delightful and joyful spirit. You are a great example of how we'd like the team to compete, and you're only a freshman in your first year playing the game! I'm glad that you got to get a victory early in the season.

Dear Luke Hostetter,
It was great to see you briefly. I'm sorry I didn't get more time to catch up with you. It's been inspiring to see your adventures through the lens of Facebook, your skiing and ultimate frisbeeing and whatever else you are doing now. But it would have been even better to talk with you about it. Come back to our Fremont match tonight, maybe I'll even have you do some coaching. Having two members of our Sectional winning team on the coaching staff would be amazing :-)

Dear God,
Thanks for the day yesterday. Thanks for my brothers. I am teaching in class this week that You are a God of covenants, agreements that are based in relationships. When we go through hard times, when we go through great times, it's the relationship that we hold on to. Roll back any veils that cover our eyes and let us see the truth in that. We are joined in with our brothers on the tennis team, and thick or thin, confident or scared, we will work through it together. We are committed to You, and thick or thin, confident or scared, afraid or joyful, we want the peace of God that transcends all understanding to be the place we work through it all - with You. In Jesus name we come to You. Amen.

Moment of Sheer Beauty
Dustin, you and Joel worked together so beautifully last night to get the win. I didn't see many of the points, but when I did it made me smile. On one point in particular, Joel was returning serve and hit the ball out and you turned to him and said something, then smiled and bounced over to your spot to hit your return. I can only imagine that you encouraged him, because he laughed and got a big grin on his face too. That's the essence of doubles, the way to play the best. That's also the essence of being on a team. Hope you guys had fun, because I had fun just looking over there from afar!

Moment of Savage Beauty
In tense situations, it's difficult to finish points. We tense physically, and we don't swing freely, loosely and with power. Sol's comeback in the match last night (which was awesome by the way) was all based on loose and freely swung approach shots and pounding the ball away at the net. That becomes more difficult when the match gets tighter and closer. Still, on the fourth point of Sol's tiebreak, Luke Rush tried a lob that was just behind Sol. Instead, of retreating and simply flipping it back into the court, Sol took several shuffles back, leapt up and crushed the ball. It slammed into the court and then into the fence. It was a moment that I was extremely proud of in a close match.

SCORES

Varsity
#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 6-7 (2), 2-6 - Hudson Kay (11)
#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 3-6, 1-6 - Evan Beck (11)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 2-6, 6-4, 6-7 (3) - Luke Rush (11)
#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 7-5, 1-6, 3-6 - Logan Troyer (10)/Zach Troyer (12)
#2D - Ryan Duckworth/Ethan Lapp - 6-1, 1-6, 6-7 (5) - Peter Vukovich (12)/Andrew Vetter (12)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Jacob Gonsalves - 1-8 - Jacob Grewe (10)
#2SJV - Daniel Robles - 3-8 - Drew Weddle (11)
#3SJV - Lucas Brownsberger-Keyes - 4-7, ret. - Dirk Oyer (11)
#4SJV - Landon Weldy - 8-4 - Simon Myers (9)
#5SJV - Brandon Nguyen - 8-2 - Gabriel Castro (?)
#1DJV - Landon Weldy/Brandon Nguyen - 6-8 - Zach Ganger (11)/Hugh Birky (10)
#2DJV - Bryce Miller/Lane Miller - 8-6 - Giovanni Aguayo (11)/Corbin Harrison (11)
#3DJV - Jackson King/Jonathan Yousey - 8-1 - Bobby Sessa (10)/Drake Hostetler (11)
#4DJV - Dustin Miller/Joel Yoder - 8-6 - Aidan Strite (10)/Nathan Burns (10)
#5DJV - Bryce Miller/Lane Miller - 8-1 - Unknown / Unknown

Area Scores

Sectional Opponents
JIMTOWN 3, BREMEN 2
1. Mikey Pawlak (J) def. Krent Hueni 6-2, 6-2.
2. Bryce Devine (B) def. Holden Price 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
3. Michael Gray (J) def. Chandler Snyder 6-1, 6-2.
1. Austin Ingle/Tommy Fostr (B) def. Brock Johnson/Ben Janowski 6-3, 6-1.
2. Isaac Pope/Hunter Price (J) def. Carter Filchak/Zac Burkholder 6-2, 6-1.

FAIRFIELD 4, NORTHWOOD 1
1. Adam Yoder (F) def. Jared Hoffman 6-1, 6-1.
2. Landyn Nunemaker (F) def. Devyn Maugel 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2.
3. Clayton Bender (F) def. Ryan Menzie 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
1. Caleb Yoder/Quinn Stillson (N) def. Joe Linie/Nathan Azzarito 6-2, 6-3.
2. Andrew Hoover/Isaac Miller (F) def. Nick Myers/Brock Beehler 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2.

Season Opponents
KNOX 3, TRITON 2
1. Jordan Anderson (K) beat Jared Fisher 6-3, 6-2

2. Gavin Eads (T) beat Hunter Gilbert 6-2, 6-4

3. Daulton Materna (K) beat Spencer Glingle 6-2, 6-2

1. Austin Sellers-Alex Eib (T) beat Jacob Albon-Jacob Heinman 7-5, 7-6

2. Tyler Wallingford-Kooper Brocker (K) beat Ben Waggoner-Dalton Bailey 7-6, 6-7, 7-5

NORTHRIDGE 3, WESTVIEW 2
1. Stephen Gierek (W) def. Landon Arnold 6-4, 6-1.

2. Simon Grevengoed (N) def. Zach Schrock 6-4, 6-4. 

3. Luke Wogoman (N) def. Trey Zabona 6-3, 7-5.

1. Andrew Yoder/Jeryl Weaver (W) def. Ted Field/Sam Hoover 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), (10-6). 

2. Austen Schmidt/James Dugle (N) def. Taylor Eash/Benson Stoltzfus 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 7-5.

ANGOLA 3, EAST NOBLE 2

1. Mohahedali (EN) d. Calvelage 6-4, 6-4

2. C. Nofziger (A) d. Hart 6-3, 6-0

3. Honer (A) d. Wagner 6-1, 6-0

1. Albertin/Manns (EN) d. Sager/Davison 6-2, 6-0

2. Davis/E. Nofziger (A) d. Beard/Graden 6-0, 6-0

Tournament Opponents
TAYLOR 4, TIPTON 1
Taylor lost #1D

A Question, Words and Song: Proseuche and Deesei

Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Devotional Series
#1 - Kyrios
#2 - Merimnao
#3 - Epieikes
#4 - Meta Eucharistias and Gnorizo
#5 - Proseuche and Deesei

The Question: Isn't it about more than me?

From the beginning of the season, starting with the "Sheer and Savage" series, we've been emphasizing our need to GIVE. Especially to others. But our devotional series has focused in on our own wounds. What about others?

We certainly need to be looking out. A new book has just come out about the journey of discipleship. It's thesis is that we start our journey very excited about the promise of faith. Then we learn and grow in our knowledge. Then the knowledge is put to the test in some sort of doubt. From the doubt, we have to move inward to deal with our wounds. Then we move outward in service of others.

I think we can see the same thing in many areas of our life. In faith, but also in tennis. We were coming to terms with our doubt and fear. But perhaps now it's time to add something to that. We never stop taking our own requests, fears, angers and such before God. But what else is there?

The Words: Proseuche and Deesei

The passage in Philippians reads "by prayer and petition." What's the difference? Is this just saying the same thing over in two different ways?

Yes and no. Yes, the words mean similar things. They both indicate prayer, a communication with God about needs. But the difference is where it's interesting. Proseuche is simply an overarching word for prayer, but deesei are personal needs. Things that are just for you.

Well, but isn't that what general prayer is? Praying for our own needs? The passage here is hinting or suggesting something different I think. I believe that it's suggesting that the best way to understand prayer is in its grandeur. For things way larger than ourselves. Prayer, as Jesus teaches us, looks like this:

"Our Father in heaven,
Your name is holy.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
For Yours is the power, and the honor, and the glory, forever. Amen."

What do we notice right off about the prayer? If look at the 8 different parts, only 2 of them (25% of the prayer!) are about personal needs. Two parts cover worshipping who God is as a way of declaring trust and relationship with God. Three parts cover giving authority to God, acknowledging our dependence. Another part is about what we will do for others. So yes, prayer is way larger than ourselves. It communicates with the Creator about eternal truth. That what the major part of proseuche is concerned about.

And yet, deesei. Personal needs are still part, and still to be brought before the good and giving God. We are important to God as individuals, and so our unique thoughts, needs and desires are to be brought in all their honest quirkiness and realness to God. We should even bring God our unique weaknesses and failures, the places that we've sinned and long to be forgiven. This is all wrapped up in prayer and petition.

In every situation, we should bring our recognition of the God of the universe and our hopes for others alongside our own needs and desires. In every situation, hold up others to God as well as yourself. Never get tricked, even in prayer, into thinking that it's just about you.

What does this mean for tennis?

There are many other brothers on this team that struggle the same way as you. There are many others who must fight through fear, doubt, anger and sadness. Are you so deep into your personal needs that you forget about them in prayer? No, in every situation, even the tennis match that seems to be just about you and you are panicking because your suddenly losing, even in that situation you bring others before God for prayer.

So stop for a minute. Think about the brothers you have on the team. Thank God for God's presence among us. Then truly delve into how you could pray for others on the team. Who do you know looked down? Who could you celebrate with in prayer? Who could you give thanks for? How could you lift others than you up to God's ears.

We've always said, the less you can think about yourself the better. So here's the Biblical invitation to that. Keep your prayers focused on many others.

At the same time, deesei. Personal needs. Here we go back to the words for the last devotional. While we pray and hope for others, we simply present our real selves to God. We never hide this, even when we have a desire or a need. So we keep our prayer open to all and share honestly with God how we feel.

The Song: "Bread and Wine" by Josh Garrels

"Weave your heart into mine . . ." We become united as a team in many ways, taking each other to the Lord in prayer is one of them.

Area Scores

Combined Results for Monday and Tuesday matches

Sectional Opponents
FAIRFIELD 5, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS 0
1. Adam Yoder def. Tyler Johnson 6-0, 6-1
2. Lanydn Nunemaker def. Chandler Sailor 6-1, 6-0.
3. Clayton Bender def. Ben Atline 6-0, 6-0.
1. Nathan Azzarito/Joseph Line def. Justin O’Connor/Logan Walters 6-0, 6-0
2. Andrew Hoover./Isaac Miller def. Justin Sutera/Lukas McClanahan 6-0, 6-1.

GOSHEN 5, JIMTOWN 0
1. Hudson Kay def. Mikey Pawlak 7-5, 6-3.
2. Evan Beck def. Holden Price 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 10-7.
3. Luke Rush def. Ben Janowski 6-0, 6-3.
1. Logan Troyer/Peter Vukovich def. Brock Johnson/Hunter Price 6-1, 6-1.
2. Zach Troyer/Zach Ganger def. Isaac Pope/Ben Clarke 6-1, 6-2.

Season Opponents
CARROLL 5, BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN 0
1. Houser d. Hoover 6-2, 6-0
2. Radke d. Bailey 6-0, 6-0
3. VanWyngarden d. Hall 6-0, 6-0
1. Legere/Stanchin d. Vastbinder/Fiedler 6-3, 6-3
2. Davis/Yager d. Gnagy/Norton 6-1, 6-0.

BISHOP LUERS 3, BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN 0
1. Hoover (BC) d. Klotz 6-7, 6-1, 6-4
2. Scheible (BL) d. Bailey 6-1, 6-2
3. Brown (BL) d. Hall 7-5, 6-1
1. Vastbinder/Fiedler (BC) d. E. Woehnker/J. Woehnker 7-6, 6-4
2. Palmer/Mauch (BL) d. Gnagy/Norton 6-1, 6-2

Tournament Opponents
HIGHLAND 5, MERRILLVILLE 0
1. Brett Sabo (H) d. Ayron Williams 6-1,6-3
2. Anthony Kowalkowski (H) d. Steffan Santiago 7-5, 6-3;
3. Matt Cotner (H) d. Montriel Shell 6-4, 6-7(4) retire.
1. Anthony Juranovich-Jack Gluth (H) d. Alonzo Brown-Jason Bell 6-0, 6-0
2. Tyler Betustak-Nick Donsbach (H) d. Marcus Miller-Deion Charleston 6-3, 6-1.

LOWELL 5, PORTAGE 0
1. Zeb Johnson (L) d. Dengke Wang 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3
2. David Delgado (L) d. Tyler Joseph 6-1, 6-1
3. Tucker Malkowski (L) d. Makiey Sobczak 6-3, 6-1
1. Ben Roesel-Jayson Savich (L) d. Kody McGuire-Jesse Bustos 6-2, 6-2
2. Dan Fleming-Austin Ingram (L) d. Alex Tsoris-Michael LaKomek 6-3, 6-3.

WAWASEE 3, CENTRAL NOBLE 2
1. Cal Heinisch (W) def. Mason Krieger 6-1, 7-5.
2. Nate Haines (CN) def. Ethan VanWagner 6-4, 6-2.
3. Nate Perek (W) def. Tanner Rose 6-1, 6-2.
1. Jake Hutchinson/Todd Hauser (W) def. Caleb Harlon/Reggie Porter 6-1, 6-1.
2. Tom Hayes/Tray Phillips (CN) def. Brayton Fritz/Derek Stutzman.

Letters, August 26

Dear Team,
Um... I want to play matches too. In fact, I pretty walked around after school today with a permanent scowl (or so I was told by Benji :-) Thank you for your graciousness and joy. You too could have complained about hitting in the gym or having to run the halls. But you were understanding. Incredible maturity. And last night when we drove all the way to Laville and didn't play, yeah, you laughed and went and played on the swings. Again, incredible maturity. I have enjoyed the last two days despite not playing. It was fun to smash some balls at you during Japanese Speed Training. And it was amazing to eat fried burritos dripping with cheese sauce with you :-)

Dear Hans, Simon & Sol,
I've often been writing this early season to team members who need encouragement because they've hit some rough patches in their matches. You guys, in the completed matches, have played excellent. But I don't want you to believe that you are forgotten or unimportant. As a matter of fact, it's the opposite. The positive energy you all bring, Sol staying calm on the singles court and Hans and Simon sharing high fives and smiles on the doubles court, you need to bring that to everybody on the team. That's why I love that during Jesse's long 3-setter against Jimtown Sol was quoting "Office Space" to keep Jesse in a good mood. It's why Hans and other players should perfect the air-five to pump each other up during the matches. And why Simon has to smile and encourage his fellow sophomores as they improve. Let that positive energy be infectious, and continue to have fun!

Dear Lucas & Jonathan,
Speaking of sweet doubles teams, you guys always play well together. #2 doubles champions at the Angola Middle School Tournament in 7th grade and now opening up your winning accounts together in high school against Concord. But the thing I love the most about you is your love of the hard work. When it rained (again) today, Jonathan smiled and said "I hope we run." A couple of weeks ago, when I asked if Lucas was ready for a tough practice in the heat, he shyly smiled and said, "Well, actually, yeah." You know it is only the hard work that makes us get better, and you continue to get better.

Dear Jared Donaldson,
I feel really good about American tennis when I watch you and Stefan Kozlov (even Noah Rubin for that matter). You don't pout as you play. You give it all you got, even after going down two sets to none against a powerful Gael Monfils. Even though you are only 17. I wish my players could have watched the match last night. Monfils hits some of the most incredible winners, and you didn't let it faze you. Just come back to the line, throw up the serve and fire away. Incredible poise and firepower. I hope to see more in the future!

Dear Brooklyn Nine-Nine,
Thanks for being my mindless crashing place when I'm so frustrated with the weather I could crush a magic 8-ball. I can't believe how good your cold opens are. I wish our first games of every set could be as good as trying to figure out whether Kelly is Scully's wife or his dog.

Dear God,
You are incredibly good. Look at the men that are around me each day. Standing with each other as they go through baptism. Standing with each other in the rain. Standing together when we win and when we lose. Thanks, but that type of joy only comes because You are the foundation. Be the foundation, every single day.

Area Scores

This may be updated as I find more specifics...

Sectional Opponents
At DeKalb Invitational

TEAM SCORES: 1. ANGOLA 27; 2. East Noble 25; 3. NORTHWOOD 19; 4. Bellmont 18; 5. DeKalb  14; 6. Norwell 12; 7. WEST NOBLE 10; 8. Jay County 0.

- NorthWood results: #1S: 6th - Jared Hoffman; #2S: 4th - Devyn Maugel; #3S: 3rd - Ryan Menzie; #1D: 1st - Caleb Yoder-Quinn Stillson; #2D: 5th - Nick Myers-Brock Beehler.
- Angola results: #1S: 3rd - Chris Cavelege; #2S: 3rd - Craig Nofziger; #3S: 1st - Jake Honer; #1D: ???; #2D: 1st -Jaxon Davis-Eric Nofziger
- West Noble results: #1S: 4th - Jared Swank; #2S: ???; #3S: ???; #1D: ???; #2D: 4th - Trey Waring/Jacob Musselman

GOSHEN 3, FW NORTHRUP 2
GOSHEN 5, SOUTH BEND CLAY 0
GOSHEN 5, ELKHART MEMORIAL 0
1s — Hudson Kay 1-1, Evan Beck 1-0.
2s — Beck 1-0, Zach Troyer 1-0, Jacob Grewe 1-0.
3s — Grewe 0-1, Hugh Birky 1-0, Drew Weddle 1-0.
1d — Luke Rush/Logan Troyer 1-0, Peter Vukvoich/L.Troyer 1-0, Z.Troyer/Zach Ganger 1-0.
2d — Vukovich/Ganger 1-0, Andrew Vetter/Rush 1-0, Corbin Harrison/Vetter 1-0.

GOSHEN 5, WEST NOBLE 0
1. Hudson Kay def. Grant Moser 6-2, 6-1.
2. Evan Beck def. Jared Swank 6-0, 6-1
3. Zach Troyer def. Josh Gaff 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
1. Logan Troyer/Peter Vukovich def. Ryan Kendall/Jacob Musselman 6-2, 6-3
2. Zach Ganger/Luke Rush def. Trey Waring/Kolten Peterson 6-0, 6-4.

Season Opponents
FREMONT 5, LAKELAND 0
1. Blake Trusty (F) def. Austin Buonocore (LL) 6-0, 6-0
2. Logan Miller (F) def. Christian Roose (LL) 6-3, 6-0
3. Evan Trusty (F) def. Isaiah Lehman (LL) 6-0, 6-2
1. W.Regedanz/J.Seiler (F) def. I.Sonner/A.Combs (LL) 6-2, 6-3
2. B.Arnos/A.Figueroa (F) def. T.Koluder/D.Grossman (LL) 6-1, 7-5

FREMONT 5, FORT WAYNE SNIDER 0
1. Blake Trusty (F) def. Matt Krites (SN) 6-4, 6-2
2. Evan Trusty (F) def. Austin Votaw (SN) 6-2, 6-1
3. Logan Miller (F) def. Nick Miller (SN) 6-0, 6-2
1. W.Regedanz/J.Seiler (F) def. C.McKuras/B. Blackwell (SN) 6-1, 6-1
2. B.Arnos/A.Figueroa (F) def. D.Thompson/N.Habig (SN) 6-0, 6-3

LEO 4, FREMONT 1
1. Eli Steiner (LE) def. Blake Trusty (F) 6-1, 6-0
2. Logan Miller (F) def. Reid Herran (LE) 6-4, 2-6, 10-5
3. Tyler Christlieb (LE) def. Evan Trusty (F) 6-1, 6-2
1. D.Lukemire/I.Brandenberger (LE) def. W.Regedanz/J.Seiler (F) 6-4, 6-3
2. D.Lomont/J.Jackaci(LE) def. B.Arnos/A.Figueroa (F) 7-5, 6-1

TRITON 5, SOUTH BEND ADAMS 0

1. Jared Fisher beat Matt Stoner, 6-2, 6-3
2. Gavin Eads beat Kieran McKenna, 6-2, 6-0
3. Mace Eads beat Lucas Juaregui, 6-1, 6-0.
1.  Austin Sellers-Spencer Glingle beat Will Kline-Cary Thomas, 6-1, 6-1

2. Ben Waggoner-Dalton Bailey beat Dmitri Steele-Dzhamal, 6-1, 6-3

TRITON 4, MISHAWAKA MARIAN 1

1. Jared Fisher (T) beat David Hicks, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
2. Gavin Eads (T) beat Max White, 6-3, 6-3
3. Sam Cressey (M) beat Mace Eads, 6-0, 6-3
1. Austin Sellers- Spencer Glingle (T) beat Zac Ericson-Cameron Rafinski, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
2. Ben Waggoner-Dalton Bailey (T) beat Dominik Rafinski-Joseph Vu, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Tournament Opponents
At Peru Invite
CENTERVILLE 3, ALEXANDRIA 2
PERU 3, CENTERVILLE 2
CENTERVILLE 3, TWIN LAKES 2

At Lewis Cass Tourney
EASTERN 3, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 2
LEWIS CASS 4, EASTERN 1
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 5, EASTERN 0

Letters from Concord

Dear Varsity Team,
Today was a historic day for our varsity program. We played Concord at home for the first time ever, and we defeated them for only the second time only. Concord was a young team, only one senior and a freshman playing #1S, but a talented team. They gave us a challenge with their energy and aggression early in the matches. Several of their players swung freely and hit unbelievable shots, passing us down the alley and rocketing some approach shots.

But we didn't worry about it. Today we just played the next point. Time and time again we played simply and smartly and well. I so appreciated our team attitude today. It was calm and confident. I appreciated your play also. The way Sol took care to keep the ball in and hit good approaches before finishing. The way that Byeong played loose and took the ball confidently on each point. The way Hans and Simon putaway volleys right through the middle. Ryan and Ethan had great hands and smart, consistent play. And Jesse, despite falling in three sets, had great shots throughout the match, especially approaches and short balls.

Great job today! Way to finish off matches and stay confident. It feels good to get our first win of the season, doesn't it?

Dear Junior Varsity Team,
You also played a great match today. I was especially impressed with how you responded from being severely challenged on Thursday and moved forward to this match. Today you were the ones who played with confidence and aggression. Daniel, I loved watching you fly around the court to run down every ball, and your forehand is truly nearing a varsity quality shot. Jackson, your forehand is there, and you used it to control your match. Doubles players, the power and movement that you played with made you difficult to handle. Dustin, way to keep your head and battle it out even when you were struggling with some of your shots. And Joel, you kept playing and swinging and going for it. I enjoyed watching it all. The more you play like this the better you'll get and the more ready for the harder challenges.

Dear Byeong Min,
You played amazing today! Way to just play every point. Now on to the next match, which is where your next point is...

Dear Lucas and Jonathan,
You finished your first match today. And I have to say, you got a little bit of everything. A good start, a tight match, bad line calls, changing tactics within the match. And you both played to your strengths tonight, which is so important. Lucas, you hit to the corners well and kept the groundstrokes in. Jonathan, you dominated the net, especially after you started hitting the angles. Most likely, these strengths will stay with you the whole time you're playing tennis (and they'll get more and more dominant). Enjoy them, they are your tennis gifts! And I might also add that I loved the point at the end of the match where you had a line call go against you, and instead of getting mad, you simply stayed calm and won the final two games to win your match!

Dear Humidity,
Ummm . . . go away please. I don't like sweating just because I'm standing outside.

Dear Tennis Ball Can,
I know now why Scott Hottell, my old tennis coach (and current coach) at Angola, uses you all the time as a water bottle. With all the stuff I have to get around for a tennis match, carrying a water bottle for myself is not something I remember. And then I spend the whole match jogging back and forth and getting super thirsty but with nothing to drink from. Today, I stayed nicely hydrated in the aforementioned humidity.

Dear God,
May we rejoice in You! After a win it is so easy to get wrapped up in the good feelings that come from winning. But that's not the important thing, You are.

Moment of Sheer Beauty
Byeong Min has the most beautiful of practice strokes. Last year we used to joke about him being a drill all-star. If we did a passing shot drill that would have a champion, every time it would be Byeong. This year, he's continued to have great practices, but sometimes it hasn't worked over into his matches. Today, he had a moment of sheer beauty. When our practice perfect matches up with our match perfect, that is a joyful thing. After a long rally with his junior opponent Mitch Boyer, Byeong was forced wide to his forehand side. Running out into the doubles alley, Byeong whipped his forehand down the line before Boyer even had a chance to split step. It was amazing!

Moment of Savage Beauty
This was the hardest category today for sure. There was a lot of solid solid, aggressive play today. Most of the #1D match was aggressively played. Then there was Lane Miller's smacking of a high forehand volley into the chest of his opponent who hadn't backed off the net. There were Byeong's winners and Sol's aces (2 in a row at one point!) All through the JV there were nominees, like Jonathan's overheads and Lucas and Bryce's forehands. But today, the award goes to Ryan Duckworth for a big play under pressure.

Tied at 1-1 in the second set, with Ryan serving, #2D went into a long game. Into deuce several times. Several times the Minutemen doubles team had a chance to take a 2-1 lead and put some second set pressure on the Bruins. Ryan and Ethan saved several break points, then took an advantage for the first time. With the Ad-In, Ryan let loose his only big serve of the match, pounding it into the backhand corner of the Ad box. The Minutemen player could barely get his racket on the ball, and Ryan and Ethan had established their lead in the match. They never lost another game.

SCORES

Varsity
#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 6-1, 4-6, 2-6 - Will Boyer (9)
#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-0, 6-1 - Mitch Boyer (11)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 6-0, 6-0 - Alex Dias (10)
#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 6-3, 6-1 - Aaron Allen (12)/Riley Huffer (11)
#2D - Ryan Duckworth/Ethan Lapp - 6-0, 6-1 - Braden Fish (11)/Nathan Hermon (10)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Jackson King - 8-3 - Spenser Jaenichen (12)
#2SJV - Daniel Robles - 8-2 - Jake Lovette (10)
#3SJV - Dustin Miller - 8-5 - Jacob Shetterly (9)
#4SJV - Joel Yoder - 0-8 - Gideon Butler (10)
#1DJV - Landon Weldy/Brandon Nguyen - 8-3 - Tate Nicoson (10)/Brandon Pletcher (10)
#2DJV - Bryce Miller/Lane Miller - 8-1 - Kell McGee (11)/Broc Johnson (9)
#3DJV - Lucas Brownsberger-Keyes/Jonathan Yousey - 8-5 - Tate Nicoson (10)/Broc Johnson (9)

Letters, August 22

Dear Varsity, 
We started the match playing much better tonight, with much better confidence and attitude. I loved your honesty throughout the matches, trying the best you could to keep yourself in control of your mentality and strategy. My favorite thing was the way we were dealing with adversity. Both #1D and #1S had chances to put away the first set and were denied, yet stayed calm and positive and took the advantage again. Sol lost the first set, then responded by fighting through the next games, making the long and continuing to compete. It was fun to coach last night!

Dear Jesse Amstutz,
You said my three favorite words last night, and they really hold the key to how good you can get this season. I'm sure you know which words I'm talking about, "This is fun." Tennis is fun, and when we play like it is we play so much better. And you were playing excellent last night. I'm glad you enjoyed it!




Dear Junior Varsity,
When a good team is put in front of you, it is an opportunity. Those matches are the ones who will remember forever. Let me tell you my story:

Sophomore year of college I got drawn in the conference tournament against the #1 seed from Taylor University, who had beaten 6-2, 6-1 in the regular season. He was a hard serving lefty who liked to serve and volley. He also happened to be the coach's son. We played late at night because it was raining, and all of the tournament matches had been moved from 12 outdoor courts to 5 indoor courts. We were almost the last match off. He was supposed to beat me and was really good, so I just went for it. Every return I tried to put at his feet. Every serve I tried to pound it or place it in difficult places. If I lost, I was going to lose playing confidently. And if I lost, well, I was supposed to anyway. I won the first set 6-0 and because it was the conference tournament and several teams wanted Taylor to lose, I had a lot of fans cheering me on. I kept up the play in the second set, and my opponent got frustrated, but he also played better. He ended up beating me 6-4 in the second set and also in the third. But that match taught me how to play. Over the next two years I only lost about 5-6 singles matches, because I learned to play this loose confident style.

Last night, you played a talented and experienced team. No freshman were on that team, and only a couple of sophomores. They were good. But we looked mentally intimidated. When we you play good opponents, don't be scared of losing. Instead, enjoy the awesome points! If you win them, you might get your opponent frustrated. If he gets frustrated, you might win! It's nothing but a great opportunity, so smile and go get them.


Dear Team Moms,
You are great. You cheer for us. You come to the matches. You type up funny sayings that make us smile and put them on our lockers. Then you make great food for us to eat at the matches. It was fun last night to dodge the drips from the deck by the Goshen courts and eat together as a team, long after our opponents had left for home. It was fun to sit and joke and enjoy being with each other, and you really help make this possible. Thanks!

Dear Weather,
You are not so great right now. This week has been very frustrating as we wait to see what happens in the skies. Last night, every time we went to think about loading the bus, it would sprinkle again. Then, in the midst of our tight match, it really rained. I wonder, maybe you are just testing our joy. But you did give us one great gift too, we got to watch the Bryan Brothers together and think about how we get better. That was awesome.

Dear Antigua,
For the second time in a row, we went with a relatively unknown company for our tennis shirts. Last time, with Duc, we were really happy - thought it was even better than Nike or Adidas. Now we went with your jerseys, with their classy collars and all. And they are awesome. "They are like church clothes that feel like pajamas that you can play your tennis matches in." Very happy with the shirt!

Dear God,
May we rejoice in You always! As the season goes along, let us continue to take time for the one thing that is needed - time to sit and listen to You. We can get so busy, with homework, tennis practice, matches, washing our tennis shirts, eating, wasting time . . . let us take deep breaths and remind ourselves of Your presence and power.

Area Scores

Sectional Opponents
FAIRFIELD 4, BREMEN 0
1. Adam Yoder def. Krent Hueni, 6-1, 6-2
2. Bryce DeVine (B) led Landyn Nunemaker, 6-2, 3-6, 5-3
3. Clayton Bender def. Carter Filchak, 6-1, 6-0
1. Joe Line/Nathan Azzarito def. Austin Ingle/Tommy Foster, 6-2, 6-3
2. Andrew Hoover/Isaac Miller def. Chandler Snyder/Zac Burkholder, 6-2, 6-3

Season Opponents
ELKHART CENTRAL 3, CONCORD 0
1. Eric Burton def. Will Boyer, 6-2, 6-1
2. Andrew Salmon (Ce) tied with Mitch Boyer, 1-6, 6-4
3. Curtis Hill def. Spencer Jaenichen, 6-3, 6-0
1. Scott Hanberg/Will Riblet def. Riley Huffer/Aaron Allen, 6-1, 6-4
2. Adam DeShone/Christian Lankford led Braden Fish/Nathan Hermon 6-3, 5-4

SOUTH BEND ADAMS 5, LAVILLE 0
1. Donnell Williams beat Brandon Haisley, 6-1, 6-0
2. Kieran McKenna beat Adam Baker, 6-1, 6-1
3. Adams won by forfeit.

1. Greg Williams-Cary Thomas beat Dennis Feitz-Erik Eggebrecht, 6-0, 6-2
2. Dmitri Steele-Dzharyal Sarvalov beat Keanon Clemons-Dustin Royer, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

WESTVIEW 5, WHITKO 0
1. Stephen Gierek beat Cole Bechtold, 6-0, 6-4
2. Zach Schrock beat Alex Bechtold, 6-0, 6-0
3. Westview won by forfeit.

1. Andrew Yoder-Jeryl Weaver beat Alex Robbins-Austin Nettrouer, 6-2, 6-0
2. Taylor Eash-Benson Stoltzfus beat Jared Arnold-Nick Rose, 6-2, 6-2.

ANGOLA 4, WESTVIEW 1

Tournament Opponents
CENTERVILLE 5, RANDOLPH SOUTHERN 0
1. Brady Wagenknecht (CEN) def. Jake Wolfal 6-0, 6-0
2. Justyn North (CEN) def. Kory Slick 6-1, 6-1
3. Nolan Witte (CEN) def. Tyler Knotts 6-0, 6-0.
1. Craig Lair/Skyler Benedict (CEN) def. Nick Dunham/David Fisher 6-0, 6-0
2. Nathan Cheek/Blake Shook (CEN) def. Jordan McReynolds/Tyler Pegg 6-0, 6-0.

MADISON-GRANT 3, WABASH 2
1. Kody Fuller def. Clayton Retherford, 6-2, 6-1
2. Taylor Vigar def. Brandon Stowers, 6-2, 7-5
3. Trevor McNutt def. Luke Mattern, 6-3, 6-3
1. Brantley Butcher/Jordan Crume def. Cal Stone/Aaron Hartley, 6-1, 6-0
2. Luke Brown/Reid Eddleman def. Aidan Benysh/Adam Driscoll, 6-1, 6-1

A Question, Words and Song: Meta Eucharistias and Gnorizo

Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Devotional Series
#1 - Kyrios
#2 - Merimnao
#3 - Epieikes
#4 - Meta Eucharistias

The Question: How do we face our wounds?

Last week, the devotional had to do with the ways in which our insecurities and faults play themselves out. Some of us have come face to face with those realities this week. Pressure tends to push us into lashing out, and when we have been put under the pressure of the competition season, we've seen our react from some not-so-good places.

Just at Monday's match alone it was evident that we experienced fear and anger. In the aftermath some of us have experienced a lot of sadness. On the courts and on the bus we heard some of negatives coming out in complaining and comparing, but I think we honestly stood up and tried to resist those. We were honest about what we were feeling, even if it wasn't until the next day.

So what do we do with these emotions, these hurts, these fears, these angers - what do we do when they pop up?

The Words: Meta Eucharistias & Gnorizo

Back to our Philippians passage, where it reads, "in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

First thing to note, as we noted at the beginning of our season, everything circles around God. How do you deal with these negative reactions. Well, whatever course you take, whatever actions you do, whatever healing you get, the source of that will be in coming to God.

That's what we did yesterday. We walked the courts, the grasses, the railroad and muddy field and presented ourselves to God. But let's look at that a little bit, with the use of a couple Greek words.

The action described to deal with these things is "present." Present your requests to God. This is what we're supposed to do. So, you can stop right now and ask yourself whether you've even talked to God about what's going on in your head. But it becomes even more interesting in Greek. The word for "present" is gnorizo. It means to make known or reveal.

But it gets even more interesting when you look at the root words. Gnorizo has a connotation of intimacy. It is knowing someone on a deep and relational levels. It is knowing someone at their most transparent and honest.

So the action here isn't just tell God what you want (although that's part of it). The action here is to be deeply honest with God. Where are you really at? When the ball smacks the net to put your down 4-5 in the second set, where are you really at? God is looking for the real you to speak.

Along with the action is an attitude. With thanksgiving. Meta Eucharistias. Meta is the word that gets translated to "with." It more closely means "in togetherness with" or "in union with." Your prayer, your request, your making yourself truly known to God is joined in togetherness with something.

And that something is thanksgiving, eucharistias. This is a thankfulness born of dependence. It is an acknowledgment that you are not enough on your own. You might recognize the English word Eucharist in eucharistias. That's because the Eucharist, the remembering of Jesus' death, his broken body and his poured out blood, is an acknowledgment of our dependence on God. On Jesus.

In other words, how do you deal with the wounds and emotions?

You let your real self be known, and you do that in togetherness with the knowledge that you are dependent on God.

What does this mean for tennis?

You are dependent on God. But sometimes, you an arm around you to help you work through. Or a fist bump to pump you up.

You must begin with letting your real self be known to God, but it's not a bad idea to be sharing it with one (or more) of your brothers as well. We don't care about your position, or year in school, or anything else - we just love you. We'll help you work through it, and present ourselves in prayer for you too.

But the bottom line is, wherever you feel the pressure, the anger, the fear - be honest and let God know. Take your deep breath. Every breath in is gratitude, every breath out is fear. Give it honestly to God.

The Song: "Prologue" by My Epic

A simple prayer song, based on this quote: "May it be the real I that speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to." Let ourselves be known, in the midst of God and with each other.

Area Scores

Sectional
ELKHART CENTRAL 4, NORTHWOOD 1
1. Eric Burton (C) def. Jared Hoffman 6-0, 6-0.
2. Andrew Salmon (C) def. Devyn Maugel 6-2, 6-4.
3. Curtis Hill (C) def. Ryan Menzie 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.
1. Quinn Stillson/Caleb Yoder (NW) def. Scott Hanberg/Will Riblet 6-1, 7-6 (5).
2. Adam DeShone/Christian Lan (C) def. Nick Myers/Brock Beehler 6-2, 6-2.

Season Opponents
CONCORD 3, BREMEN 2
1. Will Boyer (C) def. Tommy Foster 6-2, 6-2.
2. Krent Hueni (B) def. Mitch Boyer 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
3. Bryce Devine (B) def. Spencer Jaenichen 6-2, 6-0.
1. Aaron Allen/Riley Huffer (C) def. Austin Ingle/Chandler Snyder 6-3, 6-4.
2. Braden Fish/Nathan Hermon (C) def. Carter Filchuk/Zac Burkholder 6-2, 6-1.

MANCHESTER 5, WEST NOBLE 0
1. Connor Eichenauer def. Grant Moser, 6-1, 6-0
2. Max Karg def. Josh Gaff, 6-1, 6-0
3. Brayton Spann def. Kolten Peterson, 6-4, 6-2
1. Noah Cain/Branden Scott def. Ryan Kendall Jacob Musselman, 6-2, 6-4
2. Matthew Pegg/Heath Dierks def. Trey Waring/Jared Swank, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5

Tournament Opponents
WAWASEE 3, LAKELAND 2
1. Cal Heinisch (W) def. Austin Buancore 6-2, 6-3.
2. Christian Roose (L) def. Nate Haines 7-6, 6-1.
3. Nate Perek (W) def. Isaiah Lehman 7-6, 7-6.
1. Ian Sonner/Anthony Combs (L) def. Jake Hutchinson/Todd Hauser 6-4, 3-6, 6-0.
2. Tyler Rhodes/Cameron Brill (W) def. Tony Koluder/Drew Grossman 6-2, 6-2.

Goshen Preview

Details: Thursday, August 21, at 4:30. The match will be played at Goshen Middle School.

Last Season Review: Last season we defeated Goshen, 4-1. The only losing position in that match was #3S, where Sol Brenneman lost.

3 Interesting Facts:
#1 - Let's start with Sol Brenneman. It looks like he'll be having a rematch with Luke Rush, who defeated him last season in a close two set match.

#2 - Six of the seven players that Goshen fielded in their first match played varsity last season for significant amounts of time. Only Evan Beck is new to the Goshen varsity.

#3 - Playing a same town rival is always interesting. These are the guys that we go to lessons with, went to elementary with, even guys that we go to church with or who live in our neighborhood. That should make the last fun, high intensity, but full of friendship and respect.

Goshen Details: The Redskins are 1-0 on the season. They defeated Mishawaka High School 5-0 on Monday night. That win doesn't reveal much about the team, but we did see how they set up their lineup to begin the year. Evan Beck has moved up quite a bit since his JV play last year, and they still return Hudson Kay to #1S.

Bethany Christian Details: We lost a close match that we were on the verge of winning Monday to Jimtown. The young Jimmies went on to defeat a second Sectional rival on Tuesday, nipping NorthWood 3-2. We need to bounce back against on second Sectional rival on the season. Our ability to be excited and confident about this match will go a long way.

Projected Goshen Lineup:
Individual Record in Parenthesis
#1S - Hudson Kay (1-0)
#2S - Evan Beck (1-0)
#3S - Luke Rush (1-0)
#1D - Zach Troyer/Logan Troyer (1-0)
#2D - Andrew Vetter/Peter Vukovich (1-0)

Outlook: Like I noted in the season preview posts, Goshen is one of the better teams that we will face this season. This certainly doesn't rule out the possibility of our beating them, but it is a match that we will need to be at our current best for. We have to figure out the whole "Triangle" of tennis for this match, playing with great strategy, strokes and with joy! I'm excited to put the past matches behind us. We are going to come out strong and play with confidence. We are going to relax and play tennis that is really fun to play and watch.

Letters, August 19

Dear Landon and Ryan,
Thanks for taking the time to go out to lunch with me today. But really, thanks for talking it out honestly and understanding. It's a difficult thing to be brothers with all of you and also be your coach. It's a balance that I struggle with every year. I want to thank you for committing to work through this with the team. We will persevere. This season, and every season, is about finding our starting point and working from there. We know what we need to work on. Let's do it. Let's move forward with confidence, and play with control. Let's continue to get those mental hiccups out in honesty, and pray to move past them.

Dear Byeong,
Keep talking to me. I want to know what's going on in your head. First of all, because I care about you. Secondly, only then can we find a way forward. I'm so glad we had a chance to talk about the "Triangle" of a tennis match - the mental, strategical and technical parts that have to come together to win. But it was even better to hear of your frustration, because it means that you care too.

Dear Sherry Good,
Thanks for caring about the good of our tennis team. Thanks for being a place for them to talk. Thanks for being a mother to a young man who is living without his mother right now. I love working at Bethany because I know that no one will fall through the cracks without someone making an effort to connect.

Dear Northridge,
Sorry. We should have played. That's all. I'm sorry.

Dear God,
If I'm being honest, I'm already breaking down. I'm stressed at school, stressed with tennis, stressed about making calls whether or not to play matches - and now I'm sick. I'm giving this all to You. I'm going to try to breathe deeper and remember You are as close as my every breath. That is where joy is.

Area Scores

Sectional
GOSHEN 5, MISHAWAKA 0
1. Hudson Kay (G) def. Nathan Vaughn 6-0, 6-0.

2. Evan Beck (G) def. Jarrett DeMonica 6-2, 6-0. 

3. Luke Rush (G) def. Alessandro Martellaro 6-0, 6-1.

1. Logan Troyer/Zach Troyer (G) def. Wesley DeMonia/Devin Jodway 6-1, 6-2. 

2. Peter Vukovich/Andrew Vetter (G) def. Ben Hutchins/Kyle Bolinger 6-0, 6-0

JIMTOWN 3, NORTHWOOD 2
1. Mikey Pawlak (J) def. Jarod Hoffman 6-1, 6-1.

2. Holden Price (J) def. Devyn Maugel 5-7, 6-1, 7-5. 

3. Ryan Menzie (N) def. Ben Janowski 7-6 (7-1), 6-2.

1. Quinn Stillson/Caleb Yoder (N) def. Hunter Price/Michael Gray 6-1, 6-0. 

2. Isaac Pope/Ben Clarke (J) def. Nick Myers/Brock Beehler 6-3, 6-2.

Season Opponents

LAPORTE 5, MISHAWAKA MARIAN 0

1. Michael Varda (LP) def. David Hicks 6-2, 6-0.

2. Bobby Barden (LP) def. Zac Ericson 6-2, 6-3. 

3. Tristen Maznuziak (LP) def. Sam Cressey 6-4, 6-2.

1. Morgan Arndt/Dru Kennedy (LP) def. Cameron Rafinski/Evan Kovatch 6-4, 6-2. 

2. Travis Upp/ Brogan Briggs (LP) def. Max White/Micheal Deranek 6-3, 6-1.

PLYMOUTH 4, ELKHART CENTRAL 1

1. John Hunter (P) def. Eric Burton 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

2. John Gerand (P) def. Andrew Salmon 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. 

3. Curtis Hill (C) def. Nate Knapp 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

1. Ryan Johnson/Matt Holloway (P) def. Will Riblet/Scott Hanberg 6-2, 6-2. 

2. Braydon Davidson/Nick Selke (P) def. Christian Lankford/Adam DeShone 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Tournament Opponents

MANCHESTER 5, WAWASEE 0

1. Connor Eichenauer (M) def. Cal Heinisch 6-3, 6-3.

2. Max Karg (M) def. Todd Hauser 1-6, 0-6. 

3. Brayton Spann (M) def. Nate Perek 0-6, 3-6.

1. Machester won first doubles match. 

2. Matthew Pegg/Heath Dierks (M) def. Brayton Fritz/Derek Stutzman 4-6, 7-6, 6-1.

CHESTERTON 4, HIGHLAND 1

1. Johny Mario (C) d. Brent Sabo 6-0, 6-0
2. Dylan Jayasuriay (C) d. Anthony Kowalkowski 6-1, 6-2
3. Matt Jewison (C) d. Matt Cotner 6-0, 6-1.
1. Zac Nabhan-Chris Fouts (C) d. Jack Gluth-Tyler Betustak 6-1, 6-1
2. Nick Donsbach-Zach Vasser (H) d. James Jewison-Alec Emmons 7-6 (8-6), 0-6, 6-4.

PORTAGE 5, HOBART 0
1. Dengke Wang (P) d. Joey Tosch 6-1, 6-1
2. Tyler Joseph (P) d. Jacob Potts 6-0, 6-1
3. Mike Sobczak (P) d. Cameron Hughes 6-0, 6-3.
1. Kody McGuire-Jesse Bustos (P) d. Grant Kodar-Nate Jenkins 6-0, 6-1
2. Mike Lakomek-Alex Tsoris (P) d. Samson Canchola-Charles Crayton II 6-0, 6-1.

Letters from Jimtown

Dear Varsity Team,
This was a strange and deeply disappointing match. There's no way around that truth. We were a more experienced team. Going into the match we had 5 seniors who all had some level of varsity experience. The Jimmies only had 1. They also had 3 freshman who were starting the season with no scrimmage or other varsity experience. But they were competitive, gritty, talented players who put a lot of pressure on us. They had a good team and deserved to win.

And yet... something doesn't sit right about the loss. We took the first two varsity positions off the court easily, winning #1D and #3S in straight sets that weren't really all that close. Sol, Simon and Hans - you played like we've talked about through the summer. And the other matches were odd from the beginning. Byeong, we've talked about this, it just didn't seem like you were really in the match. Your footwork looked off, a little slow, a little straight. And your swing seemed to be herky-jerky, not smooth. And #2D, it just was odd to see you struggle with parts of the game you had just dominated in your challenge match.

But that's what happens under pressure I guess. At #1S, #2S, and #2D, the Jimmies did a great job of not missing very much and at #2S and #2D, we missed a lot of shots. Of course, the thing that makes this match the most disappointing is that despite that, we were right in those matches. At #2D, we actually won the first set and had the 5-2 lead in the second, before losing 5 straight games to lose the set. In the first set at #2S, Byeong held a 5-4 lead before losing the set.

And then Jesse, I'm proud of you. You battled it out. You stuck in there, down 2-5 yourself in the second and battled your way to a brilliant tiebreak. I wish your momentum would have carried through the third set. You started well, but it was more and more difficult as the pressure built. I was very pleased at your composure and play, taking an experienced senior to three sets, one who had beaten our #1S player last year in two sets.

Team, this was difficult. But as I read after the match, love is patient. We will not overreact. We will continue to love each other. We will hold on to the gifts that God has given us and give them back to each other. We will persevere.

Dear Mikey Pawlak,
You were an incredibly good sport last night about your match. It was a pressure filled situation and you remained true and honest about calls and the way you competed. That's always a joy to see as a coach, even a coach on the opposing team.

Dear Junior Varsity Team,
I asked you on Monday to win big, and you delivered. You didn't let matches stay close. You closed out games. You committed to making the right play at the right time, especially in the doubles matches that I watched. I can't wait to see your continued maturity and talent. Grow and grow and grow and be ready to compete at a higher level before the season ends.

I really was impressed by Jacob Gonsalves big win. Last year, Jacob, you played close matches every time because you couldn't commit to keeping the ball in the court and you gave away service games and free points and the matches were always close. Last night, you attacked, you kept the ball in, you played very well.

I'm sorry I missed really watching most of the JV. I can't wait until our first home match, where I'll really get to focus on helping you get better.

Dear God,
We enter this season trying to rejoice in You. At at the end of a difficult night, all that seems to remain is love. Your love for us and our love for one another. But we know the beauty of that: love always protects, love always trusts, love always hopes and love always perseveres. Thank You for Your persevering love. May You carry us within that love.

Moment of Sheer Beauty
Perhaps not a sheer moment of joy, but a sheer match of joy. Playing in his first true varsity competition was a big moment for Simon Hurst. I know that there had to be nerves rattling around in his head and heart. But he committed to do the right things. To take the right swings, to put himself on the middle of the net, to go after his overheads. And even on a night where he completely swung and missed at one, he still came off the court with a big first win. It was a full match of beauty to see the way that he relaxed and played great tennis.


Moment of Savage Beauty

In a tense match where things don't go the way we want, there are still moments of complete beauty within the match. They are moments where you think everything might turn around, that everything might be alright. They are moments that the competitor should grab onto and remember even as the match becomes closer. It's always hard to remember the good and feel it through the tight times. But in Ryan and Landon's disappointing match, there was a beautiful moment of power. In a tight match in the 3rd set, Ryan got a ball high above his right shoulder. In looseness and confidence, he stepped forward and slammed the ball, bouncing it over the fence and into the fans. It allowed us to take an early 2-0 lead in the set, and was a moment we should gratefully remember. It represents the great way we can play under pressure.

SCORES

Varsity
#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 4-6, 7-6 (0), 1-6 - Mikey Pawlak (12)
#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 5-7, 4-6 - Holden Price (9)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 6-0, 6-3 - Michael Gray (9)
#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 6-3, 6-1 - Ben Janowski (11)/Hunter Price (11)
#2D - Landon Weldy/Ryan Duckworth - 7-5, 5-7, 3-6 - Isaac Pope (11)/Ben Clarke (9)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Ethan Lapp - 8-1 - Matt DeCloedt (10)
#2SJV - Jacob Gonsalves - 8-0 - Jarod Hohl (10)
#3SJV - Daniel Robles - 3-8 - Matt DeCloedt (10)
#4SJV - Dustin Miller - 8-3 - Jarod Hohl (10)
#1DJV - Brandon Nguyen/Bryce Miller - 8-0 - Jesse Oakley (12)/Conner Corl (9)
#2DJV - Lane Miller/Jackson King - 8-3 - Jesse Oakley (12)/Conner Corl (9)