Wabash Invitational Match Report

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MATCH REPORT
There's lots that I could report about this match. I could give the play by play of each match, could talk about my kids running around during the day, could say all the things that I appreciate and all the things that got on my nerves. But instead, let's make this short.

It all came down to the Wabash match for who would win this tournament, and while we started out strong and were given the opportunity to win - we seemed to see that opportunity as something to fear. So instead of closing out a couple of close matches, we lost 3-2.

Which meant that our last match was a little dicey, because Wabash had only beaten Eastern by a score of 3-2. What was really important about the day is how we would respond. And we responded so well. Liam bounced back from his defeat in the Wabash match with a very controlled 6-2, 6-2 victory. Caleb fought off his disappointment to play a dominating match, winning a close set 6-4 before turning on the jets and winning 6-0 in the second. And #1D, after having lost in a 10 point tiebreak, redeemed themselves in the Eastern match. They went down 2-7 in the 10 point tiebreak, looking like they were headed to another loss. But Nathan and Jonah decided they were not going to lose, and reeled off 8 of the next 9 points to win the third set 10-8. Their demeanor, their belief, everything changed.

And Philip at #3S, Tyson and Will at #2D, they performed really well in getting 3 victories on the day. As we ended our regular season at 9-10, we have improved with 2 more victories than last season. Every position on our team has around a .500 record, and is playing their best heading into the end of the year. That's a really fun place to be.

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough to see your response. To see you come back from the disappointment of Wabash with a new energy and new belief. It is amazing how much our attitude and belief has to do with how we move and how we play. It was most evident in #1D, but I have seen it everywhere throughout the season. It was enough to see you return to what you wanted to do.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
You are brothers. I love this tournament because it is always such a chill environment. I love Portage because it's big, complex, and teaches you to work through matches with your partner or to motivate yourself. I love Wabash because it is intimate, the matches are close by each other, the courts are shaded by trees, it's often cold... all these things that make me want to snuggle up with my coffee and watch you guys compete. And you did. And then you sat around and laughed at the picnic tables. You gave energy to #1D as they completed their comeback. You understood what it takes to win. I love you guys. You are brothers.

I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- the ways I saw us play at our best.
- a wonderful weather day to coach and play in.
- my kids ability to be around you players.
- the vocal support the team lent to each other in this match.
- so many more things that I can't write them all...

A PRAYER
God, it's been a great regular season. I give all credit to You for keeping us free of injury and helping us work together as different people pursuing faith and tennis. As we head into the end of the season, God, grant us freedom and lightness. Not to come down hard on ourselves but to know that where we are is enough, because we are Your children, and You've given us a lot of wonderful gifts this season. Thanks, in Jesus name, amen.

SCORES
Round 1 - v. Taylor
#1S - Liam Bradford - 6-1, 6-2 - Ethan Klepinger (10)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 6-1, 6-1 - Casey Switzer (12)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 6-1, 6-0 - Evan Fleek (9)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 6-0, 6-1 - BJ Pemberton (12)/Kendall Lanning (10)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - Forfeited by Taylor

Round 2 - v. Wabash
#1S - Liam Bradford - 2-6, 2-6 - Rob Ford (11)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 6-4, 1-6, (5-10) - Alex Driscoll (12)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 6-0, 6-0 - R.J. Steig (10)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 6-4, 1-6, (6-10) - Asif Khan (11)/Jonah France (11)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-0, 6-2 - Gage Ballard (12)/Logan Lutterall (10)

Round 2 - v. Eastern
#1S - Liam Bradford - 6-2, 6-2 - Matt Harrison (11)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 6-4, 6-0 - Lukas Darling (11)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 6-0, 6-0 - Sam Salkie (11)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 3-6, 6-2, (10-8) - Josh Rush (11)/Caleb Newhouse (12)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-3, 6-3 - Andrew Hartman (11)/Nolan Lapp (11)

Jacob Shank

Career Records
Career Varsity Record: 0-1
Career JV Record: 17-22
Most Wins in a Season: 7 (JV, 2020 & 2021)
Farthest Advanced in State Tourney: Team Sectionals
Longest Winning Streak: 3 (JV, 2020)
Most Sets Won in a Row: 3 (JV, 2020)
Biggest Win: 6-0 (JV over South Bend Washington, 2021)
Closest Win: 8-7 (4) (JV v. Fremont, 2021)
Career Tiebreakers Won: 3 (JV)
Career Tiebreakers Won Percentage: 50.0%
Career 3rd Sets Won: 0
Season 3rd Sets Won: 0
Career Games Won Percentage: -
Season Games Won Percentage: -
Career 3rd Sets Won Percentage: -
Matches Won in a Row w/ a 6-0 Set: 1
Matches Won 1st Varsity Season: -

2021

Varsity: 0-1

JV: 7-8

#1SJV - Jimtown - Payton Phillips (11) - 7-5
#2D - Northridge - Kaleb Ellis/Zak Martin - 1-6, 0-6
#1DJV - Goshen - Myles McLaughlin (10)/Braxten Sheets (10) - 1-4, 1-4
#1DJV - Fremont - Aidan Dornbush (11)/Luke Campbell (11) - 6-7 (5)
#1DJV - Elkhart - Nikolai Westall (12)/Gavin Sommer (11) - 2-4, 3-4 (2)
#1SJV - Triton - Zac Greer - 6-1
#1DJV - Westview - Mason Clark (9)/Gavin Engle (9) - 6-8
#1DJV - NorthWood - Joe Hahn (11)/Wes Newcomer (10) - 8-9 (5)
#1DJV - Chesterton - Mark Jewison (12)/Gavin Rivera (11) - 0-8
#4DJV - Chesterton - Trevor Jackson (9)/Hayden Matthys (9) - 6-3
#1DJV - South Bend Washington - ??? / ??? - 6-0
#1DJV - Fremont - 4-8
#1DJV - East Noble - 8-2
#1DJV - Fremont - 8-7 (2)
#1DJV - Fairfield - Collin Troyer (12)/Keegan Pressler (12) - 4-8
#4DJV - Fairfield - Nate Bailey (9)/Brockton Miller (9) - 9-7

2020

JV: 7-7

#6SJV - Goshen - Wyatt Hernley (11) - 0-6

#10SJV - Goshen - Braxton Sheets (9) - 1-6

#18SJV - Goshen - Tyler Scott (9) - 4-6

#3DJV - Fremont - Dylan Fansler (9)/McClain McCurdy (9) - 8-5

#1DJV - Concord - Zac Watt/Avery Johnson - 8-3

#2DJV - Elkhart - Gianni Luccchese (10)/Ben Welmer (11) - 3-6

#2DJV - Westview - Kylen Bender (10)/Dawson Schrock (10) - 0-8

#3DJV - NorthWood - Skee Mishler (10)/Will Geyer (10) - 8-4

#2DJV - DeKalb - Tyler Dewitt/Shiloh Higgins - 8-7 (2)

#2DJV - Angola - Corbin McClain/Austin Fugate - 8-4

#2DJV - Fremont - Aidan Bornbush/Braden Gaskill - 4-8

#2DJV - Fairfield - Ryan Keller (12)/Collin Troyer (11) - 7-6 (6)

#2DJV - Prairie Heights - Matt Levits (9)/Hayden Culler (9) - 2-6

#2DJV - Jimtown - 6-4

2019
JV: 3-7
#3DJV - Jimtown - Beau Barhams (11)/Budha Rice (10) - 1-8
#4DJV - Goshen - Emre Gulec (9)/Henric Hathaway (10) - 8-2
#4DJV - Fremont - Lukas Berlew (10)/Isaac Hirschy (10) - 0-6
#2DJV - Jimtown - 1-8
#2DJV - ??? - 6-4
#4DJV - Prairie Heights - Asa Wells (9)/Hudson Kelly (9) - 6-2
#5DJV - Westview - Kendall Schwartz (10)/Brennan Beachy (10) - 0-8
#3DJV - NorthWood - Wes Steiner (10)/Charles Anderson (10) - 3-6
#4DJV - Elkhart Central - Gavin Sommer (9)/Nick Hardy (9) - 3-6
#7SJV - Fairfield - Keegan Pressler (10) - 5-8

Xudong Sun

2019
JV: 7-5
#4DJV - Jimtown - Anderson Slabach (10)/Joe Saunders (11) - 1-6
#4DJV - Goshen - Emre Gulec (9)/Henric Hathaway (10) - 8-2
#4SJV - Concord - Garrett Trout (9) - 6-0
#4SJV - Fremont - Logan Campbell (11) - 2-6
#2SJV - Concord - 2-8
#2DJV - 6-4
#4DJV - Prairie Heights - Asa Wells (9)/Hudson Kelly (9) - 6-2
#3DJV - Westview - Dawson Schrock (9)/Gaven Miller (9) - 8-3
#4SJV - NorthWood - Riley Linville (11) - 6-2
#3SJV - Blackhawk Christian - Josh Wallace (9) - 8-1
#2SJV - Elkhart Central - Randall Delafuente (10) - 6-7 (13)
#5SJV - Fairfield - Seth Yoder (9) - 6-8

Fairfield Match Report

SENIOR NIGHT
Tonight's match was our last home match, and thus was our senior night celebration. I spoke about each senior, because I am grateful for them. To read what was said, click on their names below.

Liam Bradford
Jonah Farran
Philip Krabill
Angel Torres

VARSITY MATCH REPORT
Entering this match, I was excited because we had broken through this weekend at the Portage Tournament to play some of our best tennis. I was excited to see what that looked like against a team that was supposed to be much better than us this season. Our pattern has been to play poorly against the better teams, but right now we are breaking those poor patterns.

And so, I'm happy to say that we finally played a good match against a good team.

That didn't mean we won everything. In fact, we only ended up walking away from this match with one victory, and unfortunately, it wasn't for any of our seniors who were being honored. Instead, our one clinched victory belonged to Caleb Shenk.

Caleb has really started to understand how to play over his last couple of matches. He's been stroking the ball really well and learning to relax. Over the weekend, that meant that he got two fairly comfortable victories in his last two matches. Today, he got a win in a match that he had to fight until the very end. He did that with great serving, great groundstrokes and also finding the places to attack. Caleb also showed great positive emotion, something that our team needs to continue to do.

The seniors played well, but couldn't bring home the victories. The closest was Philip Krabill. He started off fast, playing well in the first couple of games, but only getting a game in the process. This led to a first set loss, but it was close and took a long time. In the second set, Philip turned the close games around. He took a 5-2 lead in the second and looked like he would take the match to a third set. At that point, we needed him to as well, because we were down 2-1 in the finished matches. Unfortunately, his opponent picked up the strategy and quality of his game. Philip couldn't close out the match, and that disappointment turned toward tiredness. He strove toward the end, but couldn't find the final shots.

Similarly, #1D struggled to finish off the final shots. They didn't have the best first set, but began the second with more confidence and energy. This was especially true of their movement at the net, as they began to cut off more shots. With their normal route of attack being cut off, the Falcons shifted strategy to lobs. This cut down our teams confidence, and we got less balls at the net to finish. Nerves also began to pile up as we saw the match get closer and closer. We became too tight to take our shots confidently and lost the second set.

At #1S, Liam tired many different strategies but couldn't find a weapon to hurt the Falcon #1. I had played Fairfield's #1S, Aaron Streit, earlier this summer and found the same difficulties that Liam was having. Streit hits such excellent angles with his shots, and doesn't make many errors. It makes him a difficult player to figure out.

At #2D, we had a little more success. Tyson and Will were serving really well, and are also really starting to understand the dynamics of playing the net. With that being the case, they were cutting off a lot of balls at the center of the net and were playing with some confidence. This was especially true in the second set, and even after losing the first set, they pushed their match to a third set. In the third set, the whole match went back and forth. Trailing 4-5, Will and Tyson went down 0-40 in returning serve. In a wonderful series of points, they erased all three of those match points against them and tied the match at 5-5. That was a wonderful response to pressure.

It was an example of how I've wanted us to play all year. In the face of pressure, play with freedom, not with fear. There is nothing to lose! There is only great memories to be gained. And Will and Tyson extended the match. Unfortunately, they didn't get the win. But it still had these great moments.

And that match today had a lot of those great moments, Philip's winners, Jonah's smashes, Liam's fierce volleys. As we move into the last week of the season, we can't wait to see more of that!

JV MATCH REPORT
The JV definitely played their best match of the season tonight. Braden started it off with another win, bringing his JV winning percentage up to 78%. He played efficiently and quickly, and was off the court before the varsity matches were even finished. At #2SJV, Josh had quite a battle with his senior opponent. Josh played consistently and found a lot of success when he was able to force the ball deep into the court. In the final game, Josh and his opponent went back and forth with many deuces before Josh pulled out the victory.

#3SJV was similar for Chris. He and his opponent both had difficulties holding their serve, but in the end, Chris made some great shots and played more consistently to take another victory. With the singles positions swept, it was on to the doubles. Fairfield only had two doubles teams, so they each got to play twice. Joseph and Theo had a close #1 doubles matches, but their net play was the deciding factor in pulling out a 7-5 win. So in the top 4 positions of the JV match, we had a 4-0 lead.

Unfortunately, the bottom 4 positions had to again match up with the top Fairfield players. What were mostly close victories for our top guys turned into close losses for the lower guys. But I was especially impressed with our freshmen, who both fought out close losses. They all had to make impressive comebacks after getting down early in the set. It was good to see Josiah, Matthew, Austin and Jacob never give up.

That was a key thing. We looked like we always believed we could win. That is so key to continuing to get better. I loved that confidence!

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough to compete. In the face of senior night, a good opponent, last home match, late nights, and more, we played some of our best tennis of the season. That is enough.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
You are brothers. When Philip came off the court from his long, tiring, frustrating match, he was met at the fence by Caleb. Caleb put his arm around Philip and told him nice job. I could tell that Caleb was sincere, I could tell that Philip knew it. You are brothers.

I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- the seniors.
- the families that raised them.
- the work they've put in this year (and other years).
- the joy that the team has for these guys.
- the players from previous years who sent texts or came out to watch.
- the fans and friends from school who "tailgated" the match.
- a wonderful meal with the parents and families.
- the beautiful weather this season. We've had no matches rained out!
- more time with this team.

A PRAYER
Father, let us live with freedom. You have given us unassailable worth, because we are Your children. Help us live with confidence because we are already enough for You, because we are Your children, and because Your grace daily provides what we really need. Help us accept that with gratitude. Amen.

SCORES
Varsity
#1S - Liam Bradford - 0-6, 0-6 - Aaron Streit (12)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 6-4, 6-4 - Eric Gaby (12)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 1-6, 5-7 - Colin Hochstedler (10)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 2-6, 4-6 - Ben Toole (12)/Lance Martin (10)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 2-6, 6-3, 5-7 - Riley Behles (11)/Isaac Inniger (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Braden Bohn - 6-2 - Kaden Plett (10)
#2SJV - Josh Cartwright - 6-4 - Jesse Miller (12)
#3SJV - Chris Craw - 6-4 - Ryan Keller (10)
#1DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 7-5 - Dylan Yoder (10)/Ethan Yoder (10)
#2DJV - Matthew Dyck/Austin Shenk - 4-6 - Brady Cripe (9)/Collin Troyer (9)
#3DJV - Aaron Shenk/Angel Torres - 0-6 - Dylan Yoder (10)/Ethan Yoder (10)
#4DJV - Josiah Schlabach/Jacob Leininger - 3-6 - Brady Cripe (9)/Collin Troyer (9)
#5DJV - Jim Lyu/Sam Setiawan - 0-6 - Jesse Miller (12)/Kaden Plett (10)

Portage Tournament Match Report

More Photos: Click Here

MATCH REPORT
There was so much going on Saturday, it is really hard to give a play-by-play. I got here at 6:30 to prepare for the JV leaving for their tournament and then we got back around 8:30. So, all in all, it was a 14 hour day for me and many of these dedicated guys. But, I will tell you, it was a good day!

We had so many reasons to be proud. Last year when we competed in this tournament, each position got 1 win and we finished in 7th place. That's because most of us last year got our 1 win over the team that eventually came in 8th place - Triton. This year, each position got a win as well, but our wins were all over the board. It was enough for us to get 5th place, and we were 2 points from 3rd. For perspective, one more win from anybody would have been enough to move us into third.

And we finished ahead of at least one team that is currently ranked in their district - Centerville. So that was a good thing. But probably the best thing to come from this tournament is that we are starting to turn the corner and learn to take the big shots when they are available. Let's go position by position and look at the tourney.

At #1S, Liam was unfortunate to draw the eventual champion in the first round. He did just as well as anyone else in the tournament, but unfortunately that still meant a 6-0, 6-0 loss. In the second round, Liam matched up against a Portage player who came out really fired up and hitting his shots with power and placement. Liam was down 3-2, but soon found his footing in the match. As the excitement faded, Liam won the last 10 games of the match to enter the 5th place match. In that match, Liam faced another fast and powerful player, Merrillville's Justin Jackson. Jackson had enough speed to run down Liam's forehand and enough power to cause Liam problems if Liam floated a short ball. Liam put up a really good fight in this match, especially in hanging on in the second set, but ended in 6th place.

Caleb started out rough at #2S. He drew Chesterton, a team that has been consistently ranked in the top of their district and finished a clear 2nd place at this tournament. He played well, but left the match with a sense of having been able to do better. Like there was a level of play that was just beyond him. He was right, and he found it in his next match. His strokes found a comfort level. His serves began to go in and he put himself in position to win. My favorite thing about this match was our conversation right before he closed out the match. I asked Caleb who was the person who hit all those good serves to give Caleb the lead in the first set. He replied, "I was." I gave the fence a little fist bump and said, "That's right, you were!" Then I bounded away smiling. Behind me I heard Caleb say, "I get it." Then he confidently served out the match. He carried that confidence right into the next match as well, quickly getting a 5th place victory over Merrillville. So two great wins on the day for Caleb.

#3S was ridiculous. Philip had to fight for every single point in every single match. He played excellent, in fact I thought that the way Philip controlled points he was the second best player in his #3S bracket. But unfortunately, he had some drops in that consistency that caused him to have to play 3 (!) third set tiebreaks. Third set tiebreaks are nerve wracking because they decide the match. But Philip fought through all three of them. In his first match, Philip was clearly the better player but stopped moving his feet and stopped playing his shots at the end of the first set. In the second set, we knew that he could do it. Philip kept his energy up and captured the second set and really dominated the third set tiebreak.

In round 2, Philip kept the energy up, but faded as the match went on. By the end of the second set against Highland, Philip was no longer controlling the points and putting the ball where he wanted to. That continued into the tiebreak, and Philip fell into the 3rd place match. In that 3rd place match, Philip looked like he really didn't want to be there in the first set. But suddenly he flipped a switch for the second set. He has winning all the close game, and won the set 6-0 to force his third third set tiebreak of the day. And while this one was close, Philip again didn't quite take control the way he had in the second set. He hung around, but his Portage opponent pulled away at the end. Philip had to settle for great memories and 4th place.

#1D and #2D had similar days. Both drew interesting opponents for their first match, Highland for #1D and Centerville for #2D. These are both teams that have traditionally been really good at their doubles positions, but we came out in these matches on fire, and both doubles teams won their first sets 6-1. The second sets were closer, as we lost some of our confidence and fire. #1D won their set 6-4, but #2D fell by the same score. That sent Will and Tyson to a tiebreak, which they nervously went back and forth in. Neither team ever led the tiebreak by more than 2 points. At the end, we were able to run off two excellent points in a row to take the tiebreak 10-8.

So both positions advanced to the semi-finals where they ran into St. Joseph's. St. Joe's is state ranked right now, and for good reason. Both of these teams had powerful strokes and beautiful strategies. They covered the court well. We kept our effort high, but struggled to come up with enough power and placement of our own to hurt the Indian doubles teams. Nathan and Jonah began to have a lot of success in the second set, probably playing some of the best tennis of the season. They did this because they were confidently putting pressure on their opponents. It wasn't quite enough to force the deciding tiebreak however.

In our 3rd place matches, it was a tale of different motivations. We were tired and at the end of a long day, and that affects both teams. In the #1D, Centerville was the team feeling that drag more in the first set. At #2D, it was us feeling the weight of the whole day. Nathan and Jonah took the first set at #1D, and we didn't at #2D. In both second sets, we struggled to find the aggressive shots to fight back against our opponents. We were tentative, and began to get frustrated. The truth is on a hot, long day where we'd been on the court for more than 4 hours - these feelings are hard to deal with. We didn't really have an answer. As #1D was forced to a tiebreak, and fighting frustration they quickly went down 5-0 in the tiebreak. That proved to much to recover from, and both doubles positions took 4th place.

All in all, it was a good day. No one position finished lower than 6th, quite an improvement over last year where almost all of our positions finished in 7th. Also, we were much more competitive even in our losses, with half of our losses on the day coming in 3rd set tiebreaks. If we had turned one of those tiebreaks around, we would have finished 3rd (!)

So, we capped off the good day with a trip to BWs, where we watched Notre Dame eek out their win in football and watched the Cubs cut their magic number down. Can't wait to hit the court again with this rapidly improving team!

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough to have fun and memorable matches. I won't easily forget Philip's 3 tiebreaks, #2D's epic pressure win in the first round, Caleb's realization that he can do it and more. It is enough to make these type of memories together.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
You are brothers. You just spent this 13 hour day together, with really no place to hide. You all had your matches, you all watched each other's matches, you were all concerned for one another, you all collapsed in the shade together in between matches :-) You were brought together like brothers.

I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- the parents that came to support us.
- the good attitude you kept on a long day.
- the players who committed to cheering for their teammates.
- the wonderful fruit (and other food) that was provided.
- a time to relax at BWs after it was all over.
- safety on long travels.
- the sunset as we drove home.

A PRAYER
God, You are good to us. Thanks for a safe day, but thanks for the patience and understanding that the players showed within it. I pray that You will help us learn from this day, especially about challenging the patterns that we don't think we can change. Show us that there is always a place a little deeper for us to dig in to, whether that is in sports or in our relationships. Thanks God, for going to that place for us.

SCORES
#1S - Liam Bradford
Round 1 - St. Joseph - Thomas Pries (12) - 0-6, 0-6
Round 2 - Portage - Tyler Polarek (11) - 6-3, 6-0
Round 3 - Merrillville - Justin Jackson (12) - 1-6, 3-6

#2S - Caleb Shenk

Round 1 - Chesterton - Chad Whelen (12) - 2-6, 2-6
Round 2 - Centerville - Evan Witte (9) - 6-2, 6-3
Round 3 - Merrillville - Cameron Louthan (12) - 6-1, 6-3

#3S - Philip Krabill

#3S - Merrillville - Noah Terpstra (10) - 3-6, 6-4, (10-4)
#3S - Highland - Daniel Wilson (11) - 6-3, 4-6, (6-10)
#3S - Portage - Zander Marcotte (10) - 1-6, 6-0, (7-10)

#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran

#1D - Highland - Tyler Schmidt (12)/Zach Benninghoff (12) - 6-1, 6-4
#1D - St. Joseph - Andrew Sill (12)/Max Blumentritt (11) - 1-6, 4-6
#1D - Centerville - Kody Brown (11)/Nate Reed (11) - 6-2, 3-6, (2-10)

#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller

#2D - Centerville - Brian Crawley (10)/Mason Cunningham (10) - 6-1, 4-6, (10-8)
#2D - St. Joseph - Riley Mandell (11)/Nathan Roth (11) - 1-6, 1-6
#2D - Merrillville - Ivan Sahagun (12)/Josh Raddatz (12) - 1-6, 1-6

Senior Statement: Angel Torres

Angel joined the tennis team his sophomore year, and I was excited. I had taught him in middle school, so I knew that he was a gentle and positive personality, someone who would be excellent to have on a team. Obviously, that is who he has continued to be and he has offered so much in terms of presence and personality.

First of all, have Angel around is uplifting. He is not a loud and rowdy person. He is very likely to be the person sitting off to the side of the conversation with a little, sly smile on his face. He’s likely not making the joke. But he does make everyone else feel comfortable.

Angel is also quiet most of the time, but I believe that he is a thinker. He pays attention. I know that I’ve seen this in his tennis game, because I will often feel like I’m not getting through to a whole group of players when instructing a stroke, and then Angel will walk out and attempt it just like I’ve shown. He is someone who quietly observes and enjoys the presence of those around him, learning from them and supporting them.

Angel is someone that others love to have around. Whether it is convincing him to come out for the team this year or picking him when we do drills in practice, people like to have Angel on their side. Maybe this is because he puts in a lot of work without drawing attention to himself, which makes him an easy teammate to have. I have been impressed by the quiet way he has a positive influence on everyone around him. For whatever great reason, Angel is a person that fills those around him with joy.

I am so grateful to have had Angel as a joyous part of our brotherhood.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Senior Statement: Jonah Farran

When I think about Jonah’s career with Bethany Christian tennis, I am impressed by Jonah’s tenacious desire to compete - to make the very best out of the skills that he has. Jonah didn’t start his tennis career as a surefire star, or even a lock to make the varsity. In fact, in his second year on the tennis team, Jonah only won 1 match - and that was in a tiebreak.

But over the summer before his junior year, I noticed that Jonah was getting a lot better at his groundstrokes, specifically his forehand. His serve also became more consistent, though he couldn’t seem to get the flowing and extended motion of our bigger servers. When his junior season began, he was slotted at #2DJV. But in that match he displayed such energy, such passion, such tenacity. He was all over the place chasing down balls and getting excited as he hit them back in. When he won in a tiebreak, I told him that I was thinking of him for a varsity position, because we needed that tenacity and effort.

The next night, he stepped into varsity with Nathan, playing at #2D match at Northridge that was exhilarating. He and Nathan won in the third set, keeping calm while dealing with a lot of nerves. Here Jonah had gone from 1 JV victory the year before to 1 varsity victory in his first varsity match.

One other thing I love about Jonah is the balance in his personality and his perspective. He seems to look at each situation with a pretty clear view. He knows what he wants to do, knows his own limitations, and finds a way to attack each problem with his strengths. It is obvious in a tennis match as he avoids backhand volleys and lobs on almost all backhand shots, but plays to his forehand as much as he can. But I think it is also true as he contemplates problems in school, and the large problems that face the world. He has great perspective, and that perspective makes him a person of peace.

I have appreciated his effort as well. As he flies around the court in practice and in matches trying to run down every ball. He’s a hard worker trying to tone up the parts of his game that cause problems. I have loved all his different contributions to this tennis team.

I am grateful for Jonah, the person that he is and his example for this team.

2 Corinthians 4:1 (The Message)
Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don’t maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes.

Senior Statement: Philip Krabill

Philip Krabill is an incredibly kind and dedicated leader. He has really come into his role as a team leader this season, and all of this flows out of his kindness and understanding for others. Philip has the heart of a listener, a problem solver, a mediator. He loves to hear all sides and take them in. He often has a kind word of understanding for someone that the rest of us are struggling to understand. This is the type of leader we love to follow.

And Philip has followed that up with great effort. Throughout the offseason this past year, he has wanted become a contributing member of the varsity. So he has taken lessons, opened up the courts, and played tons of tennis. When you watch Philip play, it’s obvious that the work he has put in and the listening that he has done really have given him an excellent tennis game.

Philip is also really fun to coach. When I come to the fence to talk with him he is frequently smiling. He always jogs over to quickly discuss the match with me. But my favorite thing that Philip does is that when we finish talking, he always says, “Thanks coach.” It’s not that he needs to thank me, but it is such an expression of who he is. Thankful, grateful, always looking to improve. This is also the type of leader we love to follow.

He’s also just fun in general. This summer at tennis camp, he was voted tennis team member with the best smile. He laughed the rest of the week as we pointed out his great smile each time he laughed. We also named a stretch after him, which he laughed at as well. This team appreciates him, and that’s because he is the type of leader we all love to follow. He is kind. Dedicated. Understanding. Hard working. Thankful. Fun.

I am grateful for who Philip is, and that he has shared his high school years with our team.

Romans 12:9-18
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn
with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Senior Statement: Liam Bradford

Liam has always been a talented tennis player. He has really awesome skills that many tennis players don’t have. He has the ability to shift from style to style within the same point, lofting a lob to the backhand and then spinning a forehand quickly down the line. The way that he is able to get so many powerful strokes back across the net is a testament to his skill. The fact that he is playing #1S this year and will end up with a better record than our #1S position last season also shows that he is a very skilled player.

But I’ve learned a lot about Liam as a competitor as well through the years. When he cares about what he is doing, he competes fiercely. And over the past several years, he has showed us that he cares about winning matches for our team. I’ll never forget his matches last year against Fremont and Blackhawk Christian, matches that came down to whether he won his long, three set match our not. And Liam played with great effort in those matches, pulling them out for us in two nail-biting tiebreaks. This season, at the Marian tournament, Liam played a player who he had lost to last season 6-1, 6-2. But this year, with the match resting on him, Liam pushed that same powerful player to 3 sets before succumbing. Their is great desire to win inside Liam.

Sometimes that desire to win has come out in frustration at himself, slamming a racket against his foot or hand. But this is actually something else that I have really respected in Liam. He works through these things and addresses the problem. Whether it is learning to redirect frustration or keep working on a new stroke, Liam has become a person who does one thing at a time to keep getting better. We talked about learning to hit his backhand, and throughout the year he has done it more and more. Anytime we talk at changeovers about new strategies, Liam is willing to try it, and puts it into practice.

And Liam has taught me a lot too. Liam has taught me the value of patience. When I am teaching, coaching and parenting, I say things and want to see them get better right away. With Liam, that hasn’t always been the case. But he has always starting working on things right away. He has made those things important. And because of that, he has matured into a wonderful player and person who can carry a lot of responsibility. It didn’t happen overnight, it didn’t happen in one conversation, and he hasn’t become fully matured and perfect yet... but he is always listening and taking steps in the right direction.

I am grateful for Liam, and the person that he has been on this team.

Ephesians 4:2-3
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Elkhart Central Match Report

VARSITY MATCH REPORT
This was a difficult match. It was a match where at every position we should have been able to compete, to have close matches. It was a match that was going to come down to which team could make the correct, aggressive shots in the big moments. Who could execute when it was game point, set point, etc.

In each match, we had moments that we needed to make those big shots. But for most of us those points didn't come in the first set. For Liam, Caleb, and #2D, they all started out there matches without much confidence and didn't have very many chances to play these big points. But, with much credit to those three positions, they completely changed perspective for the second set.

But Philip at #3S and Jonah and Nathan at #1D both had their chances to play big points come in the first set. Philip went back and forth with the Blazer's #3. As has been the case in most of Philip's matches, the points were being decided almost exclusively by whether Philip moved well and kept his aggressive shots in. In the first set, he kept his belief and confidence high and hit some great shots and won the set.

#1D went back and forth too. Down 4-3 they came to the pressure point of the set. This is the crucial time where somebody is going to win the set, and it usually comes by being the smart aggressor, or because the other side makes silly mistakes. #1D has become very good at not being the silly mistake making team, but in this match it was Elkhart Central who picked up their play, they found big shots down the line, simple volleys when we hung our returns too high above the middle of the net, and more. So we went down the set at #1D.

Back at the #1S, #2S, and #2D positions, we started the second sets out with much better confidence and belief. The matches were closer, in fact, in the second sets, both Liam and Tyson and Will (#2D) had chances to win their second sets and send them to a third.

Tyson and Will learned a really important lesson about doubles. They learned that it is important to put pressure on your opponents, even when you don't feel 100% confident in your strategy. Down in the set, I asked them to attack the net with abandon. To get there as fast as they could. So they did, and the match flipped around. Suddenly it was the Blazers who were making mistakes. It was Tyson and Will who were getting overheads and easy volleys. This led them to a 6-5 lead in the set on Will's serve. Again, it was an opportunity, but it required them to make the next level of aggressive shot to close out the set. Unfortunately, it was again the Blazers who had the answers. They forced a tiebreak and came up with the big shots in the big moments to win the match in the tiebreak.

Back at #1D, Jonah and Nathan began to play much better, but couldn't quite crack the code of the Blazers. They lost the second set despite putting in really good effort. That left Liam and Philip on the courts playing. Liam was down 5-2 in the second set while Philip was hanging right in there. Liam suddenly found his groove, mixing up the height and pace of the balls that he was hitting. Quickly he affected the rhythm of the Blazer #1, and got right back in the set. Liam also took a 6-5 lead, just as #2D had, and he too needed to hit the aggressive shot to finish out the set. Having ad-in, he had a sitter at the net. He tried a drop shot, but the ball hit the tape. This unfortunately woke up the aggressive side in his opponent, who tied up the match and then won it in the tiebreak.

No doubt, the lesson of this match was to stay smart and aggressive when in pressure situations. The player who does typically wins the match.

Which applies to Philip Krabill, our star who got the only win of the night for the Bruins. After losing the second set, it was decided that #3S would finish with a 10 point tiebreak. Philip took a big lead early in the tiebreak. He did this with great energy and great footwork. When Philip moves to the ball, he is tough to beat at #3S. His shots are just too good. And he took those shots and won the match with those shots. It was a really fun and upbeat way to end.

JV MATCH REPORT
Braden Bohn continues to sizzle as the season goes on. He pulled in another great performance tonight, which set the pace for the Bruins to win 3 of the 4 singles matches. Josh Cartwright continued his solid freshman season, picking up another win as well. Jim Lyu accounted for the third win in singles, as his strokes continue to get better and more consistent.

At doubles, the ratio was flipped as we lost 3 of 4. The one win came from freshmen #3D, Austin and Matthew providing a very confident 8-3 win. The other matches were close, as Joseph and Aaron held a 5-4 lead in their set and Chris and Theo were right there as well. Our doubles teams at the JV seemed to suffer from a lot of what the varsity did. We need to take and make smart and aggressive shots to close out the games.

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough tonight to watch us battle back. It was enough that you prepared well. It was enough that you held your brothers high as they finished out their matches. That is enough.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
You are brothers. You gathered around Philip to watch him finish out the varsity's only win. It was awesome to see the whole team move down to the bleachers right next to Philip's court to watch him finish the tiebreak. The whole team helped to give him that positive energy. You are brothers.

I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- not having to go back to Wilderness Experience too soon :-)
- for the ease of coaching you guys and your response to my coaching.
- to the earnest desire to do your best.
- for the comebacks we watched tonight.
- for those who are building momentum toward the end of the season.
- for laughter.
- for each of you, my players!

A PRAYER
Lord God, I am thankful for the fight in this team. Give us joy and confidence to go with that effort. Let us feel secure in Your love as well, never outside of the transforming power that holds for us.

SCORES
Varsity
#1S - Liam Bradford - 1-6, 6-7 (1) - Philip Stutzman (12)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 0-6, 2-6 - Zack Pelletier (12)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 6-4, 4-6, (10-6) - Will Bryant (12)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 3-6, 2-6 - Dane Frieden (12)/Nathan Brekke (12)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 0-6, 6-7 (4) - Nathan Lindholm (12)/Abe Hill (12)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Braden Bohn - 8-2 - Spencer Dexter (10)
#2SJV - Josh Cartwright - 8-3 - Matt DeShone (9)
#3SJV - Jim Lyu - 9-8 (4) - Randall Delafuente (9)
#4SJV - Angel Torres - 0-8 - Chase Bontrager (10)
#1DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Aaron Shenk - 5-8 - Josh Reid (10)/Ben Honnick (12)
#2DJV - Chris Craw/Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 3-8 - Sam Thomas (12)/Alexx Dreamer (11)
#3DJV - Matthew Dyck/Austin Shenk - 8-3 - Frankie Yeakey (10)/Grant Brekke (10)
#4DJV - Josiah Schlabach/Jacob Leininger - 2-6 - Frankie Yeakey (10)/Grant Brekke (10)

Blackhawk Christian Match Report

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VARSITY MATCH REPORT
In this match, we came out in the first sets with focus and energy. We came out with commitment to play the way that we had practiced. In every match, our opponents responded by raising their level of play. And in every match, we got nervous. And then in every match, we responded ourselves. This was a significant step forward in our tennis growth.

There's positives to point out in every match. So I'll start with the match that we lost. Philip controlled most of the match, and that is important to mark. He wasn't being pushed around the court, but instead was firmly hitting his shots. He just missed them sometimes. And sometimes didn't move with the same conviction. But I was especially proud of how he responded at the mid-point of the second set. Philip had lost a close first set in a tiebreak, and had slumped behind in the second set. It didn't look like he was going to keep competing. But instead, Philip picked himself up and fought back. By the end of the set, Philip had given himself several opportunities to take it to a third set. That was the type of fight against the situation that I love to see!

In #1D, the beauty was actually watching their attack of the net. Jonah has so improved this part of his game that it has become a strength of the team. I really loved watching them put away balls and get in attacking positions. There were parts of the match where these two got knocked onto their heels, but they kept coming back to the simple aggressive plays.

Similarly at #1S, this was one of my favorite Liam matches to watch because he continues to integrate the things we are talking about in practice. Today, he brought a bigger serve and a bigger backhand. No doubt, one of my favorite points of the match was when Liam's opponent approached to his backhand and Liam smoked a topspin backhand down the line. But in Liam's second set his focus began to slip. I began to get worried because it looked like Liam was abandoning the aggressiveness that had helped him build a comfortable lead. But in the end, Liam reenergized his feet, spun some forehands and put pressure on by coming to the net. It was really a fun match.

But it was the #2's that really responded the best to self-imposed difficulties tonight. Both Caleb and Will and Tyson took their first sets with relative ease. But in the second sets, they were faced with a lot of difficulty as they had to face self-doubt and the poor play that causes.

Caleb began to falter when up 3-0 in the second set. First, his serve became shaky and he threw in a few double faults. Then, his strokes suddenly didn't seem as easy. From up 3-0, it was suddenly 3-3. Then back and forth it went the rest of the match, Caleb not holding his serve at any point. His opponent was shaky as well, but developing confidence as Caleb had stopped being able to find attacking balls. Finally, Caleb found himself down 6-5. At fence, I told him simply that he had to stop imagining the worst and realize that the best was also possible. I told him he was going to win this service game and dominate the tiebreak. I knew it.

I don't know what changed, but from there out Caleb did dominate. He easily served out his game to force the tiebreak, and then charged through the tiebreak only losing 1 point. His win also sealed the team victory, which let me exhale and enjoy the remaining matches a bit more. That comeback from a dark mental place was impressive, and truly the mark of growth. I loved it!

#2D had to do the same thing. Faced with opponents who took the pace off the ball, Will and Tyson started doing the exact same thing. Unfortunately, they were much more timid, and their movement suffered as they got more and more nervous in the set. They started with the lead, but the most they pressed, the less they moved and the weaker they hit the ball. They lost the second set and had to go to a third set tiebreak.

But in the tiebreak, they responded. Will and Tyson didn't play perfect, but they played with purpose. That made such a difference. They didn't hit shots just to get them in, they played shots to win the point. Tyson hit some great serves. Will hit a couple of overheads. Leading 7-6, Will served 2 big points to extend the lead. It was a wonderful response.

And that was a great theme. When things go bad, it is reasonably and even probable to expect that they will go better again. Keep energy and focus high - and they probably will.

JV MATCH REPORT
It was a short JV match tonight, but well played. Joseph and Aaron racked up their second win in a row at #1DJV, and Braden added his second win at #1SJV. Both positions faced teams that were less skilled and less confident, but this can often be a problem for JV players. It makes them lethargic (especially after an hour and a half bus ride :-) We were not lethargic, and we simply played the way that we've been practicing. Aaron and Joseph came to the net, settled balls into the court and put the pressure on. Braden used his weapons to pressure his opponent. In the end, both positions won fairly easily.

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough tonight that we made the effort to imagine our brighter possibilities rather than only the darker ones. It was enough that we once again realized that it isn't enough to know the right thing to do, we actually have to do it. It was enough that we then made ourselves do it.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
You are brothers when you simply enjoy being together. When you get excited about things together. Tonight, the bus ride home was fun. Philip and Joseph were discussing current ideas and social issues. We stopped to get ice cream. We teased each other about the Cardinals and the Cubs and who is going out before the playoffs and in the first round. We swatted mosquitoes. We had an ease with one another that is smile inducing. You are brothers.


I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- the beautiful moon over the forests and cornfields as we drove home.
- a mild night to play tennis.
- our responses to adverse situations today.
- the long drive and the time to think and talk.
- Braden, Joseph, and Aaron's simple JV wins.
- for ET Sundaes and Brownie Tornados.

A PRAYER
God, we are not ever finished products. It one of the things that is so hard about being human. But have have successes, and I pray that You can help us rejoice in them. When we take time to listen to another's feeling or point of view, when we refrain revenge, when we react with positivity to challenge - these are all places that we grow. May we rejoice in that grace of Yours. Amen.

SCORES
Varsity
#1S - Liam Bradford - 6-1, 6-1 - Zach Kaufman (12)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 6-0, 7-6 (1) - Jimmy Bunner (10)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 6-7 (4), 5-7 - Bear Roberts (11)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 6-1, 6-3 - Aaron Jentgen (11)/Colton Romines (10)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-2, 3-6, (10-6) - Wes Tanner (11)/Ryan Neff (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Braden Bohn - 8-2 - Tiago Freitas (11)
#1DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Aaron Shenk - 8-3 - Caleb Gibson (10)/Kelson Volkert (10)

NorthWood Match Report

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VARSITY MATCH REPORT

I'm writing this match report on a Monday. The match took place last Friday. And taking the weekend before writing the post has made me forget some of the details, but it has also helped me put the match in perspective.

Some Stats:
- NorthWood is the #8 ranked team in NE Indiana.
- NorthWood defeated us 5-0 last year, and returned their top 3 players.
- NorthWood's #2S from last year MOVED DOWN to #3.
- Last year we lost 1-7 to the NorthWood JV, most of whom returned.

So, by all reasonable measurements, NorthWood is a very good team. And we competed against them with confidence. We believed we could be in more matches. We were disappointed to lose points and games. We realize that this is the direction that we want to move in.

We aren't there yet, but each match showed glimpses.

Liam played several long games where he was in control of the points, where he was able to get to the net for big volley putaways, where he was able to find backhand passing shots. Caleb moved really well in his second set and began to find the ball he needs to compete as the match went on. Philip was in control of the first set, moving well and forcing his opponent deep into the court.

Nathan and Jonah confidently attacked the net against the big hitting Panthers. Jonah even got a couple big overheads within the match. Will and Tyson weren't put off their game at all, playing a very competitive game and forcing errors from their opponents by being aggressive at the net and keeping the simple balls in the court.

Yes, we have work to do to make these glimpses become our normal. But at the beginning of the season, when we took the court against Jimtown, we struggled to even see these glimpses. We are moving forward, and sometimes we forget how much work it takes. We'll come back with a focus today on doing the work.

JV MATCH REPORT
The JV match was really interesting. We played several really good doubles matches. We struggled to finish off our singles matches.

Aaron, Joseph, Theo and Chris played doubles matches to be admired. Playing against some experienced Panther doubles team, they took exactly what they'd learned from practice and put it into play. Namely, they kept the ball in play and controlled the net. It was great to see both Chris and Aaron reign in their shots and see them landed softly cross court while they put pressure pressure on by coming to the net.

Both positions went deep into the pro set. In fact, their matches both lasted longer than the majority of the varsity matches. In the end, it was the pressure they put on by attacking the net that broke through for victories. Sometimes we forget that even if we don't finish the point at the net, our presence creates pressure. It did for sure in the JV doubles.

That was true in the final two JV doubles matches as well. Angel played extremely well at the net in his doubles match with Jacob Leininger, and Jacob played really well from the baseline. Unfortunately, it didn't work as well when the places were reversed. Because Angel was struggling from the baseline and Jacob at the net, the match stayed close and went to a tiebreak. The tiebreak was close as well, but it was a few more nervous errors that swung the tide to the Panthers.

Sam and Josiah continued to play well too. Consistency was the thing that was just a little off for them, and then the ability to finish points at the net. NorthWood was able to get a couple of volleys from their team. We didn't get as many. That makes a difference.

In the singles matches, we played well, but couldn't find aggressive enough shots to end the point. Our singles players need to become more comfortable on the attack, and maybe that will be part of practice next time out. Attacking can mean coming to the net, hitting a strong ball to the backhand, dropping a ball in front of your opponent and then hitting a confident passing shot or lob... and we need to get better at all those things for singles.

So, the work we did was good in the JV matches. I can't wait to work on finishing off that final ball, that will be a fun, aggressive drill day :-)

IT WAS ENOUGH

It was enough to see the glimpses. It was enough to eat Uncrustables and candy bars together. It was enough that you guys continue to care. We are entering a stretch of the season where we will have a real chance to compete in most of our remaining 9 matches, and so that continued faith is important. In fact, the only thing that matters is faith expressing itself through love. That is enough.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
You are brothers when you listen to each other. Tonight, I saw singles players listen to me and call Andrew and I over to the fence at many change overs. I saw doubles players listen to the encouragement from their teammates. I saw a lot of positive interaction. I saw your belief and excitement about improvement. You are brothers when you encourage each other, you are brothers when you receive that encouragement.

I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- our parents support of the program, through food, transportation, attendance at matches and so much more.
- the weather turning cooler.
- another chance for improvement.
- another chance for encouragement.
- another day with each of you.

A PRAYER
Lord, we are moving into the last part of the season. We only have two weeks of team matches left before Sectional. I can't believe how fast the season has gone. But it has been one well used by our team. Help continue to build each other up. Help us to raise our effort level as we sprint toward the finish line. Help us to smile. May You be our focus, because You are the One who gives us our worth. You are the One who gives us our identity. You are the One who gives us all that we have.

SCORES

Varsity

#1S - Liam Bradford - 1-6, 1-6 - Wes Troyer (11)

#2S - Caleb Shenk - 1-6, 2-6 - Ben Vincent (10)

#3S - Philip Krabill - 5-7, 0-6 - Landon Holland (11)

#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 1-6, 0-6 - Trajan Schwartz (12)/Jack Wysong (11)

#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 2-6, 3-6 - Grant Topping (12)/Dawson Bley (12)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Braden Bohn - 4-8 - Chase Horner (11)

#2SJV - Josh Cartwright - 2-8 - Nate Clickovich (11)

#3SJV - Matthew Dyck - 6-8 - Brad Demitruk (10)

#4SJV - Austin Shenk - 2-8 - Andrew McCoy (10)

#1DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Aaron Shenk - 8-5 - Zach Parisi (12)/Bryce Harner (11)

#2DJV - Chris Craw/Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 9-7 - Andrew McCoy (10)/Treyton Martin (10)

#3DJV - Angel Torres/Jacob Leininger - 8-9 (4) - Sean Hogan (12)/Alex Bowers (10)

#4DJV - Sam Setiawan/Josiah Schlabach - 2-8 - Wes Steiner (9)/Karson Kirby (9)

Westview Match Report

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VARSITY MATCH REPORT
This night was hot and humid and against a very competitive Warrior team. It didn't bring out the best in many of us, including me, the coach. We had great effort, we hit some great shots, but we struggled with our attitude and our plan. As a result, we couldn't keep our level of play high in pressure situations, and lost the match 4-1.

At #1S, Liam struggled to find ways to attack the Warrior #1S player, Kurtis Davis. Davis has the best record of any player Liam has played yet this year. Davis had very controlled strokes and usually found the right tactical answers for anything Liam threw at him. To me, it looked like Liam needed to be more aggressive, but Liam was tentative in doing that. Toward the end of the match, Liam took some bigger chances, which moved the match in the right direction, but it was too late to make a full comeback.

At #2S, Caleb really came out energetic like we talked about and playing with confidence. He built a first set lead behind biting topspin balls and attacking the net. But as the set wore on, Westview #2S Justin Schwartz began to hit more confident shots. As he made a comeback, Caleb's shots lost their punch and fell shorter and shorter. Caleb fought to take a 6-5 lead, but was taken to a tiebreak. After taking a 4-3 lead and building up some energy, Caleb saw Schwartz finish out the tiebreak calmly. In the next set, Caleb had trouble finding more energy in the heat, and lost in two sets. As coach, I couldn't find the right words or attitude or plan to help in this match either.

At #3S, Philip struggled with sickness. Leading 4-1, Philip actually threw up a little bit on the back of the court. Going to help him, he had already started playing again, saying that he was feeling better now. But it didn't look like he felt better. He soon was tied in his match and headed to a tiebreak. Of course, his tiebreak was happening right as Caleb's was happening. But Philip came out on top with some confident serves and deep topspin forehands. In the second set, Philip cruised to a 3-0 lead before throwing up again on the side of the court. Now, he said, he felt much better, much lighter, and then he finished off his second set with a win. What a crazy night for Philip.

So, the match ended up coming down to the doubles. Could we pull off victories in both? Well, both teams had good parts of the match and bad parts. Unfortunately, the bad parts came at crucial points of the match.

#1D started out well in their match. They were confident, they were attacking, they made the simple plays. Westview responded by sneaking to the middle of the net and taking away the simplest plays. And at the end of the first set, we didn't respond well to that. We continued to loft soft balls across the center of the net. But in the second set, we patrolled the net. We found the aggressive shots. We served well and moved well. We forced a third set. But in that third set, we hoped to win instead of keeping up the shots that got us there. So, again we were lofted balls to the center of the net. We went down 5-2 in the set. Then I was really proud of how we recovered, getting back into the match by winning the next two games and putting pressure on our opponents. But in the end, we couldn't finish off the comeback.

#2D was a crazy match, with each side grabbing momentum at different points. The first set was all Westview as we had difficulty finding the court with our shots. A lot of that was our anticipatory movement. In between shots we would get so flat footed and static. In the second set, we moved. We got on our toes, we kept moving within the points. Our shots followed, striking balls down the line, finding good lobs, controlling the net, dominating our serves. In the third set, we got nervous and started standing still again. We weren't ready for the shots that came back at us from our opponents. We got down 3-0, then 5-0, in the third set. Down 5-0, we resumed our movement. We started to make a comeback, but the hole was a little too deep.

As for myself, I was too frustrated watching us make the same mistakes. It was hard to not be negative, and I found myself giving in to that. But we don't have to give into that. We can find the attitude and the plan that will make for epic comebacks and passionate victories. And we'll move toward that together.

JV MATCH REPORT
Truth be told, another coaching deficiency in this match was that I didn't make it around to the JV matches nearly enough. I saw enough to know a couple of things...

1. This wasn't our best match.
2. We didn't move very well.
3. We were ready to learn and move forward.

Braden Bohn played one of his best matches of the season at #1SJV. He had finished off his match against Triton with some really great play, and he carried that into the match against Westview. Playing at the top of the JV, he swept to an 8-0 victory and was off the court quickly. I really liked his controlled aggression.

At our other positions, we struggled to move in the heat and keep the ball in the court. I'm not sure what caused our tentative nature, but we just didn't really even look like ourselves. We were missing the passion and energy that we often bring.

There were a couple of really bright spots, the freshmen really working hard and getting better at all sorts of things. Matthew's serve is coming around, Austin's serve is gaining consistency, Jacob's strokes are going in more and more, Josiah is continuing to learn where to position himself, Josh works hard within his matches.

But nothing was really working, and we didn't really find ways to make it better within the match. However, that is what practice is for, right?

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough to come with effort tonight. It was enough that we are ready to come with effort tomorrow. It was enough to have that base of desire to start from.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
You are my brothers. After the match, I realized how poorly I had modeled the hopeful and positive attitude that I want you guys to take on the court. So I emailed out a note acknowledging that, saying sorry. I got an email back in four minutes saying, "No problem Matt. You are enough." My brothers, that was so soul refreshing. I got another email talking about dealing with frustration. I love that we really get to do this thing together. You are my brothers.

I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- your effort.
- your desire.
- your nerves.
- your misplayed shots.
- your attempts to improve.
- your successes.
- your failures.
- your movement.
- your love of each other.
- your encouragement.
- your forgiveness.
- each one of you.

A PRAYER
Lord, thanks for people doing things together. Bring us together again!

SCORES
Varsity
#1S - Liam Bradford - 0-6, 2-6 - Kurtis Davis (11)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 6-7 (4), 1-6 - Justin Schwartz (11)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 7-6 (3), 6-3 - Kendall Schwartz (9)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 4-6, 6-1, 4-6 - Brandon Eash (12)/Elijah Hostetler (9)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 1-6, 6-3, 1-6 - Will Clark (10)/Brady Hostetler (10)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Braden Bohn - 8-0 - Brennan Beachy (9)
#2SJV - Josh Cartwright - 3-8 - Micah Yoder (11)
#3SJV - Aaron Shenk - 0-8 - Isaac Rogers (9)
#4SJV - Jacob Leininger - 0-8 - Micah Yoder (11)
#1DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 1-8 - Ryan Klaassen (11)/Anthony Miller (11)
#2DJV - Christopher Craw/Matthew Dyck - 5-8 - Ryan Klaassen (11)/Anthony Miller (11)
#3DJV - Austin Shenk/Josiah Schlabach - 1-8 - Brennan Beachy (9)/Isaac Rogers (9)

Brothers

Facebook Post: Luke Hostetter, Sept. 3, 2018

It is hard to believe that 10 years have gone by since playing tennis alongside these awesome guys at Bethany Christian Schools. And getting to celebrate by going to the US Open for the first time was absolutely electric. Seeing that this team still has the same passion and energy as I remember from the good ol' days will never be forgotten. Thanks for the memories!

P.S. Happy birthday from all of us to our coach, Matt Miller, the man who always taught us to take "serious tennisly."

What this means to me...

These guys were the first Bethany Christian tennis team to win the Sectional title. Luke was the anchor at #1S, but this entire team worked hard together to accomplish something great. And in doing so, they were really the first team to buy in to what I had hoped Bethany Christian tennis could be: Brothers, taking care of each other, chasing down their very best. 

This group provided some of my very favorite tennis memories...

- Coming back and beating Fairfield 3-2 in the first round of Sectional after losing 5-0 just 10 days before that, with Jonny and Luke winning in 3 set comebacks.

- Johnny and Jeremy winning a third set tiebreak in the Sectional Semi-Final over Goshen to give us a 3-2 team victory.

- Jeremy's dad defending Luke's honor from a disrespectful fan at the Warsaw Invitational

- Daniel and Mikey's comeback from down 1-5 in the third set to advance past Fairfield in the Sectional.

- Jared's incredible improvement between his junior and senior year.

- Beating Penn 4-1 as they opened up their new courts and we beat them badly.

- Watching Johnny and Jeremy play with such passion against NorthWood in the Sectional final, providing us with the clinching point.

But even more, it is awesome that this group still remains tight. Friendships and relationships that you can count on are the purpose of life. Tennis is just a rallying point around which to build. I love that these guys built around their passion for the game, but still love each other like family. I wish I could have made it to the US Open to hang with them. 

I hope you guys dive into that. I hope that you will forge relationships within this tennis realm that last. I hope that ten years from now you using whatever technology replaces Snapchat to communicate about the results of the US Open 2028. I hope that you go to each other's weddings, visit each other in big cities, and more.

Thanks, team of 2008. I hope your US Open time was great!

If you want to read more about this team, check out the 2007 and 2008 reviews, or even better click on this link to Match Memories.

Triton Match Report

More Photos: Click Here

VARSITY MATCH REPORT
This match was one of differences, swings and shifts of momentum, and in general, it was just much more fun than our other matches this week. In some matches, we played some our best tennis of the season. In others, we found ourselves in difficult positions because of our opponent or because of our nervousness, or both. Both of those situations, playing our best and struggling through, offer us great chances to learn.

At #1D, Jonah and Nathan put together one of their most complete matches of the season. Both players were at the top of their games, playing the net well and keeping points alive from the baseline. I can't count the number of times they escaped pressure with a well timed lob, or created pressure by making a simple shot and pushing forward to the net. I feel like of any of our positions, this team has taken early difficult matches and used them to get better. This match was really impressive. It was even more fun to watch the way it ended, with Jonah popping over a volley and then setting himself up for a simple overhead smash.

Another position that was at its best today was #3S. Braden Bohn picked up his first varsity victory of the year, and he did it by playing his best tennis. That included confident forehands and backhands and some really good and consistent serving. Of course, that all didn't start happening until after Braden was down 4-2 in the first set. Braden was simply being a little bit too impatient, and he couldn't get a good rhythm in the match against his consistent opponent's looped shots. But from that point, Braden got into it. He went on to win 10 of the next 11 games, taking the first set 6-4 and then the second 6-1. It was really good tennis.

A couple of our other positions started that way. Both Liam at #1S and Will and Tyson at #2D started out with dominant, confident tennis. They played with energy and movement. They played with belief. Liam covered the short balls and controlled points with his forehand. Will and Tyson struck great returns and dominated the net. Both positions sailed to easy first sets. But the second sets were much different.

Liam again played a mirror version of himself. In fact, my 10 year old son ran up and said that Liam's
opponent reminded him of Liam from last year. And that was exactly right. Liam had to keep his energy up and run down some more balls, but in the second set that didn't happen. Liam lost his weapon as well, sending too many shots spinning into the net. Moving into a third set, Liam regrouped and found his way to attack - moving his opponent around. Last year, Liam may not have been able to recover, but this year he trusted his strength. Soon, he found gaps and hit through them for the win.

#2D took a 5-2 lead in the second set and looked as if they were cruising for an easy victory. But, no, storming back came the Trojans. They broke Will's serve. Held. Broke Tyson's serve. Suddenly it was 5-5. In these games, the Bruins were tentative and not smart about their plan. The Trojans took advantage of both. Will and Tyson took the lead again at 6-5 and Will was going to serve for the match. We took a 40-15 lead and had 2 match points. The first saw the Trojans smack a winner up the line, a really nice shot. On the next, Will served and volleyed, and the ball sat up for a putaway. But Will hit it in the net.

Disappointed, the next two points went to Triton, and #2D went to a tiebreak. I was worried, but gave them the encouragement and focus I thought we might need. All we can control is attitude, effort and plan. And boy, did Will and Tyson respond. After losing the first point, the #2D Bruins won six straight points. Many of these were behind really good serving from the guys, especially from Will. We also had two net points that we were able to win. At 6-1, we hit two returns into the net. But leading 6-3, Tyson hit an excellent curving "slider" serve, which forced a return error.

This never-say-die, comeback-from-disappointment attitude was awesome to see. It should bring Will and Tyson a lot of confidence. They faced down struggles, and they succeeded.

Another position of facing down struggles was #3S. Philip seemed a bit low on energy, and his opponent really put the pressure on Philip, often attacking the net or finding other ways to make Philip's shots seem to mean more. Philip definitely didn't have his "A" game, but he never gave in. The match was decided by one break in each set, Philip making his Triton opponent earn each point. But in the end, junior Jared Bules did earn the victory.

So, it was a day of facing challenges, mostly succeeding. Let's file this response in our brains and allow it to encourage us to swing freely in other situations like this.

JV MATCH REPORT
This was the same as the varsity match. Some great play, some facing our weaknesses.

At #1S, Josh Cartwright played great. He started out down and not able to match the pace of his senior opponent's serve. But soon, he found that hitting his topspin forehand deeper put more pressure on his opponent. As Josh switched to this more neutral ball, his opponent had trouble keeping the ball in. And Josh got an excellent victory.

#2S, Matthew Dyck did it again. He got himself into a pressure situation but delivered the win with his signature stroke. Early in the match, he found his forehand not working too well. It drifted long too often. So we slowed it down, increased the spin, and Matthew picked up his determination. He was able to run so many balls down and hit some great deep forehands. Despite trailing 5-3, Matthew recovered to take an 8-6 win.

#1D played excellent tennis as well. They served well and volleyed well and just played solid. In fact, they were probably the only team on the day to have a pretty even and consistent match. They just fine for the whole match. It was awesome to listen to Theo and Jospeh encourage each other though. I love it when doubles team are really "in it" together.

Jim played #3S, and just couldn't hold serve. When he'd get them in, he'd win the rallies. If he missed, well, then the point didn't even get started. Austin and Chris experienced a similar thing at #2D. Both positions never held serve... but broke almost every time.

So, we have our plan, we know the weaknesses we need to change. Not just work on, but things where we need to make significant change. I can't wait to get on that!

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough to grit it out. Sometimes, we want to play our prettiest tennis all the time. We expect that every stroke will be just like we practiced it. Everything will go as we want. But that's not reality, not even possible. It is enough to stick with it in matches like that, to figure out ways to make it work. That was enough today.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
So much was weird this week. Teams with only 5 players, JV matches against each other, long nights getting ready for a special benefit concert, opponents that didn't offer much resistance, weather that was frustrating to play in, weather that we couldn't play in, a match on Labor Day weekend with a morning start time. Through all that, you stuck together. You watched US Open in my room at lunch, during rain outs, or while waiting. You played spur of the moment matches because another team didn't have enough to play us. And so much more. You do it for each other because you are brothers.

I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- the first half of the season.
- a 5-5 record.
- all that we have learned in our losses.
- all that we are learning by winning close ones.
- the way that we believed in ourselves when things got tight.
- how Tyson and Will jumped out to a 6-1 tiebreak lead.
- Joseph and Theo and their energy together.
- Chris and Austin trying to make things work.
- Matthew's continual calm under pressure.
- Liam's excellence in 3rd sets.
- God's grace and peace.

A PRAYER
Lord God, we are at the mid-point of our competition season. We are not completely satisfied about where we are, how we hit, how we've played - but we are learning to be at peace with the way You've created us and how important we are to You. Give us the perspective of Your love. Help us to see each other as You do. Help us to see ourselves as You do. In Jesus name, amen!

SCORES
Varsity
#1S - Liam Bradford - 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 - John Gardner (10)
#2S - Philip Krabill - 4-6, 4-6 - Jared Bules (11)
#3S - Braden Bohn - 6-4, 6-1 - Connor Large (9)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 6-3, 6-2 - Carter Kuntz (12)/Chase Butler (12)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-0, 7-6 (3) - Grant Eib (12)/Tyler Heckaman (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Josh Cartwright - 6-3 - Trevor Miller (12)
#2SJV - Matthew Dyck - 8-6 - Gavin Greer (11)
#3SJV - Jim Lyu - 4-6 - Trevor Miller (12)
#1DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 6-2 - Chase Whybrew (11)/Gavin Butler (9)
#2DJV - Christopher Craw/Austin Shenk - 4-5 (rain) - Chase Whybrew (11)/Gavin Butler (9)