Hamilton Heights - Tournament Report

So much growth! This day showed each position growing throughout the day. Let me highlight some of this below...

#1 Singles Recap

Braden started our day playing Heritage Christian. It was obvious from the warmup that Braden's opponent had big strokes and that Braden couldn't leave the ball short in the court and expect to compete. As the match started, Braden struggled to find his timing against the strong strokes. The first set passed too quickly, but Braden began to hone in during the second set. Taking an early lead, Braden began to find ways to prolong points and force errors. He made the set tight, but couldn't pull it out. His opponent from Heritage Christian ended up winning the #1S flight - and his match against Braden was the closest match he had.

In the second round, Braden played Hamilton Heights. The first set again was a let down. But in the second set, Braden showed some important grit. Braden got down in the second set, and had the opportunity to quit. But instead, he dug in a committed to a new strategy. From down 1-5 he pressed the match to a tiebreak, before eventually losing. That made me very proud, to see Braden dig in. That is a quality he will have to own this season.

#2 Singles Recap

Theo jumped into varsity competition right away with a win. In his first match, he rolled passed his opponent with relative ease. Well, except for cracking his racket. He had the racket slip from a slippery hand, and its frame split on the court. He finished the match switching from Joseph's racket to Austin's racket, but he easily finished off his initial varsity win.

In the second round, he, like Braden, fell to the eventual champion. But again, it was a slipping racket that caused him problems. A second racket of the slid from his hand and cracked on the court. He adjusted with a racket switch again (the fourth of the day). He headed into the third place match with this new racket.

In the final match, he played a very similar player to himself. But with all sorts of excuses (hot weather, cracked rackets, coming off a loss)... he responded with his strengths. Theo made a game plan and stuck to it. After fighting out a tough first set, he began to really cruise in the second set. I was so proud of his head and his heart in closing out a third place finish and a winning record to begin the season.

#3 Singles Recap

#3S was another place where Cameron grew and grew throughout the day. He started off strong in his first match, another position where we drew the eventual champion in the first round. He fought and fought to take the first set to a tiebreak, but then played a few tight points when it was close. After losing the set, he starting playing against himself instead of his opponent. This caused the second set to get away from him quickly.

In his second match, he quickly showed that he was the dominant player, taking a 5-0 lead. It looked like it was going to be easy, but his opponent adjusted and began to keep more balls in play. Forced to play a longer match, Cam got frustrated with his errors and began to give away games. But then he settled down, playing in a way to frustrate his opponent instead. He sailed through the end of that set and proceeded to the 3rd place match up.

In the 3rd place match, Cam was at his best. Well placed and well paced shots scattered the court, and his opponent could not match the consistency. Cam flew through the match on his way to a winning record in his first varsity tournament.

#1 Doubles Recap

These guys looked great.

Joseph and Tyson started the day against Frankton, a team that I knew nothing about. What I did know heading into this match is that Tyson and Joseph have looked great in practice, and I was hoping that it would carry over into the matches. It did. Joseph pounded serves and Tyson covered the court and they looked like a well oiled machine. 

And an intimidating machine. Many of their well placed balls surprised their opponents, who were unprepared to dig balls from their feet or return serves that bounded toward their shoulders. The first match was a blur of aggression, as the #1D guys really hit all of their shots. 

The same was true in the first set of the final. Joseph and Tyson zipped through a threatless 6-0 set to open the final set. But then, some things began to bite them. First, they traded off not being able to get a return in. Secondly, their opponents in the final, from Madison-Grant HS, began to grow in confidence with their own shots. The Madison-Grant team had great hands and excellent control, and began to take care of the net a bit more, especially on their own serve. And so, instead of growing a lead, the second set stayed on serve. We always moved one game ahead as we served, then our opponents would tie it.

But we opened up the tiebreak at the end of the second set with smart aggression. That's the key to a tiebreak. The opponent who can take their aggressive but high percentage shots often wins. We did that, and opened up a 5-1 lead before the first switch of sides. That truly put us at ease, and Joseph was able to secure the #1D championship with a net attacking half forehand through the middle to end the tiebreak 7-2.

That was a great way to end the day, as it was the last match still on the courts! For their efforts, Joseph and Tyson got mini medals!

#2 Doubles Recap

#2D was a position where we figured things out, but unfortunately only got 3 real sets to show it. 

The first set for Aaron and Austin was tense and nervy. We weren't moving, were letting balls drop to far, were just not into the flow of the match. Suddenly it seemed, we were down 1-5. From there, it became easier to relax and Aaron and Austin reeled off 4 games in a row to make it tight. After almost taking the 6-5 lead, they fell in the first set 7-5. 

And then, they put their new looseness and confidence to good use. The smashed through the second set 6-0. So many of their shots were decisive. Their movement was loose. They looked like a killer #1D team, let alone a #2 squad. They pushed their match to a third set tiebreak, played to ten points.

But suddenly, they became nervous again. Tentative feet, second thinking on their shots, and they slowly got behind until it was match point against them. Then they saved that match point. And then another. And then another. Then they took the lead and had a match point of their own! But again, shots that were to tentative cost them. With a chance for a putaway, we opted for too safe of a dink, and our opponents turned it around. Credit to the Heritage Christian duo, they fought through a tough match, and they came out the victors. 

We had played so well, taking 8 of the last 10 games of the match, but still lost. Now we had to face a team that pushed Heritage Christian to a 6-4, 6-4 match. Probably another tough match-up. Except, that we had figured out how to play. Aaron and Austin romped through the second match, bold and determined. 6-1, 6-0 and they had claimed third place. 

What a day for them. Overall they had 23 of 32 games played, but had still come out with one loss. But I am always encouraged to see people getting better and more confident through a day, which is what happened for Aaron and Austin.

Moments of Joy

1. Theo Serves the Match Out with an Ace

Theo's second match, as I said, was tough. It was his third of the day, in the heat, using four different rackets, playing a carbon copy of himself. But he got the advantage in his last service game, and he wasn't going to let it escape. With one loose swing, he hit a booming serve out wide to the backhand that his opponent didn't even wave a racket at. It clattered into the side fencing and Theo had an ace to finish out his tournament.

2. Simple Doubles

My favorite type of tennis is not the crazy, unbelievable, impossible shots. My favorite type of tennis is the one that executes the plan the best. And Joseph and Tyson had so many of those simple, well-played points. They aren't flashy, but one that stands out in my mind was on Tyson's serve. He sliced a serve way out to the forehand and Joseph stayed ready, covering the line. The opponent hit a sharp return down that alley, but Joseph stepped into a backhand volley, directing it right through the middle of the opponents who were pulled far apart. Simple but hugely effective!

3. Aaron's Groundies

When he gets it going, Aaron's groundstrokes are awesome to watch. Whipped with bite, he had several times in the final match where he dictated play with these big shots. His opponents had nothing they could do, because they couldn't compete in a baseline rally, and Aaron just lobbed or passed them if they came forward!

Moments Together

I love these weekend tournaments, where we hang with one another and eat together, cheer together, and laugh together. It was good to see Joseph and Tyson win their section together. It was good to order B Dubs and go sit in a park to eat it. It was good to guess how long it would take team members to take a bathroom break and a gas station or how long it would take us to get to the next telephone pole. All this silliness reminds me of the good, that God gifted us people to spend time with.

Prayer

God, thanks for that togetherness. Thank you for inviting us to laugh, cry, cheer, and hurt together. Thank you that we were able to support each other today. Every day is such a blessing. May You give us the attention for each other when things are difficult as well. In Jesus name, amen.

Scores

#1S - Braden Bohn - 0-6, 4-6 - J. Lemming (11), Heritage Christian

#1S - Braden Bohn - 2-6, 6-7 (5) - Ben Wolfgang (11), Hamilton Heights

#2S - Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 6-1, 6-2 - Braxton Wells (11), Frankton

#2S - Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 3-6, 1-6 - Nick Rice (12), Hamilton Heights

#2S - Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 6-4, 6-3 - Z. Lemming (9), Heritage Christian

#3S - Cameron Heinisch - 6-7 (5), 1-6 - Luke Tiernon (10), Heritage Christian

#3S - Cameron Heinisch - 6-2, 6-3 - Jacob Davenport (11), Frankton

#3S - Cameron Heinisch - 6-0, 6-1 - Eli Lutterman (12), Madison-Grant

#1D - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Tyson Miller - 6-0, 6-1 - Friend (12)/Moines (11), Frankton

#1D - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Tyson Miller - 6-0, 7-6 (2) - Maxwell (12)/Richards (11), Madison-Grant

#2D - Aaron Shenk/Austin Shenk - 5-7, 6-0, (10-12) - Thompson (12)/Kopenstein (12), Heritage Christian

#2D - Aaron Shenk/Austin Shenk - 6-1, 6-0 - Metzger (12)/Fox (11)