Growing in Wisdom - Portage and East Noble Tournaments

Video

Varsity Recap
The Bruins varsity traveled to the Portage Invite, and experienced a day of blessings. Blessings that weren't all about the tennis. First of all, we drove through rain on the way, but the tourney started right on time and the sun actually came out as the Bruins began their match semi-final against Merrillville.

In that match Elias got us on the board with a quick match. He got to experience the rare "golden set." Winning a whole set without losing a point! Judah followed off the court, also with a win, as he had an opponent that rallied well with him but couldn't match Judah's consistent placement.

Next came the doubles, who had displayed great footwork and energy in sealing their matches. In many cases, the serves were just too much for the opponents. It was also a contrast in movement, with the Bruins covering the courts really well and exploiting the gaps their opponent's didn't move into.

Finally, Gid wrapped up the first round with a win. All the matches were quick and we had a lot of energy as we stood around and discussed the prospects for the final. We were blessed by family who brought fruit and drinks. It started to sprinkle on us again, but the rain pushed to the east and the sun came out again. This time we faced Portage, who had defeated Marquette Catholic in the other semi-final.

We got out to a lead behind Judah this time. His opponent hit the ball big, but couldn't find any openings against Judah. Judah served extremely well, hitting a high percentage of first serves in and putting the pressure on his opponent early.

Elias followed with another easy win, where he did a good job of staying focused, using his split steps to get his aggressive opponents shots back, forcing his opponent to be consistent, which he didn't do.

#2D clinched the tourney for us, a simple win with simple aggression. They put away overheads and moved in tandem. This group is really starting to dominate together. I love the way that they've been playing. Can't wait to see how they continue to grow!

Then the two final positions won for us as well. #1D dealt with the big serve of the Portage opponents well, and really took any net play away from Portage. Ethan had a great serving day and Malachi cleaned up at the net.

Gideon played with great positivity and power. His serve looked really natural and dominated all day, but it was his transition game that really shone out in this match. He did a great job of making smart aggressive shots and following them in. But he just played really in control tennis, striking from the baseline with spin when needed, coming in when he saw the opportunities.

With that, it was trophy time. The Bruins posed with the trophy, which had an unfortunate accident before we got it. It was all smiles on the day. We had the blessing to enjoy a meal together as well, watching football, eating sampler platters and laughing together. What a day of blessing.

Let's go Bruins!

JV Recap

Of course, because I wasn't at the JV invite it's hard to give an accurate impression. But I know from texting with Daniel that we were close to winning it all. There were close matches all over the JV tournament, with 9 tiebreaks being played throughout the day. In some ways, I think the varsity would have loved to have that type of close competition to really get ourselves moving. 

Those tiebreaks really made the difference in each of the three matches. In the Fremont match, the JV came out on top in 3 of the 4 tiebreaks... and actually that meant we won the match 5-0. In the East Noble match, 2 of 3 went to the Knights and they got the 3-2 team victory. Against Oak Farm, the tiebreaks were even, but we still couldn't claw out a victory. One tiebreak could have changed it all. 

And that's okay, it's good to get experience. Not quite accomplishing what we hoped for helps us reset, refocus, and find out how to perform better the next time we get a chance. Let's hope it does that for the Bruins!

I'm proud of how the team competed. Players who were put in new positions responded well, and I hope that continues. Let's go out and compete with great belief Bruins!

WE CAN BE HUMBLE, BECAUSE WE BELONG: Moments of Belonging

Back Together

The busses arrived back to the school from our separate tournaments at approximately the same time. And when the players saw each other, they were both drawn into conversations about how the day went. There was genuine interest to hear the stories, the jokes, and the fun that each team had. I'm glad most people didn't hop straight into their cars and drive away, but stayed to get a sense of how each other fared. 

WHEN WE ARE WISE: Wisdom is Playing the Percentages

Footwork Makes the Difference

In the Merrillville match, the difference in footwork and commitment to it was visible. The Bruins split steps were awesome, bringing energy and life into the match. And that energy was the difference in a lot of ways. That energy has helped us improve instead of stay stagnant. Each Bruin position is playing better tennis right now because we've committed to footwork. Because we've committed to bringing energy. Because we can see what it looks like when we don't play with good footwork and energy... it looks and feels boring without it :-)

Confidence

We've won this tournament for a couple of years in a row now, and we enter expecting to do well. We get nervous, but we quickly calm down and play. Other teams know that we are going to play well, and so they enter nervous and often make errors against us that they didn't make against the other teams. We have to enter every match with confidence, knowing that we will bring our best. That is all that confidence is.

Wise Quote of the Day

"I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best." - Serena Williams

THEN WE ARE STRONG: Exceptional Outcomes

He Played Out of His Shoes

In the Portage match, Malachi was really trying to patrol the net. At the end of one of the points, a ball was lifted into the middle of the court just behind him. His slid into the shot, moving quickly and his shoe came right off. He had won the point with one shoe :-) 

Too Many to Count

We served well today. There were many aces and unreturned serves. As the season goes on, we should be growing in confidence, especially in our ability to focus and swing through. I loved to see that today!

Prayer

God, thanks! Today was a day of blessings, a day of tremendous growth. The JV got crazy good experience in tight matches and the varsity got a day of good feelings and good play. We pray that You continue to help us focus not on the outcome, but on the growth and the people. Help take every situation and help us be directed toward You. Amen.

Scores

Varsity against Merrillville
#1S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Avion Matthews

#2S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Tristan Thomas

#3D - Elias Magatti - 6-0, 6-0 - Xavier Kumar

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-0, 6-0 - Dariyan Ganaway/Isaac Rodriguez

#2D - Dominic Ramer/Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0, 6-1 - Isaiah Rodriguez/Brian Richardson

Varsity against Portage 
#1S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Kyle Gorgei

#2S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Cole Pollard

#3D - Elias Magatti - 6-0, 6-0 - Paul Baum

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-1, 6-0 - Kayden Loera/Bryson Loera

#2D - Dominic Ramer/Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0, 6-0 - M. Hernandez/K. Kowalczyk

Junior Varsity against Fremont

#1SJV - Lucas Bateman - 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 - Avi Patel (11)

#2SJV - Jordan Hochstedler - 6-4, 7-6 (3) - Garrett Forrest (10)

#3SJV - Eli Steiner - win by forfeit

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Isaya Magatti - 6-3, 7-5 - Chris Thober (10)/Tyler Mynhier (10) 

#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 6-7 (6), 6-2, 10-4 - Conlon Smith (10)/Quinten Escelante (10)

Junior Varsity against East Noble

#1SJV - Lucas Bateman - 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-10 - Braxton Hardesty (10)

#2SJV - Jordan Hochstedler - 1-6, 4-6 - Luke Zuehsow (9)

#3SJV - Eli Steiner - 6-2, 0-6, 3-10 - Dayde Hudson (10)

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Isaya Magatti - 6-1, 6-1 - Karsten McKinley (12)/Dallas Wilson (10)

#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 6-2, 6-3 - Max Benedict (10)/James Deveau (9)

Junior Varsity against Oak Farm

#1SJV - Lucas Bateman - 0-6, 1-6 - Ryan Kochanski (12)

#2SJV - Jordan Hochstedler - 4-6, 5-7 - Ryker Elias (12)

#3SJV - Eli Steiner - 6-4, 2-6, 6-10 - Fyo Hayden (10)

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Isaya Magatti - 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 - Ivy Witmer (12)/Lilly Moser (12)

#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 6-2, 6-1 - Riley Fitzharris (11)/Afron McGinnis (11)

I really like the way... Portage Invite

Video 

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Round 1 Recap - v. Merrillville

We started our day against the Pirates of Merrillville. We knew little about our opponents, other than that they had the lowest win total of any of our three opponents for the day. With a beautiful spread of 12 courts to get the matches started on, we all started play at the same time. 

And all the matches had a similar flow. We were working through the games comfortably, but I really liked the way we were establishing a confident rhythm. Our feet were bouncing, we were focused on what we needed to do, but we were doing these things with a lightness. With belief. It was getting us into a great space for the day.

In the end, we only dropped 1 game across the five matches. We certainly had opportunities for closer matches, especially at #3S where the Pirate player was very consistent and didn't give up errors easily. But even there, Judah was able to keep calm and grab the 6-0, 6-0 victory. Malachi and Ethan really controlled the net well and spun in cross court shots. Emerson and Keagan served extremely well. And Gideon and Noah continued do dominate.

It was an energetic and electric start to the day.

Round 2 Recap - v. Triton

Next up was a match with the Triton team we had played earlier in the week. This matchup made me a bit nervous, because we had played really well on Senior Night and this Trojan team is really quite good. In there first round matchup, they had defeated Portage. So it looked like the tournament championship really came down to us against them. 

Because their #2S and #3S were still battling out long matches against Portage, we began our match by just sending Noah, #1D, and #2D out onto the courts. I was hoping that we could win all three spots and make Gideon and Judah's life less stressful. We got off to a good start, as Noah built a 5-0 lead behind his brilliant brand of consistent, pressure inducing tennis. 

Beside Noah, Emerson and Keagan were off to a flyer as well. They crushed the first set (6-1), really playing solid at the net and off the return. They were putting the pressure on Triton and making some beautiful, simple and aggressive plays. They moved into the second set with confidence, but Triton picked up their game. The Trojan doubles made more shots, and we started missing more. But just when it looked like we were headed to a third set super tiebreaker, Keagan and Emerson locked in. Winning three games in a row, they took the second set for the second Bruin point after Noah.

#2D battled inconsistency in the first set. Triton did a great job of patrolling the net, and we were missing and/or setting them up for putaway shots. But when the pressure was on, Ethan and Malachi responded. Much like #1D, they found great serves and made themselves more of a threat at the net. They won 3 straight games to take the first set. At that point, they carried the confidence right into the second set, and pulled away, winning 6-1 in the second to provide the clinching point for the Bruins!

So the team victory was secure before Gideon and Judah even began their matches. Still, these two played so well. Judah had endured a long 6-3, 7-6 victory over his opponent on the Monday before. Against the same player today, Judah struck amazing shots and raced through a 6-1, 6-3 victory today. Gideon also bettered his score from Monday night's match, getting a 6-0, 6-0 victory with awesome footwork and consistent and powerful groundstrokes.

So, the second round was also 5-0 to the Bruins! One more to be champions.

Round 3 Recap - v. Portage

In the final round, we played the hosts. In the past two seasons, this match has been for the championship, as both teams entered the round 2-0 on the day. Today, however, the home team had dropped their first match to Triton. I think that helped our players move into the match with confidence.

Noah served as powerfully as I've ever seen him. The serve was a real weapon, and he was able to outlast and draw errors on many other shots from his opponent. He closed out his third victory of the day 6-0, 6-1 to start the round for the Bruins. 

Meanwhile, the doubles got under way. Both teams blanked their opponents in confident first sets. I have to say, I love the way that Emerson and Keagan served through the set and found the right shots to attack during open play. Also, their simple volleys were getting better and better through the day. In the second set, Portage had some spark, but #1D dug out of some love-40 and 15-40 holes to keep the lead. That pressure allowed them to serve out another win.

#2D really started to play their best tennis of the day in this match. Ethan served with authority. Malachi hunted smashes at the net. They moved together well and communicated better. This was key. Doubles is a team sport, so communication is really the way to improve. It was awesome to watch these two come together.

Gideon and Judah entered the courts again as all the others had finished and the team victory was won. Still, they played incredible tennis, putting their opponents on the back foot and rarely making errors. They both found the correct moments to attack with cross court forehands, down the line approaches, deftly aimed passing shots or cracked overheads. They both finished off 6-0, 6-0 victories.

So the team went 15-0 on the day in individual matches. 3-0 in team victories. A great day that ended with the first place trophy.

I really like the way...

This will be a segment of each match report where I'll highlight amazing things - points, efforts, encouragements from the match.

- I really like the way we get stronger as the matches go on

This is becoming a feature of the way we play. As a match goes on, as the day goes on, we get stronger. Today, our best tennis came in the final round. Noah and Ethan served their best. Emerson, Malachi and Judah played their best from the net or short court. Keagan returned his best. Gideon dealt with short balls amazingly. I love the way we keep getting better!

- I really like the way we stayed positive

Last weekend, when we faced pressure we became too negative. We turned to complaining. Today when we faced adversity, we believed that we could come through. When Emerson and Keagan got down, they truly believed they could come back. Same with Malachi and Ethan. For the tournament today, a lot of that belief was based on the fact that we'd done it before. We'd beaten Triton previously. But we can believe in the new, individual skills that we showed today as well. And those skills will help us do things we've never done before.

- I really like the way we enjoy eating together

After the matches, we took the trophy over and order some buffalo wings! I loved the way we watched tennis and football, chatted and laughed as friends. Eating together is such a great way to build community, and I loved that today!

Prayer
God, thanks again. The players on this team are so much fun to be with. Thanks for the improvement that we continue to see in our tennis games. Thanks for the confidence that continues to grow. As we face difficulties, help us continue to feel Your presence and assurance. As we continue to grow, may we grow towards You.

Amen.

Scores
Round 1 - Bethany Christian 5, Merrillville 0

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Cameron Fields

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Dariyon Ganaway

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Tristan Thomas

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 6-0, 6-1 - Louis Ray/Cole Hurst

#2D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-0, 6-0 - Jayden Valliant/Arion Mathews

Round 2 - Bethany Christian 5, Triton 0

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Caden Large (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Blayze Hensley (10)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-1, 6-3 - Jaydon Heckaman (12)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 6-1, 7-5 - Isaiah Vaca (12)/Colton Large (10)

#2D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 7-5, 6-2 - Max Johnson (9)/Levi Mcfarland (9)

Round 3 - Bethany Christian 5, Portage 0

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-1 - Nolan Sheets (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Michael Bourge (12)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Kyle Gorgei (10)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 6-0, 6-2 - David Lopez (12)/Cameron Enright (12)

#2D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-0, 6-0 - Kayden Loera (10)/Amari Ott (10)

What We Really Enjoyed 11: Portage Invitational and Fremont JV Invitational

Enjoy Some Highlights! 

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What Happened in the Varsity Match?

For the varsity tournament, we had three team matches to play. First we matched up against Merrillville, then Triton for a second time, and finally with Portage. Last year, we had been able to win the first two matches, but fell in the final one - finishing 2nd then behind Portage. This year, we came into this tournament wanting to secure the title :-)

In the first match, we started out very nervy. All the singles matches either fell behind or look to be involved in very close matches. Merrillville's players were fairly consistent and not putting a lot of pace of their shots. We were struggling to finish points and getting impatient. But quick reminders to our players of our ability to be positive and patient and we were back in control. The doubles had started out much smoother. All four of Justin, Tristan, Emerson and Adam looked very in control at the net. We were finishing points quickly, before they really had a chance to get started. Our singles players moved back to their variety, mixing spins and heights of the ball and suddenly we rolled through the first round. After less than an hour, all our matches were done and we were getting some rest while our other two opponents played on.

And what a great match the Triton v. Portage one was! Portage took early leads at all five positions, but then Triton came back. Despite losing 4 of 5 first sets, Triton was able to push three of the matches to three sets. In two of those, Triton has able to win the third set tiebreak and clinch the match victory. It was actually exciting for us as well, watching Triton's #2D team win a third set tiebreak 16-14 to decide the match. 

Next up, we played Triton. We were wary about the positive energy that they might have after coming off of a big win. And the Trojans did play well, but I was so pleased with our team. Gideon was the first to begin, and he quickly took care of business. He had won his #2S match quickly on Monday when we played Triton, and he did so again tonight. Simple shots and smart play have been his domain lately. He's been on a roll. That gave us an early lead before any other matches had really even gotten started.

Next up, both doubles rolled. Triton's doubles had provided key challenges and victories against Portage, but again, our doubles four controlled the net. It was so key in putting things away and keeping the Trojans on their toes. So many times our net players found angles through the defenses, with short forehands or half slammed volleys. I loved that.

Noah started out close but gained speed as he began to move to better spots for his attacking shots. He pulled away from his opponent as the match went on. But Ian was in a close battle. After splitting sets with his opponent Monday and not being able to finish the match due to rain, Ian picked up where they had left off - with the Bruins having the momentum. Ian raced out to a 5-2 lead before the nerves kicked in. Trying to close out the set, Ian got tight, and suddenly the match was close. After losing back to back games, Ian squeaked out a break of serve to take the set 6-4.  

Ian served out the first game of the second set confidently and looked like rolling as well. But his Triton opponent fought back. Back and forth went the second set, all the way to a tiebreak. Ian had chances to finish it after being up 5-3, but again, that's when the nerves set in. 

At this point, our team was on to playing the final match. #2S, #1D, and #2D were already well underway as we moved through the schedule. I found myself running from one side of the court to the other, trying to keep track of strategies and scores. 

Ian got down big in the second set tiebreaker, then brought it all the way back to 6-6. But Ian couldn't close it out, so against Triton, Ian headed to a third set tiebreak.

Against Portage, Gideon continued his strong play. Early in the match, it was easy to see that Portage's #2 player - who had two victories on the day before this match, was frustrated and beginning to lack belief. Gideon kept things simple and served well to secure our first point against Portage.

In the meantime, Ian was still finishing our match against Triton. Ian went down big again in the 10 point third set tiebreak, trailing 5-1. But then something clicked for Ian and sent the pressure the other way. Ian reeled off 9 of the next 10 points to win the tiebreak and get a big win. As a coach, I was so happy that Ian cleared this hurdle of nerves and finishing. Can't wait to see the confidence it gives!

In the final Portage match, #2D continue their wonderful net-controlling day. Against a team that hit more powerful groundstrokes than the other two they played, Emerson and Adam continued to find the angles and touches to put them in difficult positions. This allowed them both to find great shots to put away at the net. But their serves also put a lot of pressure on the Portage returns. It was a really nice day for these two.

#1D found themselves in a real battle. Both #1D teams in this match were 2-0 on the day. Portage came out really fired up and played incredible tennis (almost untouchable tennis) for the first part of the first set. They took a 4-0 lead on us and had their fans and parents in a frenzy. But Tristan and Justin handled themselves well. They came back from 4-0 down to only trail 5-4. Unfortunately, they couldn't quite tie up the set and had to move into the second. But in the second, we continued our new found confident play. So much of how our doubles play is determined by how well we control the net. In the second set, we were making simple plays and causing Portage to scramble. This sent the match to a third set tiebreak, and the whole thing was back and forth. No team took a large lead. We were able to secure a match point, but saw it fall by the wayside with a return in the net. Portage was able to convert their first chance, and won the match. 

I was so impressed at how Justin and Tristan kept their heads in a competitive atmosphere. Hopefully they will keep their confidence the next match they have that gets tight.

So the Bruins needed one more position win to secure the tournament title, and it had to come from Noah or Ian, who both entered the courts after the rest of us. In the end, there was little drama, as Noah quickly and consistently moved to a 6-0, 6-0 victory. Noah was followed by Ian, who also secured a 6-0, 6-0 win. In both matches, the Bruins were simply too consistent and too able to come up with the attacking shots in the right moments.

With Noah's victory, we clinched the title. With Ian's, we began to celebrate. We picked up the trophy, snapped some photos, and went to Buffalo Wild Wings to celebrate. It was a wonderful day!

 

What Happened in the JV Match?

While the varsity were at Portage, the JV traveled to Fremont. This was supposed to be a tournament with 6 squads, but when they arrived they found that 2 groups couldn't make it. So it was also a 4 team tournament that they would be competing in. 

Several players continued their late season surges, playing excellent tennis. Both doubles positions got great wins on the day. Keagan and Elliot were able to get a fast start and defeat a good DeKalb doubles team, before also collecting a win over Oak Farm's varsity. Silas and Malachi have really played great doubles when they've been focused, and they followed Keagan and Elliot's pattern. 

Isaya was able to defeat Oak Farm's varsity player as well, meaning that the Bruins JV picked up a win over the Oak Farm team. Unfortunately, we weren't able to secure any other victories in the singles matches. That may be because of a slight injury (Ethan) or a sickness (Dominic). But we had a great day. 

(P.S. I'll try to add more to the match report after I talk to Daniel :-)

What Were the Moments of Joy?
These are going to be moments that I saw in the match that were fun, beautiful and memorable! Again, just from what I happened to see :-)

Angles!

Justin and Tristan were forced to play with angles all day. Several of the doubles teams they faced made them, by either being quick and running down un-angled balls or by whipping wide angle forehands themselves. I was impressed at the way that both Justin and Tristan chased down the wide angled shots and replied with great angles of their own. I was especially excited by the volley angles they were able to find, dropping them short, through the middle or at cross court angles.

Serves!

The team really served well today. Constantly we were the recipients of "free" points on serve, either from aces or unreturnable serves. At doubles, I even saw several versions of my absolute favorite tennis play. A great serve from Emerson would lead to a popped up return, and then Adam would slam it down. A spinner from Justin would jump into the body of the returner, prompting a floated return that Tristan would stab through the middle of the court. At singles, Ian and Noah limited double faults and were able to force a lot of errant returns, while Gideon actually found a number of aces in his match. Serves were a strength today.

Falling Down!

Gideon won two more points today while falling down. While I don't want this to become a thing, it does speak to our tenacity, our willingness to never give up. I also noticed Emerson really getting low to lunge for volleys in his match, a skill that he also has. Falling down isn't ideal, but it does make the point fun when we give so much effort :-)

What Were the Moments of Encouragement?
This segment is where I'll highlight ways that we built each other up during the match or the lead up to it.

Gathered Around

Because we had just 7 players at these tournaments, most of the time everyone was playing. What I experienced however, with the varsity, was that when someone's match finished they rushed down to support and cheer and enjoy whoever was still playing their match. After Emerson and Adam had won their final match, they jogged over and wondered what we still had to do to win the tournament... and then jogged over to cheer for Noah to wrap it up for us, and for #1D to complete a comeback. I love the times when we can gather around together, on the bus or at a meal after the matches are done, sharing stories and encouragement for one another. It's makes me grateful every year.

Let's Take a Moment of Intention

This is a space where I will offer a short prayer for the team.

Lord, this was a day that we got to enjoy lots of time together. I'm grateful for that, whether we win or whether we lose. Thanks for our teammates and sharing this world with a lot of cool people. Amen.

Scores

Varsity

Bethany Christian 5, Merrillville 0

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-2, 6-0 - Ahmed Sulieman (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-2, 6-1 - Steffen Smith (12)

#3S - Ian McHugh - 6-2, 6-1 - Mareo Mukes (12) 

#1D - Tristan Mast/Justin Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-1 - Cameron Fields (11)/Tristan Thomas (9) 

#2D - Adam Siemen Rhodes/Emerson Landis - 6-1, 6-0 - Cole Hurst (11)/Dariyon Ganaway (10)

Bethany Christian 5, Triton 0

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-2, 6-1 - Caden Large (11)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-1, 6-0 - Ethan Shively (12)

#3S - Ian McHugh - 6-4, 6-7 (6), 10-6 - Colton Large (9)

#1D - Tristan Mast/Justin Hochstedler - 6-2, 6-0 - Zac Greer (12)/Isaiah Vaca (11)

#2D - Adam Siemen Rhodes/Emerson Landis - 6-1, 6-0 - Max Ritchison (9)/Blayze Hensley (9)

Bethany Christian 4, Portage 1

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Nolan Sheets (11)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-1 - Michael Bourge (11)

#3S - Ian McHugh - 6-0, 6-0 - Logan Podgorski (9)

#1D - Tristan Mast/Justin Hochstedler - 4-6, 6-4, 9-11 - Tim Brewster (12)/Nathan Pollard (11)

#2D - Adam Siemen Rhodes/Emerson Landis - 6-2, 6-0 - Casey Winicky (12)/David Lopez (11)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Ethan Claassen - 0-3

#2SJV - Dominic Ramer - 0-3

#3SJV - Isaya Magatti - 1-2

#1DJV - Elliot Hertzler Gascho/Keagan Meyer - 2-1

#2DJV - Silas Martin/Malachi Yoder - 2-1 

Match Report #13, 14, 15 - Portage Invite and Fremont Invite

Instagram Highlight Reel 

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Varsity

After a long week off of tennis, with two matches getting cancelled by rain, the Bruins returned to play with two tournaments this fine September Saturday. The varsity traveled to Portage for their "Triple Dual" style of tournament. This means each team played three team matches, and the best record at the end was the champion.

The Bruins started off the tournament against Merrillville. Last year, we had defeated them in several close matches, including losing one position. This year, nothing was really close. Ian adjusted to playing singles, making a great comeback from being down 4-2, then winning the next nine straight games. But other than that the Bruins had control of the matches from pretty much start to finish. There were shots to celebrate, Gideon and Noah both controlling great drop shots and Cameron and Breece really "cross courting" well. In the end, the first round was 5-0 to the Bruins.

The second round was a rematch with Triton, who we had played earlier in the season. In that match, Tristan and Emerson had sat out to allow Breece and Cameron to get some matches in. This time, Cam and Breece watched Tristan and Emerson play. Each of the different positions took care of business in the match against the Trojans, and again we had a 5-0 win.

That meant that the final round against Portage would be for the tournament championship. And it started off well for the Bruins. In hard fought sets, each of the singles positions came out with a tight victory. Cam was patient and attacking at #1S, able to find places to force errors and keep rallies going. Noah was able to endure long points and finish off a couple of games at the end to pull away. Gideon was aggressive and smart, taking advantage of his power. 

The doubles were also close. Breece and Ian built a lead behind Breece's serve and some great returns from Ian. At 5-4, they were able to seal the set and start right into a new one. In the second set, they did something really important, they built a lead. With a lead, they were able to put pressure on the solid Portage #1D. Under the pressure, Portage couldn't quite find the strokes that they needed. In the end, Breece and Ian brought home the first point for the Bruins.

#2D started off great as well, up 4-1 in their first set. But they couldn't push that set across the finish line. Instead they found themselves down 6-5 in the first set. But what a response they brought. They sent the first set into a tiebreak, then fell down 1-4 in the tiebreak, but recovered to win it and take the first set. These comebacks were marked by great serving and remarkably confident play from the baseline. They picked smart and aggressive places and hit to those places.

So, we'd won the first set at all five positions and finished off one of those matches. Noah became the second position to finish off a match, winning with an identical 6-1 score to #1D. With that done, we needed just one more set between the final three positions on the court. 

But it wasn't to be. Each position left, #1S, #3S, and #2D, fell behind early in the second sets. Despite mostly keeping the games close, and even the set close for some, we couldn't snag the difficult points. The whole tournament had been played with No-Ad scoring, and these winner take all points really bit us in these second sets. 

Cameron was the first to come off the courts, having succumbed 5-10 in a third set tiebreak. Then #2D fought from down 7-2 to close the gap to 6-7, but then ended up falling 7-10 in the tiebreak. Finally, Gideon was forced to a third set, and saw his opponent come up with some amazing saves. He also ended up losing the third set tiebreak.

In the end, the Bruins lost 3-2, with all the losses coming from third set tiebreaks. It wasn't the way we wanted to end, so we went to Buffalo Wild Wings to make a better last memory.

JV Recap

The JV had headed off in the other direction, to the eastern edge of the state to play at the Fremont JV Invite. This invite was not team matches, but individual tournaments where each player could earn points for the team score. So we were drawn into a group with East Noble and FreKalb (a combination of Fremont and DeKalb players, as each team had a couple extra :-)

I love getting updates from the guys while I'm coaching the varsity, so it was really fun to hear from them about how well the morning started. Both doubles teams, Justin and Adam at #1D and Elliot and Keagan at #2D, won their first matches. They also reported that Gabo and Dominic had played well in early losses. Gabo was able to come back and snag a win in his second round as well. 

In the end, both doubles teams ended up going 2-1 on the day, finishing 2nd and 3rd in the invite. Gabo finished #1SJV at 4th, and Dominic got a lot of great experience, finishing 6th. 

Moments of Joy
These are going to be moments that I saw in the match that were fun, beautiful and memorable! Again, just from what I happened to see :-)

Drop Shots!

Both Gideon and Noah were masters of the drop shot today. Especially off of weak 2nd serves, they were finding ways to get forward and angle these shots for winners!

JV Texts!

I love getting excited texts throughout the day about what's going on at the JV tournament. It just makes it feel like an early day at a Grand Slam tournament, when there is just tennis going on everywhere. Keagan and Justin both excitably sent a message after they had won matches. It's such an encouragement to know that good is going on elsewhere too!

Power Forehands!

Today, the power of forehands was in effect. In the match against Merrillville, Cameron had an amazing point where he was trading forehands cross court with his opponent. Cameron was finding such amazing angles, at one point sending the Merrillville player into the side fence. The Pirate player got the ball back, so Cameron crashed another angled forehand into the fence! At other spots, Gideon was attacking behind his mid court forehand, and Noah was putting mid court forehands away for winners. Meanwhile, Tristan kept up a steady attack down the line with his forehand. It's becoming a real strength across our team!

Moments of Encouragement
This segment is where I'll highlight ways that we built each other up during the match or the lead up to it.

Let's Go Eat!

After the disappointing end to the tournament, Breece came up to me. He didn't want the bus ride home to be sour and depressing, so he wanted to make sure that we were still planning to go out and get some food together. It's amazing how getting some food together can raise everyone's spirits. We went and watched the IU football game (and all the others), and it was super encouraging. The bus ride home was really fun, as we celebrated IU's comeback victory with our biggest fan (Cameron) as we drove back!

Moment of Intention

This is a space where I will offer a short prayer for the team.

God, this was a great day to play tennis. And we played some really great tennis. It's fun to play, but it's also fun to finish. Help us to stay calm and breathe in moments of pressure, to remember that pressure is a privilege. We are getting to do something that may leave us with wonderful memories, something that will reveal and form our character, something that gives us a chance to love and be loved. Thanks for all of these opportunities!

Scores

VARSITY

Bethany Christian 5, Merrillville 0

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Ahmed Sulieman (10)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-1 - Jordan Jones (12)

#3S - Ian McHugh - 6-4, 6-0 - Noah Molenda (9)

#1D - Breece Erickson/Cameron Heinisch - 6-1, 6-0 - Cameron Fields (10)/Lucas Zakutansky (12)

#2D - Tristan Mast/Emerson Landis - 6-2, 6-2 - Mario Mukes (11)/Steffen Smith (11)

Bethany Christian 5, Triton 0

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-1, 6-0 - Caden Large (10)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-1, 6-0 - Damon Kuntz (10)

#3S - Ian McHugh - Won by default

#1D - Breece Erickson/Cameron Heinisch - Won by default

#2D - Tristan Mast/Emerson Landis - 6-1, 6-2 - Zac Greer (11)/Ethan Shively (11)

Portage 3, Bethany Christian 2

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 6-4, 2-6, 5-10 - Oscar Kapinos (12)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-4, 6-1 - Nolan Sheets (10)

#3S - Gideon Miller - 6-3, 4-6, 6-10 - Zach Crizer (12)

#1D - Breece Erickson/Ian McHugh - 6-4, 6-1 - Dylan Sutphin (12)/Nate Pollard (11)

#2D - Tristan Mast/Emerson Landis - 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-10 - Cameron Adams (12)/Tim Brewster (11)

JUNIOR VARSITY

#1SJV - Gabo Brenneman Ochoa

R1: FreKalb - 3-8.      R2: East Noble - 8-6.         R3: DeKalb - 4-8.       Finish: 4th

#2SJV - Dominic Ramer

R1: East Noble - 1-8.      R2: FreKalb - 2-6.         R3: DeKalb - 0-8.       Finish: 6th

#1DJV - Justin Hochstedler/Adam Siemens Rhodes

R1: FreKalb - 8-4.      R2: East Noble - 6-8.         R3: DeKalb - 8-6.       Finish: 3rd

#2DJV - Elliot Hertzler Gascho/Keagan Meyer

R1: East Noble - 8-6.      R2: FreKalb - 8-0.         R3: Fremont - 4-8.       Finish: 2nd

Match Report #14 & #15: Merrillville and Portage

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Varsity
A bright sunshine awaited the varsity as we boarded the bus and headed to Portage. We normally play a full invitational, with 8 teams, on this Saturday. However, because of COVID, small numbers and other factors, 5 of those teams could not play. So, instead, we played a "Double Dual" invitational, where the 3 remaining schools played round robin style. 

Merrillville played Portage in the first match of the day. We arrived midway through the match, and Portage and Merrillville were having a very good match. We warmed up, checking in on our next opponents every now and then. Cameron broke a string and was able to test out a new racket. We got our serves flowing the way we liked. The Portage-Merrillville match ended 3-2 for Merrillville, who we were scheduled to play first. After they got about a 25 minute break, we began.

In the doubles matches, it was clear early that we had more experience and overall power. All four doubles guys controlled their serves well, and controlled the net well. They put pressure on the Pirate's doubles teams, as they had to find a way around or over our net presence. Both of these matches ended fairly quickly, with victories for the Bruins.

In the doubles, Noah was playing a very similar opponent. While Noah was winning most of the games, their similar styles made for long and grueling points. Noah found that the strategy of the drop shot really put his opponent in difficult situations. Noah was able to use this weapon to both win points and frustrate his opponent. In the end, that was the first singles match to end, giving the Bruins the win in the match.

But Ethan and Cameron both had matches to finish up. Cameron had held tight through his first set, but eventually dropped it to a quick and talented #1S player for Merrillville. Cameron was playing great in the set, but Merrillville's #1 flew all around the court, continuing to make Cam hit another shot. In the second set, frustration kind of snowballed for Cam, and he couldn't get any good momentum going. 

Ethan's match had a bit of a similar feel. Ethan played long points in the first set, having trouble finding a way to attack his opponent. He hit a ton of good shots, but couldn't quite get separation in the scoreline. His serve continued to be a great weapon. At the end of the close set, Ethan was able to pull away and finish the set behind some good serving. Immediately in the second set, Ethan fell behind, but then really discovered his weapon. Similarly to Noah, he could drop a ball short and pull his opponent to the net, then rip a passing shot for the point. Repeating this strategy often, Ethan pulled away for an easier second set. 

That left the Merrillville match as a 4-1 win for the Bruins. After a short rest, we went back to work against Portage. And in this match, we pretty much came out playing our best tennis. 

Cameron had readjusted from his first match. He had a good chat with Matthew. I showed him the notes that Emma Radacanu had used to mentally prepare in each match of the US Open. And he reset beautifully. From the first point of the match, Cam was in charge. He looked confident and assertive on court, in demeanor and in his shots. That was never really shaken throughout the match. Cam won in a straight forward way, ending the match with a beautiful backhand winner.

Again, the doubles had fairly straightforward matches. Austin and Matthew struggled a bit more on return in some of the games, but still confidently held the net. They have become pros at putting the pressure on and making their opponents come up with big shots. Today, they were the ones attacking with forehands and net rushes. At #2D, Breece's serve and Jacob's overheads kept causing problems... literally causing them to lose tennis balls. As their strong shots sailed toward their opponents, Portage framed many of them and they went into a construction zone behind the court. It was great to see the team playing loose, having fun and playing well.

Ethan also loosened up in his second match. His knee had been hurting him in the first match, but in the second it caused no problems. Ethan served, moved, struck the ball with confidence and even though he lost the first game of each set, that was all he would lose. I was impressed with his attitude in this match too, just like it needs to be to compete.

Noah had the longest match, but it was never really in doubt. His opponent seemed to have the best strokes, but had trouble using those strokes to move Noah around the court. Sometimes, this drew Noah into rallies that were down the middle of the court only. But when Noah started to move his opponent around, he could draw errors from him. In the end, it didn't end up being that close of a match. 

And so against Portage, we were able to claim a 5-0 victory. With two wins on the day, we were unofficially the champions of the "Double Dual Tournament." It was in more bright sunshine that we drove home, feeling really good about the tennis we played and the results we achieved.

JV Recap

There was no JV at this varsity invitational.

Moments of Encouragement
This segment is where I'll highlight ways that we built each other up during the match or the lead up to it.

Matthew talking with Cameron

Between matches, I could tell that Cam wasn't particularly happy about how he'd played in the first match. And perhaps about other things as well. I was talking to the Portage coach about how time we'd need, and details for the second match, so I didn't get over to talk to him as soon as I'd normally have liked to after the match. And I wasn't sure what to say. But that's alright, Matthew had already picked him up. Matthew was already sitting, listening, and encouraging Cameron. I admire that about our team, we recognize others so often. It was appreciated.

Moment of Intention

This is a space where I will offer a short prayer for the team.

God, thanks for a sunshiny day. Thanks for a safe day of travel. Thanks for keeping us from injuries in a day with multiple matches. Thanks for giving us so much to look back on, for friends and memories and more. Thanks for natural beauty, that we experience on the drive as we passed forests, lakes, and fields. I am simply full of joy today.

Scores

Varsity v. Merrillville

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 3-6, 1-6 - Benzi Corrales (12)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-1 - Anthony Patton (10)

#3S - Ethan Pairitz - 6-3, 6-2 - Ahmed Sulieman (10)

#1D - Austin Shenk/Matthew Dyck - 6-1, 6-1 - Matthew Sahagun (12)/Steffen Smith (10)

#2D - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - 6-0, 6-0 - Kor Dae Gains (12)/Isaac Flores-Moss (12)

Varsity v. Portage

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 6-1, 6-2 - Oscar Kapinos (11)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-2, 6-2 - Omar Lemus (12)

#3S - Ethan Pairitz - 6-1, 6-1 - Nathan Pollard (10)

#1D - Austin Shenk/Matthew Dyck - 6-2, 6-2 - Cameron Adams (11)/Zach Crizer (11)

#2D - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - 6-0, 6-0 - Tim Brewster (10)/Ilija Koriv (11)

Saturday, September 21 Tournaments

Scores

V: 6th out of 8 at the Portage Invite
JV: 3rd out of 6 at the Fremont JV Invite

Varsity Recap
It was a gray and windy day for the varsity at Portage. We were aiming to play loose and fun and enjoy our tennis, but with the unfamiliar surroundings and teams that we don't see all the time, we definitely didn't get off to the best starts.

In fact, our team lost 4 of 5 in the first rounds. The only winner was Josh Cartwright, who played an outstanding first set, outlasting Merrillville's #3S in a tiebreak before seeing his opponent kind of quit in the second set. Josh is high energy player, and when he stays engaged and positive, his play can drive opponents mad. This happened against Merrillville, and I was proud of Josh because he had to stick out some difficult games to earn the win. At our other positions, we couldn't relax enough to play our best tennis. I think we're still searching for that magical switch that let's us just enjoy the "sheer and savage joy of swinging at a moving target."

But in the second round, we really turned our play around. Braden had played the tournament champion in the first round, and in the second round he had a slower hitting opponent. Braden couldn't find his shots still in the first set, but he adjusted for the second set. He dropped the ball low and in front of his Portage opponent, and won the match in an epic third set tiebreak. #1D bounced back with a simple win over South Bend Clay and #2D played their best match of the season against a formidable South Bend St. Joseph's team, who are currently ranked #20 in the state. Caleb and Josh both battled well too in the second round, but lost to tough opponents.

Entering the third round we had much more confidence. We were able to pick up wins at #1S, #2S, #1D, and #2D in the last round of matches. It was as if we were working out the kinks as we went along. And I think most of the teams figured out what it means for them to play their best. I think that it mostly has to do with us not thinking too much. In fact, I stopped going to the fence in most of the second and third round matches because I didn't have as much to say. These guys know what they need to do in order to play their best: move their feet, simple and smart aggression, and hit their shots.

We did so much more of that at the end of the day. I hope that is what we take as we move forward to our other end of the season tournaments, at Wabash and the Sectional.

Junior Varsity Recap

Of course, as I was at the varsity tournament, I was receiving texts from the JV letting me know what their progress was. And the story was pretty much all the same.

We beat Angola.
We got close to DeKalb.
We won the third place match.

The JV tournament is played with a group stage and then a crossover round. In the group stage, we matched up to Angola and DeKalb. In the past, this would have been a very difficult group, but this year we dominated Angola. In fact, we defeated Angola at every position.

But DeKalb was difficult. Only #1DJV was able to secure a win over the Barons. In the final rounds though, everybody played for third place except #1DJV. And we all won our final round matches, except for #1DJV, which took 2nd place with a close loss to East Noble.

This JV tournament is a tribute to our depth as a program. Here are the enrollments of the participating schools...

DeKalb - 1791
East Noble - 1017
Angola - 876
Prairie Heights - 424
Fremont - 300
Bethany Christian - 150

We competed with schools that have a much wider range of students to choose from. That's a tribute to the work that our guys put in during the offseason. I know each of these guys worked in different ways - coming to open courts, doing 30-30 workouts, taking lessons, playing with their dads, whatever. That work is really paying off! I love seeing us compete well with good teams!

You are accepted.

Before this match even began, I was ready. I was ready because you guys are ready. We have taken the skills that you have worked on and combined them with the best strategies to help you succeed. We have identified weaknesses and been given chances to improve them. I am excited about the end of this season because I see the potential for awesomeness. I accept you where you are.

You are sustained.
Today, we are sustained by these moments of joy...

1. Josh's Match Point 
In Josh's first match, it became obvious that his opponent was getting more and more frustrated. Josh was really enjoying the match, and the atmosphere. Playing next to him were the Triton #2D, and Josh was encouraging them as he played. They were cheering for him back. Josh's opponent was disappointed with the fact that Josh was getting everything back in the court. On match point, Josh led 40-love on his serve. He faulted on the first serve, and then hit a weak second serve toward his opponent. His opponent walked right past the serve as it bounced in, coming to the net to shake Josh's hand. He made no attempt to hit it back. He was all smiles and talked to Josh for a couple minutes, but apparently had no interest in a comeback. It was a funny moment that I will remember.

2. Jacob Leininger's Text
After Jacob and Breece's second match, I got this text from Jacob Leininger... "We just won the next match 8-4. I think that I've been lacking excitement and celebration in my doubles matches. This one felt good." I love this because I love doubles teams that get excited together. I love teams that cheer together. I love this so much because it is fun! And it reminds me that tennis is supposed to be fun! Yes, it can teach us lessons about life and teamwork and hard work, but so can a lot of activities. I choose tennis because I enjoy it, and when I can cheer for myself and my partner I enjoy it even more.

3. Our Final Round of Play
Between the varsity and the JV, we went 8-2 in our final matches of the day. In years past, we have weakened as the tournaments go along. We bring belief in our first matches and then wane throughout the day. Today, we grew stronger as the day went along. That was fun to see!

You have achieved.

We won matches. That is an achievement.
We got progressively better. That is an achievement.
We moved better as the day went on. That is an achievement.
We enjoyed time with our teammates. That is an achievement.
We are ready to come back and do it again. That is an achievement.

Prayer
God, Saturdays are fun days to spend with the tennis team. Help us to move into these days with confidence. Help us to surrender to the gifts You've sent around us. Gifts of great weather, gifts of energy, gifts of laughter, gifts of movement, gifts of joy. Thanks!

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Caleb Shenk - 6-4, 4-6, 8-10 - John Gardner (10), Triton
#1S - Caleb Shenk - 2-6, 1-6 - Spencer Surles (11), Centerville
#1S - Caleb Shenk - Forfeit - Noah Terpstra (11), Merrillville

#2S - Braden Bohn - 2-6, 0-6 - Kyle Fernandez (10), St. Joseph's
#2S - Braden Bohn - 3-6, 6-3, 10-5 - Zander Marcotte (11), Portage
#2S - Braden Bohn - 6-2, 6-2 - Anthony Williamson (12), Merrillville

#3S - Josh Cartwright - 7-6 (5), 6-0 - Benzi Corrales (10), Merrillville
#3S - Josh Cartwright - 4-6, 1-6 - Gage Lecklider (11), Centerville
#3S - Josh Cartwright - 1-6, 0-6 - Connor Large (10), Triton

#1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 2-6, 6-4, 4-10 - Bryan Garrison (12)/Owen Winicky (11), Portage
#1D - #1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 6-2, 6-0 - Braydon Dukes (12)/Marquise Dawning (10), SB Clay
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 6-2, 6-2 - Jamar Williams (11)/Micah Rayburn (11), Merrillville

#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 4-6, 0-6 - Mason Cunningham (11)/Carter Owens (11), Centerville
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 3-6, 4-6 - Nathan Roth (12)/Ryan Bruneel (12), St. Joseph's
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Nathan Duszynski (10)/Noah Stone (9), SB Clay

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Cameron Heinisch - 8-5 - Trevyn Towers - Angola
#1SJV - Cameron Heinisch - 3-8 - Jack McComb - DeKalb
#1SJV - Cameron Heinisch - 8-4 - Ryan Geinger - Fremont

#2SJV - Aaron Shenk - 6-8 - Krue Nagel - DeKalb
#2SJV - Aaron Shenk - 8-3 - Aiden Koch - Angola
#2SJV - Aaron Shenk - 8-3 - Lukas Berlew - Fremont

#3SJV - Matthew Dyck - 6-8 - Owen Holwerda - DeKalb
#3SJV - Matthew Dyck - 8-5 - Connor Libey - Angola
#3SJV - Matthew Dyck - 8-1 - Conner Trobaugh - Fremont

#1DJV - Theo Siemens-Rhodes/Austin Shenk - 8-2 - North Coltrin/Lucas Nelson - Angola
#1DJV - Theo Siemens-Rhodes/Austin Shenk - 8-1 - Kaine Smith/Josh Allen - DeKalb
#1DJV - Theo Siemens-Rhodes/Austin Shenk - 6-8 - Ryan Ludwig/Jacob Gradon - East Noble

#2DJV - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - 2-8 - Elijah Ehmke/Grant Fetter - DeKalb
#2DJV - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - 8-4 - Thomas Newburg/Jack Smith - Angola
#2DJV - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - 8-6 - Dylan Friend/Brael Wyse - Fremont

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