I really like the way... Triton

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Varsity Recap
What an unbelievably fun night this was! On senior night, the Bruins took on the Triton Trojans. Triton has been a really improved team this year, and they continue to get good numbers on the team. It was an exciting night for the Bruins, because it was Senior Night and Noah was going for a record - most wins in a varsity career.

The seniors started off brilliantly in their matches. Emerson and Keagan dropped the first game, but then they suddenly showed up. They moved their feet well and took smart shots. They were the aggressors, the team in charge of the point. And then their fans showed up, as the students arrived to cheer on the senior athletes. It was awesome to see them fly around and have such an emphatic win. This type of tennis really suits them, so it was awesome to see our seniors get our first win on the board.

Gideon followed, really finishing up his match simultaneously with the doubles. Not a senior, but Gideon had also started out well with great footwork and anticipation. A theme of our tennis is being in control, and Gid really did that throughout his first set.

So did #2D. After being challenged to pick their level up a bit, Dominic and Ethan very much did. Dominic ripped backhands and Ethan found several smashes at the net. The amount of unforced errors dropped off and the pair played confident tennis. I loved their response tonight.

Then the stage was basically cleared for Noah. With patience and power that is like his game, Noah won long game after long game. He combined passing ability with strong forehands and darting backhands. He neutralized his opponent's attacking shots. He boomed serves. In the end, he pumped his racket in the air as he finished off a 6-0, 6-0 win - giving him the most varsity victories in a Bruin career. We're super proud of this achievement and celebrated with him.

Judah had yet to finish his match. After a long first set, the second set was longer. Both players were consistent and Judah trailed near the end of the set. He dug in during several long deuce games and kept his nerve. The match went into a second set tiebreak, and Judah really played strong tennis out of the gate in that tiebreak. Judah eased his way to the two set victory.

So wins for the seniors and a 5-0 team victory for the Bruins, along with a new record? That was fun!

JV Recap
The JV match was also a lot of fun. The best matches were at the very top and very bottom of the lineup. Isaya, Lucas, and Preston and Eli had tight matches that they had to figure out. Isaya pushed his opponent right to the end of the set, trading strong forehands and trying to keep his opponent away from the net. He battled off five match points before finally falling. So proud of that effort.

Lucas had a similarly close match. He crushed his forehand and took control of the points, but still had to close the match out with a long deuce game. His movement continues to be some of the best on the team, and Lucas got the Bruins a singles win.

The closest match of the night was #3DJV, Preston and Eli. They played some incredibly tennis, ripping passing shots and returns. They took and early lead, but then had some nerves closing it out. It went to a final tiebreak, where the Bruins had a chance to win but couldn't close the deal.

The other doubles matches were solid for the Bruins. Malachi and Silas played with reserved power, bursting out at times to hit an overhead that knocked down the court signs. Aaron and Ender used their strengths well to combat big serves and forehands of their opponents. Both doubles won comfortably on the night.

Finally, Josiah returned to a singles position, but couldn't quite find the consistency. But this JV team keeps laying down positive and belief-filled building blocks. This JV match ended tied, but we'll get back at it tomorrow!

Let's go Bruins!

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 celebrated the seniors

It was so cool to see everyone gathered around in the cafeteria, honoring the senior players. They have meant so much to us. Take a look at the posts on each player to think about their impact. I'm proud of them and so happy to be a part of this team. Thanks everyone for being POSITIVE, ELECTRIC, and full of BELIEF. Love you guys!

Prayer

God, what a fun night! It was more than great to celebrate together. The work that You have done in the lives of our seniors - and the way that they have given that blessing back to us - is to be praised! We love You and love getting to spend this time together!

Amen.

Scores

Varsity

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

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-1, 6-1 - Blayze Hensley (10)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-3, 7-6 (2) - Jaydon Heckaman (12)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 6-3. 6-3 - Isaiah Vaca (12)/Colton Large (10)
#2D - Dominic Ramer/Ethan Claassen - 6-2, 6-1 - Max Johnson (9)/Levi Mcfarland (9)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 5-7 - Max Ritchison (10)

#2SJV - Lucas Bateman - 6-4 - Hunter Averson (10)

#3SJV - Josiah Aguilar Clark - 1-6 - Braydon Nifong (9)

#1DJV - Malachi Yoder/Silas Martin - 6-1 - Clayton Andrews (9)/Jaydon Whitiker (10)

#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0 - Jaxon Faulkner (9)/Oliver Ickis (10)

#3DJV - Preston Miller/Eli Steiner - 6-7 (7) - Criss Stoddard (9)/Kaden Hummitch (9)

What We Really Enjoyed 9: Triton

Enjoy Some Highlights! 

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What Happened in the Varsity Match?

It looked as if we might have another match where we started warming up, only to be halted by the incoming rain. But as we got started in a bit of a drizzle, it became clear that we had a different problem to face... our opponents. 

Triton really came out of the gate playing challenging tennis. The Trojans were great at making points long, taking advantage of their athleticism and touch, and making us play a lot of tennis shots. 

Early in the match, this hampered us. All across the team, we tried to go for too big of shots and too early in the point. This resulted in long games, or losing games, and falling behind early. Noah had long games and led only 2-1 after twenty minutes. Meanwhile, #2D and Ian at #3S found themselves trailing. We had some work to do to play the way we wanted to.

But the team didn't panic in the slightest. Instead, we played one point at a time. Sometimes, when points get long, it can be tempting to try something crazy and end it quick. Instead, we committed to hitting the right shots to the right spots. We trusted that we could make it work. And it did eventually begin to work.

Emerson and Ethan at #2D began to really be able to find their groundstrokes. They began to simplify and drive them into the corners of the courts and at their opponents backhands. This ended up setting up our net players for simpler putaways, which we also learned to not overswing at.

#1D had opponents who glued themselves to the baseline and continually put up lobs. Tristan and Justin stayed patient, hitting forehands and backhands and staying active at the net. They would wait until they had moved into great positions and then pull the trigger on the overhead. Both players were inflicting damage with their serves as well, hitting pacy shots that drove their opponents returns wide.

#2S was the only quick match of the night. Gideon used a variety of approaches throughout this match to keep his opponent off balance. He served-and-volleyed, used some slice, but mostly controlled with serve and return being very solid. 

#1S was a long match, Noah faced a very athletic opponent who moved around to all corners of the court. Caden Large was able to track down many of Noah's finishing shots and make Noah hit another one. More often than not, Noah was able to find another finishing ball. However, the games were close and long because of this strategy, making Noah stay under tension longer as well. Noah closed it out well, finishing with a relatively undramatic scoreline in what could have become a tight match. 

Finally, Ian’s match at #3S was a great match of learning and growing. In the first set, Ian looked rushed and anxious in the points. As if they just should be over. As a result, Ian made too many errors. After losing that set, Ian relaxed and began to just focus on having fun in each point and taking the right shots. As Ian did that, the match turned quickly in Ian’s favor. Ian took the second and looked to head to a third as a drizzle began. We decided to move the match to a court that would dry quicker and be less slick, but as the players walked onto the court, it began to truly pour down rain. So, the match was ended at one set all. 

Still, we learned great things in the match to carry on to our next ones!

What Happened in the JV Match?

The JV match tonight was 4 singles matches against the two players that Triton had healthy for the match. In these singles matches, what we really were wanting to see was aggression and consistency.

What we got to see was a lot of good serving, but not a lot of long point play. 

When we hit our serves well, the Trojans were having difficulty returning them. That gave our players the opportunity to really focus in on areas of our serves that were giving us trouble, whether that be staying loose or making the right toss. When we served well, we won the point.

On the other hand, when the Trojans were serving, we got to see a little bit more rallies. Keagan especially used nice topspin strokes to control the rally, whereas against the same opponent Adam used speed and placement. It was interesting to see two JV players with different strengths use those strengths against the same opponent. 

Isaya and Dominic got to do the same, trying different strategies against the same opponent. I was really pleased with the way these two competed. Isaya has had so many close matches this season, so it was nice for him to get to see an opponent that he was able to get a good and comfortable win over. Dominic as well has played great tennis against great teams (Goshen, Northridge, etc.) but hadn't banked a lot of victories. So, it's always nice to add to the win column. 

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 :-)

Ethan and Emerson's Run

After starting their match down 3-2, Emerson and Ethan went on a great run, getting the next 10 games in a row. It was really enjoyable to see them keep their cool, move their feet, and get on a roll. I always love when we can do that!

Sarasponda on the Bus

One of the things that makes me smile so big is when we get to sing our victory song. It's a tradition that goes back almost 20 years now, and each year it gets better and better as the year goes on. My favorite is when we get to sing it after a road match. Filling the bus with our off-key voices is joyous and goofy and energizing. It was really fun!

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.

Compassion

There was a moment in Dominic's match where he was so concerned for his opponent. Dominic had been playing well and his opponent was having a rough patch, and appeared to be really upset. Dominic came to the fence and asked what he could do to help his opponent. I am so proud of that compassion. And Isaya followed that up with a compassionate response. Knowing that he'd have to play the same opponent, Isaya graciously said it would be okay if he didn't want to play again. I know Isaya really wanted to get a match in, so this was gracious of him. I love when our team is considerate of the other team, in both difficult moments and good. We play matches against good people, and I'm glad when we see them as people and think about how when can care.

Let's Take a Moment of Intention

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

Lord, I pray for this team and the other teams in the area. The season is getting to its longest feeling point. We are playing matches left and right. We are tired. We are feeling our strengths, but also our weaknesses. Help us to continue to think about our theme of the year... whatever is excellent and praiseworthy, think on these things. May we continue to follow you into the good, and may we extend that good to everyone. Amen.

Scores

Varsity

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

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

#3S - Ian McHugh - 4-6, 6-1 - Colton Large (9)

#1D - Tristan Mast/Justin Hochstedler - 6-1, 6-1 - Zac Greer (12)/Jayden Heckaman (11)

#2D - Emerson Landis/Ethan Claassen - 6-3, 6-0 - Max Ritchison (9)/Blayze Hensley (9)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Keagan Meyer - 6-2 - Hunter Arvesen (9)

#2SJV - Adam Siemens Rhodes - 6-0 - Hunter Arvesen (9)

#3SJV - Dominic Ramer - 6-0

#4SJV - Isaya Magatti - 5-0

Match Report #10 - Triton

Instagram Highlight Reel 

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Varsity

Another beautiful evening for the Bruins. Unfortunately, the Trojans of Triton also didn't have a full varsity team, nor even their full varsity contingent. They have 5 players on their varsity, but one was sick. So for the second night in a row, we started the varsity match already leading 2-0. 

The beneficiaries of those defaults were Ian at #3S, and Tristan and Emerson at #2D. But these players had competitive matches elsewhere tonight. Tristan and Emerson had an awesome match against Keagan and Justin. All four of these players brought their best tennis tonight, smacking their returns and finishing off their volleys. It was also interesting to watch how these guys served under pressure as the match stayed close near the end. It was a really great match, and closer than anything else on the night.

At #3S, Ian continues to fill in for our injured teammate. Last night, he got the default and played against Justin. Tonight, he got the default and played against Adam. Ian's strokes really seem to be gaining strength and purpose. In these last two matches he's played really well, and I'm looking forward to seeing him get even better as the season goes along.

But in the matches where we faced off against Triton, we had a large advantage of experience. Their team has not had too many varsity seasons behind them, where Breece and Cameron and Noah do. We also had one of our freshmen, Gideon, played a high position at #2S. But still these matches never really got close.

Triton brought some interesting challenges. Both of their singles players were able to hit winners at a moment's notice. It was hard to tell when they would sling out a dart into the corners. That unpredictability meant our singles players had to stay on their toes, so as not to give up the point on the hard hit shot. Noah and Gideon excelled at that as the match went on, finding the defensive balls to hold off the low, darting shots and then moving back toward offense. 

In all, our singles were just too consistent for the Trojan counterparts. In doubles, that was the same story. The Triton players didn't have the weapons either to push Cam and Breece. Without a big serve, volley, or forehand, Breece and Cam didn't feel very threatened. As such, they were able to control the points. The Trojans came up with a couple of great shots, putting us in bad positions, but for the most part we stayed in positions with the upper hand. I was especially impressed with Breece and Cameron's footwork, as they split stepped amazingly well as they came to the net.

In all, the Bruins were able to secure another victory on the season, raising our record to 6-4 on the season!

JV Recap

There was no JV match tonight, as Triton unfortunately only had 4 players. Our JV players played some matches against our varsity. Some of those were described above. But Gabo also got to play Elliot in a singles match that was fun to watch. Gabo is quick and improving. He plays a style of tennis like Noah, where he moves around the court and gets all the shots back. Elliot also struggled with this in the beginning, but as the match went on, Elliot started figuring out how to pick his spots and move to his shots. By the end of the set, both players were playing well and relying on their strengths, which was great to see.

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 :-)

Lob Retrievals!

Our singles players were being aggressive today, not just waiting on errors but trying to find ways to get to the net as well. In the first game of his match, Gideon got to the net but got lobbed over, he jogged back, not really giving the sprint needed to get a regular groundstroke. But getting beside the ball, he heaved a jumping, turning, over the head scoop shot back into the court. He then reset and won the point. At #3S, Ian did the same type of maneuver late in his match. Playing against Adam, a great lobber, Ian got drawn to the net by a short ball. Then Adam lobbed with great touch. Ian sprinted back, almost losing his hat but finding a way to whip the ball back into the court. He also was able to win the point. It's always fun to run one down and then be able to finish the point!

Cam and Breece's Aces!

I often hand my phone around for guys to take video while I'm coaching, then later in the evening I review the footage and decide what I'm going to feature in the reel. But tonight, I took my phone with me and was taking some video while I was coaching. I noticed how well Cam and Breece were serving, and kept walking down to their doubles court hoping to capture an ace. Two times, I was standing there with the camera ready, only to have a question asked of me by someone standing by. Both of those times, Cameron and Breece hit huge aces, bounding into the fence right where I would have been filming. Ahhh! I guess my timing was off! But the serves were right down the T and amazing!

So Many More...

Noah's short balls, Gideon's backhands, Cameron's returns, Justin's groundstrokes, Tristan's reactions, Emerson's serving under pressure, Keagan's returns, Elliot's placement, Adam's lobs, Ian's control, Gabo's speed... love to see our strengths on display!

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.

Two Ball

As we waited for the pizza to be delivered from Little Caesar's, who had an oven go down and pizza was running an hour late, we headed onto the court to sing and to play. The guys blew off some steam playing our volleying drill, Two Ball. Breece brought out the wooden racket, Daniel tried some trick shots, and even my eight year old Abel came out to join us. It was a non-stress time of simply enjoying tennis as a team. I love these times, and I long to see them more often. There's very little comparison and frustration in these goofy games, and I love to see us building our confidence in them!

Moment of Intention

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

Lord, thanks for this team. Thanks for time spent together under pressure, where we get to support, cheer and encourage each other. Thanks for time spent together with no pressure, where we get to learn and enjoy each other's personalities. Grant us the balance of pressure, peace and improvement. Grant us the mental strength to hope. Grant us the attention needed to have joy!

Scores

Varsity

1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Caden Large (10)
2S - Gideon Miller - 6-1, 6-1 - Damon Kuntz (11)
3S - Ian McHugh won by default
1D - Breece Erickson/Cameron Heinisch - 6-0, 6-0 - Ethan Shively (11)/Zak Greer (11)
2D - Tristan Mast/Emerson Landis won by default

Match Report #8: Triton

Instagram Reel 

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Varsity Recap

This was a glorious morning. The clouds, the crisp air, the proper time of the match: 10:00 AM. We've had so much heat and humidity, it felt so relaxing to get out into a morning match instead of playing in the heat of the day. It left the match feeling simple - we just got to go and play tennis.

Things were also simplified because there were fewer of us going to the match. Triton lacks a doubles lineup this year, so it was just a varsity team of three that boarded the bus for us, headed to Bourbon, Indiana. These morning drives are highlights of the tennis season for me. Quiet, beautiful, and full of hope and promise.

Arriving at the courts, we had plenty of time to get ourselves warm and ready to play. Everyone looked loose and focused, a difficult combination at times, as we began to prepare for the match. As the match started, we were really on our best tennis at the singles positions. Noah had his trademark consistency, but was also showing an innate ability for strategy. He quickly located a weakness in his opponent's game and targeted that. Consequently, Noah was able to breeze through a 6-0 first set, forcing a lot of errors and keeping points relatively short.

At #3S, Ethan got his first match win of the season. He's played so many good opponents at #3S this year, and been in so many close matches. It was nice to see him get a good lead in this match. It definitely was a match of serves. Ethan was really hammering his serve today, and when he made it (especially to the backhand) his young opponent was having difficulty returning it. But because he was going for it (which I loved), Ethan found a couple too many double faults. In the end, the free points were probably worth trying to build this more aggressive style of serving. His opponent also was able to win some free points with his serve, as he had a wicked slice serve that just died at the spot that it hit the ground. This forced Ethan to hit so low balls from awkward spots near the middle of the court. Ethan figured it out, and was able to play some really good groundstroking tennis. In the end, it wasn't a particularly close victory. Just what Ethan needed.

Noah finished out his second set with a little hiccup. Up 3-0 in the second set, Noah forgot to keep his feet moving. As a result, his shots began to sit up in the middle of the court. His opponent swung aggressively and connected on these balls, taking two games in a row to tighten up the set. Noah regained his movement, and thus regained his control. He finished off the match with 3 straight games to win.

With those two singles wins, the Bruins had sealed the team victory. But Cameron was playing his best match of the season. Cameron has been a great leader for us this season, but has faced a brutal lineup of #1S players. What's been amazing is how he has been able to improve with each match and with each practice. We've been integrating new skills and abilities into his game with each practice session. And he was able to deploy them in this match.

His opponent was an athletic counter puncher, trying to bring Cameron to the net and then using power passing shots and lobs. He lived more on trying to force errors from Cameron, but did hit some winners of his own. In the first set, Cam and his opponent traded breaks of serve until late in the set. Tied at 4-4, Cam had the chance to take a 5-4 lead. In this game, Cam got a little tentative, and dropped a long deuce game. Then he was unable to break back to even the set, and fell a set behind. 

He responded by continuing to fight in the second set. This match was so beautiful and varied to watch. Each player had a wide variety of skills. There were drop shots, lobs, long rallies, quick winners, big serves and volley winners. It was awesome to be a spectator of. The second set ended up poised the same as the first, 4-4, Cameron serving. Again, it was a long game. But this time Cameron was much more aggressive. And this is the way forward. In tight moments, the team must learn to be loose and aggressive. Cameron made so much progress moving in that direction. Unfortunately, his opponent played wonderful points in this situation as well. Facing match point, Cameron saved one with a beautifully set up point. Swinging a short angled ball, stepping inside the baseline, and smacking a deep ball into the backhand corner. It was smooth and loose and full of power. Cam denied that first match point but couldn't hold off the next. 

So, the Bruins won two matches to win the match. Even better, we all felt like we had played well. We continue to progress. We continue to move forward and onward. It was a simple day, but it was beautiful.

JV Recap

There was only one JV player on the other team today, so we took two players to get a JV match in. Jacob Shank played first. And Jacob has really been playing well lately. Earlier this week, he had a really nice doubles and singles match against our own team when Prairie Heights didn't have enough JV players. Then, in practice matches on Thursday, he played some great doubles. He continues to improve, which is an awesome thing in and of itself, but such a great example as a leader of our team. Today that improvement showed. 

Early in his match, Jacob was a little bit erratic with his shots. He was still able to take a lead, but it was a match of errors. Then, in his own words, "Honestly, I don't know what happened. I just kept hitting it in and pretty soon the match was over." But that is such a progression. Jacob was able to make adjustments to become more consistent within the match. He was able to keep that ball in long enough to let his opponent make the mistakes. And he then raced away with a quick victory.

Xayvion then came on to play the same player. Xayvion is another example of awesome progression. He is lengthening out the rallies that he can have in every match that he plays. This improvement is due to his continued work. But I also love to highlight all the teammates we have who are encouraging each other to get better. Xayvion didn't get the win today, but he moved and swung well.

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 :-)

Cameron's match point denial

It is hard to play your "loosest" in the big points. It's a skill that you have to have faith in, and grow that faith over time. Cameron has been building that all year, and it's starting to pay off. Today, down match point he made the right play, ripping a forehand to force an error. This poise is going to start paying off down the stretch of this season.

Ethan's serves into the fence

Ethan had a really nice serving day, but it was especially fun when he was serving to the Ad side of the court. On that side, the fence was very close to the playing surface. Because of the spin he was getting on the ball, Ethan was often serving his opponent close to the fence - which forced his opponent into awkward half swings. So many times he would miss, and Ethan's serve would slam into the fence right in front of where I was watching. Many aces!

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.

Simplicity

Sometimes, the most encouraging thing is when everyone is just in a good place. Today, everyone was encouraging each other. Everyone was ready to play. Everyone was looking out for each other, cheering the good points, echoing the "C'mon's." There was no one stand out, but encouragement was just simply part of the day. I loved that!

Moment of Intention

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

Lord, thanks for a good weekend match. Sometimes, these can feel trying, as they take up some of our time to rest. But because we were able to really enjoy the great autumn-like weather, the joy of better play, the affirmation of getting better, and even the fun of a team win - it still felt like a rest. Thanks for these things. Thanks for the good of the world, especially in the unique ways You've created and gifted each of us. Thanks for the people that we get to spend time with in this season, both our teammates and those that we get to meet as we compete with them. You are amazing. Thanks. Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 4-6, 4-6 - Connor Large (12)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-2 - Damian Kuntz (10)

#3S - Ethan Pairitz - 6-2, 6-1 - Caden Large (9)

#1D - Austin Shenk/Matthew Dyck - forfeit win for Bethany

#2D - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - forfeit win for Bethany

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Jacob Shank - 6-1 - Zac Greer 

#2SJV - Xayvion Maust - 0-6 - Zac Greer

Triton - Match Report

This was a strange match for me in a year of strangeness. Because my kids have been sniffling and sneezing, our doctor thought it best for me to stay away from others until we make sure we just have colds. So rather than coaching, I took a seat far away from the courts and watched from there. The players didn't even know I was there until after their matches finished. And assistant coach Andrew took over the match coaching (and did an excellent job :-)

Varsity Recap
So, from my vantage point leaning against the tires of the Bethany busses, the doubles were hard to see. I arrived just in time to see #2D come off the court. My assumption was that they had won, because they've been on a roll lately. When Austin and Aaron play like they have since the Goshen match, they are going to win a lot of matches. I found out later that it had been 6-0, 6-0.

I could see the #1D scorecard, and it read 5-0 to us. I couldn't tell whether this was first or second set. But I had a good feeling that either way, we were going to take the match. #1D is another position where we've played with a lot of confidence though the year. I'm really excited to see the next step for Joseph and Tyson. Today, it was a simple match that got us a second point.

Which left us needing one of the singles matches. Theo was down 1-4 in the first set. I couldn't read Braden's scorecard, but his body language told me he was down. And Josh's scorecard showed him down 3-4. 

Theo fought brilliantly. After losing the first set, he became more confident in what he was trying to do. He drew his opponent to the net and then hit lobs and passing shots. He came to the net and found opportunities to attack. He changed the contact point of his opponent and therefore forced more errors. He fought his way back in a match where he lost the first set 6-1. I have often told Theo that his biggest strengths are his head and his heart. He figures matches out and never gives up. That was on display again today. And while he couldn't make the full comeback, he will. I can totally see him digging out an important match for us this year, when he doesn't give up and figures out the strategy.

Braden played well, he just played inconsistently. So many times I would watch him make great, confident plays. Then on the next point he would look surprised and flat footed. For Braden, he is going to succeed when he develops belief in himself and carries it from point to point. He has all the tools, and had probably my favorite point of the entire match when he used his strengths to put himself in a great position. I also can't wait for the match where he puts it all together. I think it is coming soon.

But the match ended up coming down to Josh. He was playing an opponent similar to him, very few errors and and a willingness to play long rallies. It was a tight match, trading back and forth games. Just look at the scoreline. After being down 3-4, Josh went up 5-4. Then he was tied at 5. Up 6-5. Then into a tiebreak at 6-6. The tiebreak went back and forth, but no one ever built a lead of more than 2 points. Finally, with the tiebreak at 7-6, Josh watched a forehand sail long and wide to take the set. 

What I loved about Josh all through the tight set was his body language. On Thursday against South Bend Clay, he had really been hustling in between points to keep his energy and focus up. Today it was much the same. In between points he was on his toes and ready. This movement helps focus so much. He was also encouraging and vocal. On big points, he'd let out, "C'mon!" or "Let's go!" It helped him stay positive in a match where it would be tempting to focus on the long points or the errors.

The second set fell into the pattern of the first. Josh took a 2-0 lead, and I was hoping for a quick win. But his opponent won the next to make it 2-1. Then they switched at 3-2, then 4-3. Josh was keeping just ahead, which was great for his comfort. From 4-3, Josh played two great games. In these games, Josh not only kept the ball back but really began to keep the ball low. He would hit high deep balls that were followed with short, low ones. These changes of pace forced errors more quickly. Josh took advantage of the pressure the scoreboard was putting on his Triton opponent and closed out the match with a 6-3 set for the win.

He let out a roar and so did the rest of his teammates. We've had so many close matches this year, with all of our losses being 3-2. So it was nice to swing a 3-2 victory instead. Great job, Bruins!

Andrew's Thoughts on the Match

Starting this season as the volunteer third coach, I was not expecting to find myself responsible for coaching a home varsity match, but all any of us can do in these situations is step forward when the need arises. I was very pleased with the team's response, both in their focus and motivation to win. I expected nothing less, and they did not disappoint.

After the match Cameron jokingly suggested I challenge Matt for the permanent head coach position. Needless to say, that will not be happening, but I appreciated the vote of confidence. Here's hoping Matt returns before Westview has a chance to ruin my perfect win percentage as a varsity coach.

JV Recap

There was no JV contest.

Moments of Joy

This will be a section where I highlight some of my favorite individual moments from the match. Just points that I noticed that were really well played or exemplify what we are trying to teach.

1. Braden Plays to His Strengths

In the second set, Braden began to attack with a bit more consistency. My favorite point was when he combined all his strengths in one point. First, he blasted a backhand cross court. This forced a stretching and weak return from his opponent. Braden moved up and hit a controlled forehand approach shot right into his opponent's backhand. That came back as an unsteady passing shot. Braden quickly closed the net with a angled volley for the winner. All things that Braden does well, all packaged into one great point!

2. Theo's Underarm Serve

Also in his second set, Theo was succeeding by keeping his opponent off balance. In one of his service games, Theo scooped an underarm serve when his opponent was expecting a blasted one. His opponent sprinted forward, just flipping up the ball and leaving it short. Theo put an approach shot right at his feet in the middle of the court, which he was able to get... but it set Theo up for an overhead smash. This variety is a key hallmark of Theo's great play.

3. Josh's Tiebreak

Josh's tiebreak was a thing of beauty. Both players were obviously nervous. But Josh kept finding the shots when he needed them. Instead of being foolish, Josh stuck to his best form of play and put many balls back near the baseline and let the Triton #3 try to figure out how to attack. But again, what was so beautiful was his confidence and energy in the tiebreak. He would move up to return serve or hit the serve himself with his feet bouncing. He would move up quickly, ready to go. This quick movement helped him deal with nerves and stay focused. And the fist pumps helped too!

Moments Together

After the match was over, the guys waved at me over in my spot by my car. Then Aaron Shenk called me and invited me over to participate in the team song. While I couldn't get out and go near, it means so much to me how thoughtful the guys are. Of course, I hope my kids get over their sniffles and I get to return to the court. But I love that all the guys are thinking of creative and fun ways to deal with uncertain and unwanted situations. I sat in my car listening to the victory song, yelling Bruins with them from the parking lot, and loving who these young men are.

A Prayer

Lord, thanks. Thanks for who You are making each one of us. We are Your wonderful creations, and I love the strengths that You have given each of us. Thanks for the encouragement, the support, the head nods and fist pumps, the texts and the shouts. Thanks for the way that You have reached out to us, and the way that we can reach out to one another. May our lives reflect Yours. In Jesus name!

Scores

Varsity: 3-2

#1S - Braden Bohn - 1-6, 3-6 - John Gardner (12)

#2S - Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 1-6, 5-7 - Connor Large (11)

#3S - Josh Cartwright - 7-6 (6), 6-3 - Cole McKinney (11)

#1D - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Tyson Miller- 6-1, 6-0 - Riley Linville (12)/Chandler Westafer (10)

#2D - Aaron Shenk/Austin Shenk - 6-0, 6-0 - Chase King (10)/Damian Kuntz (9)

Triton Match Report - 2019

Scores

V: Bethany Christian 4, Triton 1
JV: Bethany Christian JV 3, Triton JV 0

Photos
Click here for photos from the match.

Varsity Recap

This is always a match that makes me nervous. We always play Triton on a Saturday morning, but it seems often like we could be unprepared for them. We've also played a recent schedule of teams that we have beaten more easily, and so it feels like we could be unprepared for a team with a better record.

But the team proved me wrong today. They were extremely ready for this match. After a good practice on Friday for most players, and a good long warmup, our players came out psyched up for the match. I'll admit, I was worried most about #3S, where Josh was playing a senior. I went down and watched the warmup and walked away feeling very confident in Josh. When he has days where he is positive, I can tell good things are going to happen.

And they did for him. As they did for the rest of the varsity. At 3 of the 5 positions we took 5-0 leads in the first sets. At the other positions, we were up 4-1 and 3-2 through the first five games. This was the intentional, attention focused, energetic tennis that we had talked about on Friday at practice. I was really glad to see it translate to the match for the team.

But as in many matches, adversity always finds a way to sneak in. It happened first to Braden, who all the sudden lost his touch in his match. He couldn't figure out ways to win points, as his shots returned to him and going for more left him hitting out. Even his net game was deserting him. So, he struggled to close out the first set after a 3-2 lead. In fact, he didn't get another game in that set. The struggles continued to start the second set, as he went down 3-0 to start that set. He made a comeback of really well played tennis to at the end of the second, but it was a little bit too late. We talked after the match, and realized that there were some really good things to learn from in this match about style and practice.

In other positions, the adversity didn't carry them to defeat, but instead gave them a challenge to up their game. That happened in Josh's match, where the one that I was worried about started to turn around. Josh took an easy first set 6-0, but then the Trojan player started to make the second set more difficult by mimicking Josh's style. This left Josh looking for answers, but he was able to find them by attacking the backhand of his opponent.

Will and Tyson got a 6-0 set as well in their first, but their young opponents really grew into the match as it went. I was impressed with the Triton duo, both playing their first years of tennis. I think they'll blossom into nice players. They were certainly competitive, and kept chipping away, trying to find chinks in the #2 Bruins armor. They found some, but then would lift a ball on the next point to Will's overhead or drop it too short to Tyson's volley or forehand. Simple shots helped put away the match for the Bruins, but it was a nice comeback and energy from the Trojans.

Joseph and Nathan also reeled off a relatively simple first set. They were playing really solid opponents, one Trojan had beaten Philip last year while the other had been part of the #2D that forced Will and Tyson into a second set tiebreak. The Triton players work well together and their individual record stood at 6-2 for the season. The Bruins duo took a big lead in the first set, and finished it off at 6-2.  In the second set, things stayed tight. Every change over, I'd hope that we'd taken two games and it was just one. BC led 2-1, then 3-2, then 4-3, then 5-4. Always keeping our nose in front. In the final game, we had a 40-15 lead and two match points. The Trojans erased both match points with some great scrambling play. We saw several more match points come up before we actually faced a break point. But Joseph came through with a well-placed second serve ace that had his opponent moving the wrong way. Finally, Nathan cut off a forehand return and split his opponents with a volley and delivered match point to the Bruins. That was the third varsity point, which meant I could relax.

I could relax and go cheer Caleb, who was in a third set to decide his #1S match. Caleb had dominated the first set with excellent angles and powerful mid court tennis. Then his opponent had turned those same tables in the second set. But Caleb powered them right back down in the third. Caleb had winners galore, which isn't something we get to see too much from Bethany singles tennis through the years. We've often had more grinders who force errors with good placement, so it's fun to watch Caleb smoke a backhand passing shot or a volley cut down at the net. As his opponent got more and more frustrated, games started to add up for Caleb and he sealed the third set, 6-0.

So, it all ended well for the Bruins. Each position faced enough adversity to learn from, but they were able to push through. Can't wait to see what the rest of the season holds for this team.

Junior Varsity Recap
These guys just played too fast. I was really nervous starting the varsity match, so as I tried to get those started the JV guys blew through the doubles match. I arrived a 7-0 to watch Breece serve out a brilliant victory for him and Theo. Then Austin and Matthew went on to play singles, and I thought, "Oh, well they'll have to warm up for a bit, so I'll go encourage the varsity on to a victory." When I cycled back around the courts, Austin and Matthew were done, with a pair of 8-0 victories in the bag.

I appreciated the JV's joy on this Saturday. Their opponents were perhaps not quite as difficult as they were last Saturday, but the guys that were here just seemed to blend into the team vibe really well. They were quite encouraging and I could often hear their encouragements ringing out from their lower courts toward the higher ones. And it was great to get a well-deserved official victory for the JV.

You are accepted.

Before this match even began, I was excited. Driving on a crisp Saturday morning with a coffee in my hand, hearing you chatter behind me about the SGA fall party or other items of importance, these moments put a smile on my face. It reminds me of the energy of being alive. And so before the match even began, I appreciated each of you!

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

1. Braden's Tweener
Tweeners are all the rage now? In Braden's match, he tracked down a lob and used the tweener, sending it back into the middle of the court. It was so cool, AND I FINALLY GOT TO SEE IT.  I love the shots that act like a jolt of energy to our games. Speaking of which...

2. Will and Tyson's Energy
I love it when these guys get verbally pumped up with each other. Their joy and relief just overcome into some loud, encouraging, uplifting "C'mons" or "Let's go, baby!" I love that it's not meant to intimidate or perturb their opponents, its just overflowing excitement. Which I love. Tennis should be exciting. I loved hearing Will's roars after big overheads. I loved when his opponents raced back fearing the big overhead and Will dinked a drop shot over the net. These joyful points make the whole season worthwhile.


3. Joseph's Calm Under Pressure
At 5-4 up, Joseph served to close out the second set and the match for #1D. He hit a bunch of beautiful serves in that set, but for whatever reason we couldn't find the closing "punch." And then, at deuce, he double-faulted. It would have been easy to crumble, and not bring a good serve on the next point or points. But instead, Joseph erased the break point with a second serve ace out wide in the ad court. He and Nathan went on to take the next two points and win the match. Love the calm attitude.

4. Caleb's Winning the Point Against an Underarm Serve :-)
In frustration, at the end of the third set, Caleb's opponent tried to catch him off guard with an underarm serve. Caleb sprinted forward and flicked it off the ground, then proceeding to the net. His opponent scooped up a low ball and pounded it at Caleb, but it took him completely off balance and Caleb reflex volleyed into the open court. Way to be awake Caleb!

You are significant.

How have we used our God-given gifts to serve the needs of others?

The joy with which we played with today was real. And Matthew and Will helped us celebrate that joy on the way home by sharing their smart phone and smart speaker with the bus. I got to hear the oddly popular song "Old Town Road" for the first time. It was a treat (he said sarcastically). But truthfully, watching the music improve the mood on the bus was so cool. Watching guys slapping their knees to the beat was dangerous, but fun. Singing along to the songs that played on the Guardians of the Galaxy playlist, or whatever else came on - it was pretty great. Thanks for sharing the love guys!

You have achieved.

We came out with intention. That is an achievement.
We came out with attention. That is an achievement.
We came out with energy. That is an achievement.
We came out with a win. That is an achievement.
We sang Sarasponda in a moving van when your coach didn't have the voice to lead you. That is an achievement.

Prayer
God, it's been a good first half of the season. We've grown, but I want to make sure that we keep growing together. Life is nothing if it doesn't draw us into relationships, or at least, that's the way it really seems to me. So keep drawing us in, to Your acceptance, to Your vision for us, to our brothers. Draw us in close. Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Caleb Shenk - 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 - John Gardner (11)
#2S - Braden Bohn - 3-6, 2-6 - Connor Large (10)
#3S - Josh Cartwright - 6-0, 6-2 - Gavin Greer (12)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 6-2, 6-4 - Tyler Heckamen (12)/Jared Bules (12)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-0, 6-3 - Cole McKinney (10)/Chandler Westafer (9)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Austin Shenk - 8-0 - William Schaetzler (11)
#2SJV - Matthew Dyck - 8-0 - Chase King (9)
#1DJV - Theo Siemens-Rhodes/Breece Erickson - 8-0 - William Schaetzler (11)/Chase King (9)

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)