The Story - Chapter 12 - Bethany Christian v. Blackhawk Christian

Video Highlights

Coming soon!

The Varsity Story 

"Let's go!"

Some nights are just fun nights to celebrate where you are in your growth. Tonight was another night and another level from the Bruins! 

To set the scene, the Bruins traveled an hour and a half to face the Braves of Blackhawk Christian. The Braves are a young, athletic, talented team who are currently ranked in the top 8 teams of the Northeast Indiana District by the Tennis Coaches Association. Coming into the match, Blackhawk was 8-1 on the season. Their only defeat was a narrow 3-2 loss to another district ranked team. And overall, their #1S and #1D were both sitting with 1 loss on the season.

And yet... we had hope. 

We entered our first sets playing really well. Every position except for #2D got the first game of the match under their belt. Speeding out especially quickly was Aaron at #3S. He really had an amazing match. His opponent was very consistent, like so many of the #3S players that Aaron has been seeing lately. Aaron committed himself to attack in this match though. He spun shots into the corners and attacked the net. His touch is really good when he is trusting himself. Feeling a bit of a cold, he didn't get too high or emotionally energetic. He just played a low-key, solid match. And game after game his lead kept building, until he found himself as a 6-0, 6-1 winner.

At #2S, Elias was sick for the day. So his brother Isaya got to fill in his position. Isaya played well early, returning well and breaking serve. It was a really interesting match of consistency, high flighted shots and lobs, touch and change of direction. Isaya handled it really well, but couldn't find a way to consistently finish points or put his opponent under pressure. He did a valiant job stepping in, but a loss at #2S meant the match was 1-1.

Over at #1D, we served well throughout the first set. Ethan and Malachi were constantly putting the pressure on their opponent with excellent serves and an active net player. Many points were the simple type of doubles we try to play. Good serve, net player shifts with the placement of the serve, net player puts away the incoming return. On the other side, the Braves were accomplishing much the same in their service games. Late in the first set, holding the 5-4 advantage we took advantage of a couple of errors and broke to take the set.

In the second set, we lost our way and our focus at the beginning. We had a bit of lazy feet, went for too much on simple volleys and passing shots, and got out of rhythm. We fell behind 3-0. Then we found the rhythm again. Unfortunately, at this point the Braves were in their flow as well. The next couple of games were long games, with many deuces... many opportunities to turn the set around. Again and again, break points came and then went. So despite playing better, the Braves took the set. 

Because of the long drive, the dying light, and an incoming storm, we had agreed prior to the match that any third sets would be 10 point tiebreaks. I've said it before, Malachi and Ethan perform well under pressure. A back and forth beginning of the tiebreak saw us switch at 3-3. Then came a great series of solid points for the Bruins. Great serves, great returns, simple spots that put the pressure on our opponents. They missed and we ran off a little streak, taking an 8-4 lead. From there, we basically traded points until we got the match tiebreak, 10-7, handing the Braves #1D only there second loss of the year. 

That was a great match, and it gave the team a 2-1 lead. Also playing into a third set, with the chance to end it, were our #2D team. Jordan and Lucas had already played one tiebreak in their match, the first set, where they had come from 4-1 down to start the match to force a tiebreak in the first set. But the tiebreak had gone the way of the Braves and the Bruins started out down a set in #2D.

The second set was exactly the way that Lucas and Jordan want to play. Active at the net, controlled from the baseline. They moved to find the space for their shots. They swung with confidence. They served well. This solid way of going about their business also muted the energy of their opponents. They eased their way to a comfortable 6-3 set. But then was the match tiebreak. 

Everything seemed to kind of slide away in the tiebreak. We didn't find our first serves. Our feet were a bit slow and nervous. Our opponent's shots seemed to find the back of the line - including one where Lucas called it out and then realized he'd missed the call and overturned himself. A great bit of honesty in the middle of a tough time! I appreciate it, and Blackhawk's coach and even some of their parents made a point of letting me know that they admired the integrity in that. Something to be proud of for sure.

Yet, in the match, the tiebreak didn't go our way. And so the team score stood at 2-2, with only one position still playing. That was Judah at #1S, trying to battle the Braves #1 who had only lost once this year. And battle is maybe a decent way to describe it. Again and again, the Braves #1 smashed forehands across the court that sent Judah scrambling. Power was the name of the game, with a lot of heavy spin. Some shots just went flying past Judah and he had to clap his racket and say, "Oh, good shot!"

But many of the shots, Judah got too. And he put them back in difficult spots. And he forced errors. And he served well. This was another match of mostly holds until Judah held a  5-4 lead in the first set. Judah broke to finish the set, and then got right back to work in the second set. Again, Judah kept retrieving, kept up his variety, kept his head up. He enjoyed the points that ended in his favor, whether from a good serve or a long consistent rally. At 4-4, #2D ended and it became obvious that it was all up to Judah. In a big, important game, Judah held serve to take the 5-4 lead. In the next game, a big error from his opponent was followed with a big winner. Repeating that sequence led to 30-30 in the game. Each team called out encouragement. The lights were on. Lightning was beginning to spark as the distant storm started to get close. 

And Judah held his nerve, put two shots in difficult places, and won the match for the Bruin team.

The players streamed onto the court to congratulate him and celebrate together. They hoisted him up and carried him (before he got scared). And it was good to celebrate. For the second night in a row, we had defeated a district-ranked team. A very good team. We are learning to play our best tennis when the lights are on, when the pressure is high. We are playing smart and confident tennis in those situations. And we can continue to build on that.

Great job Bruins! Let's go!

The JV Story

The JV match was just as close, also going down to the final match on the court. We had started with a big win, Sam and Ender playing consistent and yet attacking doubles to take the #1DJV position. Then Eli had kept it close, feeling like he could have won but not quite able to get over the finish line in the close set. A couple too many errors really made the difference. 

Finally, all eyes were on Ayden, as he took his match into a tiebreak, and took his tiebreak right to the end. A little like #2D, things didn't seem to go Ayden's way. His opponent tightened up his game and made less errors. That left Ayden trying to find ways to attack. In the end, it didn't go the Bruins way this time. 

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Coming soon...

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

It was awesome to have everybody supporting Judah at the end. It was awesome to see them goof around celebrating after a win. It was an awesome ride home on the bus, with the lightning and the conversations and the laughing. I love it when we are doing things together. I know that winning can be like that, but I hope that we can have the same joys of doing things together even when a match hasn't gone our way.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Coming soon...

Awards

Cheerleader: Eli
Hustle: Ayden
Dig Deep: Judah

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us
Moment of Prayer

God, I'm grateful for nights like these. Where the team gets to come around each other with support, where we have to dig in, where win or lose we know we are going to grow. Thanks for all the different opportunities we get during a tennis season. I enjoyed the bus ride home so much as well, as the storm flickered and the countryside was illuminated. So much beauty. Thanks! In Jesus name, amen.

Scores
Varsity

#1S - Judah Miller - 6-4, 6-4 - Marshall Treesh (10)

#2S - Isaya Magatti - 2-6, 2-6 - John Dykstra (11)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0, 6-1 - JD Tilma (12)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-4, 1-6, 10-7 - Drake Sefton (11)/Quinton Richard (11)

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-10 - Ryan Dykstra (11)/Duke Faupel (11)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Ayden Lehman - 7-8 (5) - Adrian Lindstrom (9)

#2SJV - Eli Steiner - 6-8 - Austin Greenwalt (11)

#1DJV - Ender Finnigan/Sam Brenneman - 8-4 - Isaac Tilma (10)/Coye Zimmerman (9)

The Story - Chapter 11 - Bethany Christian v. Triton

Video Highlights
Coming soon!

The Varsity Story 

"Tennis is Fake"

Wow! Tonight was an awesome performance from the Bruins. Coming off a good day of rest, the Bruins played some excellent tennis. It almost seemed unreal and scripted. I mean, how about a Senior Night match that comes down to the two seniors on varsity having to win their tiebreak to seal a victory for their team? Seems like Hollywood stuff, but tonight that's exactly what happened. 

The first match off the courts was Judah. Tonight, he took a bit to settle into his match. But in the middle of the first set he suddenly found the combination of shots that provided difficulty for his opponent. He road the break of serve he got and the energy from that into the second set. In the second set, he kept it up. He ended up playing great, and has really been coming into his own the last two weeks as he plays with confidence.

The second win was also a confident one, delivered by Lucas and Jordan. They took an early lead in their match, capitalizing on some early mistakes from their opponents. But then they really controlled the net in this match. We've been emphasizing activity and control, and they hit some amazing volleys that were characterized by the control the they had on their rackets and the touch they were able to put on the ball. Soon after Judah won the 1st, Jordan and Lucas provided the second.

Which meant it would only take one more for the Bruins to win the team match. But at that time, despite three matches remaining on the court, all of those matches were so close. Aaron had won the first set but trailed deep in the second set. Elias had lost the first set in a nail-biting tiebreak. It looked like it might all come down to our two seniors on Senior Night, Malachi and Ethan. Could they finish their match at #1D?

Ethan and Malachi took the first set by jumping out to a quick lead and playing simple yet aggressive tennis. Up 4-0, they lost a bit of focus. Triton jumped on it, and started playing much better in their own right. They were hitting almost everything back, forcing the Bruins to almost finish the point twice. The Trojans crawled back into the set, but the Bruin pair finally got it over the line. 

But then we relaxed again. Anytime that we do that, going for the spectacular or wasting our serves, it seems that the other team responds by playing excellent. In the second set, it was the Trojans who roared out to a 5-2 lead in the set. Facing the prospect of a third set, Malachi and Ethan came back to their strategies. Simple control. Movement at the net. Returns in the court. Doing this, they turned the pressure around. They made it the Trojans who had to finish. Little by little, they worked their way back in and tied it at 5-5. After trading holds of serves, it was 6-6 and time for a decisive tiebreak.

In the tiebreak, the Bruins found themselves trailing until Ethan knocked off two impressive serves and then caused some errors with well controlled points. The Bruins went from 5-4 down to 6-5 ahead, with Malachi serving for the clinching Bruin point. Fortunately, Malachi boomed a great serve. It was called out, but the Triton player reversed his call. That moment of honesty meant the Bruins had won the match. It was a valiant admission by the Triton player, reminding me of years ago when we had been in a tiebreak with Fairfield and one of our players reversed his call. You have to give credit to honesty. It was great.

But the Bruins had won, with the seniors clinching it on Senior Night! Whoo!

Meanwhile, Aaron had made his way back into the third set. Playing with confidence and movement, he had gotten the match back to 3-3. He was volleying and attacking really well, finishing points often with excellent 1-2 punches. He would hit one side of the court and then volley through the open side. In all of this, his form looked really good, using his legs to generate the solid base of his shots. But again, credit to Triton, who was a really good and really well coached team, the #3S player found a new level. With incredible overheads, he attacked the net and made it hard for Aaron to have the time. The Triton #3S was incredible at finding just the right trajectory to scream a line drive overhead from almost anywhere on court. So Aaron gave it his best, but these shots and the new level defeated him.

And that's okay. When our opponent's find a high ability, we just have to clap and congratulate them. Still, we had one more match on the courts. It was Elias, and he had turned his match around and was now into a third set.

Elias was close in the first set, he trailed early led late, but couldn't get the finishing shot. Much like his match on Friday night, this match was really about who could hit the better finishing shot. In the tiebreak to end the first set, Elias fell just short. But wow, did he turn this around in set 2. He started focusing on the spots he needed to put the ball in, and all the sudden he built a lead in the set. Elias also learned through the match how to return his opponent's tricky left-handed serve. In the second set and then into the third, he made less and less errors returning that shot. 

In the third set, Elias raced out to a 5-0 lead. He had several chances to end it, but dropped 2 games. Then with a roar, he finished the match 6-2 and had a great win! So proud of how he got it all turned around and continued to believe.

That's true for the whole team. This was an impressive victory over a really solid team. Triton had been 11-3 entering our match. That's a good team that we played really well against, and the seniors led the way! Let's go Bruins!

The JV Story

As the drama played out in the varsity matches, the JV matches started dotting the courts in between them. Triton's singles players all had a similar game, they really challenged us with their consistency and ability to get the ball back in play. All of our singles players are talented at that as well, and so most of the matches became about who would make an error.

At #1SJV, Isaya faced a player who has had a really successful varsity season this year. Isaya continued with the ease and consistency that he's developed this season, playing and serving well. He couldn't quite find the finishing shot. 

At #2SJV, Ayden played a long match. His opponent was a pro at consistently putting the ball back in the middle. Ayden played long points with him, but couldn't find a weapon to end the points without an error. And James match at #3SJV was basically the same. Good serve, good effort, but it was hard to finish the points.

On Senior Night though, Silas and Ender didn't have trouble finishing points. They actually flowed through their match, hitting down the line forehands and volleys that split their opponents. It was close, but the fun type of close. The type of close that makes it even more enjoyable when you turn up with the win. 

Sam and Eli's match was not like that. They got through the match with very little drama. Sam's groundstrokes continue to grow stronger, and several times he came up with powerful passing shots and returns.

Ethan and Mason played the same opponents as Sam and Eli. Mason continues to get experience and Ethan continues to grow in the way he hits and moves on the court. I've been impressed at how Ethan is starting to time things better on the move. And Mason gave himself many chances by being in the right place, but couldn't quite complete the points without errors.

And after the Trojan #1DJV finished, they turned around and played against Leo and Josiah. They hung in the rallies really well, lifting lobs and basically got the ball in. They also are starting to play the net much better, which I really appreciate.

So, the JV Bruins fell in the match, but continue to improve as we face good competition. The JV really got some of our varsity competitors ready this past season, and they are enjoying a great JV year this year. I trust the same will happen for our JV guys moving into the coming season as well! 

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Elias Making the Volley Difficult
Elias repeatedly found the same little window when his opponent left an approach shot in the middle of the court. Rather than simply hitting the ball back, Elias used a cutting backhand pass that stayed low and made the volley incredibly difficult to handle. It was a small tactical adjustment, but a really good example of seeing what the opponent was giving him and making the next shot count.

Ayden Turning Defense into Offense
Ayden found himself in some long rallies without getting the results he wanted. So he changed the script. When a mid-court ball bounced high, Ayden stepped up and absolutely smashed it with that windmill-like forehand of his. Sometimes the answer isn't to keep doing the same thing and hope for a different result. Ayden recognized his opportunity and tried turning the rallies into an attacking points.

Judah Ready for the Next Shot
Match point gave us a great example of Judah's ability to adapt. His opponent came forward, and Judah hit a low slice passing shot that caught the tape and bounced up just enough to give his opponent a chance to smash it right back at him. But Judah stayed balanced and ready. When the ball came hard at him, he reflex-volleyed it up the line for the winner. The first shot didn't finish the point, so Judah was prepared to make the next one.

Ethan & Malachi Knowing the Rules
On match point, Ethan and Malachi's opponents changed their call, and Ethan and Malachi knew the rules well enough to recognize that the change meant the point was theirs. It was a brutal way for the match to end, but there was something good about seeing our guys know their rules and understand what was happening in a pressure moment. Sometimes being a good competitor means knowing not only how to play the game, but how the game is supposed to work.

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

Senior Night

This is the night where we can celebrate all that tennis is about - especially the character and leadership and joy of these players. It was awesome to recognize them, and you can catch their senior statements below.

Ethan

Ender

Ayden

Isaya

Silas

Malachi

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Leo Calm Under Fire
In the very first game against the JV's best doubles players, Leo had a ball absolutely smashed at him. And somehow, instead of panicking, Leo just calmly stuck out his racket and played the smallest, most nonchalant little backhand drop volley for a winner. The ball came at him with violence; Leo responded with peace. What a fun little tennis moment.

Silas “Not Quite.”
Silas and Ender were getting everything their opponents could throw at them. Their opponents were digging in and really trying to push their way to a win. Then Silas unloaded on a forehand right at the net player. The Triton opponent actually got his racket on it, but the sheer force of Silas's shot sent the ball ricocheting far beyond the baseline.  A little bit of power, a little bit of chaos, and a lot of fun.

Josiah S The Three-Lob Point
Josiah S had one of those points that just kept going. He hit a lob. His opponent smashed it back. Josiah lobbed again. The opponent hurried it back. Josiah put up another lob. Three lobs in a row! And every time the pressure came back at him, Josiah simply put up the next ball until, finally, his opponent hit one out. Sometimes tennis is about finding the shot that keeps you in the point — and then finding it one more time.

Awards

Cheerleader: Ethan
Hustle: Leo
Dig Deep: Elias

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us
Moment of Prayer

God, I love these seniors and the culture that have built for the team. May we continue to build one another up in all the ways that we can. May you give us the grace of rest and peace. May we focus on the things that are going so well. Thanks for the love that You give us. Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 6-3, 6-1 - Max Ritchison (12)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2 - Colton Large (12)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-4, 0-6, 3-6 - Levi Mcfarland (11)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-3, 7-6 (5) - Max Johnson (11)/Braydon Nifong (11)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-3, 6-2 - Brady Heckaman (11)/Camden Large (10)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 2-6 - Clayton Andrews (11)

#2SJV - Ayden Lehman - 3-6 - Landon Grindle (9)

#3SJV - James Weaver - 3-6 - Oliver Ickes (11)

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Ender Finnigan - 6-4 - Aiden Emkow (11)/Kayden Hummitch (11)

#2DJV - Eli Steiner/Sam Brenneman - 6-2 - Jackson Faulkner (11)/Galen Harms (9)

#3DJV - Ethan Miller/Mason Neff - 2-6 - Jackson Faulkner (11)/Galen Harms (9)

#4DJV - Josiah Shue/Leo Schlabach - 1-6 - Aiden Emkow (11)/Kayden Hummitch (11)

Senior Statement - Malachi Yoder

Malachi has been with the tennis team since his ninth grade year, but came into his varsity doubles position near the end of his tenth grade season. This year, he has already equalled the number of wins that he had last season. So he continues to be a player who is improving his skills. But alongside that, he is also someone of grit and determination, committed to the idea of figuring things out.

My favorite tennis moments for Malachi are mostly recent ones. Although his very first varsity match was an epic three setter, he has increased the frequency of those types of matches lately. Again, with Ethan, he has had two amazing comebacks in the last couple days of matches. In one they came back from losing a first set 6-1, then in the next from losing a first set 6-0. It can’t get worse than that. And yet, Malachi figures it out. He begins to lob more, goes safer on the return, or more aggressive at the net. Last season, I remember he and Isaya figuring it out against Canterbury in our first ever conference match, getting better as the match went on. Just like he continues to get better as our season goes on. Just like he gets better as his career goes on.

Yep, Malachi is a figure it out type of person. He gets out here on the weekend to hit balls and figure out his forehand or serve. He takes grit and determination and toughness to a whole new level. This summer at camp, he ran full speed into the prongs of a fence gate, and took the blow right in the ribs. We thought we might have to take him to the Urgent Care. But he said he was fine, even though he could barely talk. He slowly began to feel better, and by the evening he was wanting to throw his body around as the goalie in our annual Speedball game. Give him time and he’ll be ready to go. That made me think of this verse for Malachi...

James 1:4-5
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Malachi, my hope for you is that this same combination of perseverance and wisdom continues to shape you wherever life takes you. There will be plenty of first sets you lose 6-0, moments when you don't know what to do next, and fences you run into at full speed. But I pray that you keep doing what you've done here: don't quit, don't be afraid to adjust, and keep asking God for the wisdom to figure it out.. Keep learning, keep fighting, keep trusting, and keep getting back out there. As we’ve said before, that faithfulness, that getting back out there, it’s worth celebrating. So thanks!

Senior Statement - Silas Martin

Silas has been a four year player for the Bruins, and one who from the beginning has been a person of joy for our team. He has always had some awesome tennis strengths, good spinny serve, big forehand and quick reflexes for the net. His personality has always been one that creates fun for the Bruins though, from his helicopter hat to the way that he builds up his tennis brothers.

I have so many awesome memories of Silas as a tennis player. He has an impressive record, and will likely end the season in the top 5 for JV victories. He also wins a high percentage of his matches. Yet, what I will remember is the crazy moments. Moments where he flies back and forth across the net, to get 1, then 2, then 3 overheads and finally puts it away when falling down. Moments when he booms a big ace or smashes a forehand down the line for the winner. Moments when his overhead hits the top of his racket and spins off at a weird angle for a winner.

I remember those moments not only because they are awesome, but also because of Silas’s reactions. He always looks immediately for someone to share those moments with. Usually he’s laughing, with a hand trying to cover up his smile. But he goes and finds his doubles partner and says, “Did you see that?” He’s a person who is often ready to share the joy.

There’s a humility to that, that Silas doesn’t take any of this too seriously. For our team, that helps take the pressure off. We know that we can win or lose, and we’ll still probably come off the court to find Silas wearing a helicopter hat and smiling about something that just happened. He’ll tell us about it and we’ll get to share in the laughter together. But he’s a friend who lifts up the mood, wherever he goes. Like last season when he and his partner had a poor first set against Goshen, so he broke out the hat for the first time. It lightened the tension, and he and his partner began to play better. It became so much of a symbol for Silas that he wanted to wear it for senior photos this year. But it is representative of something true in Silas, something that I find in this verse,

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:

If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.

Silas brings others into our team and our culture. If they are down, he picks them up. He knows that in tennis, two is better than one, which is why he often likes to play doubles. It’s why he’s always looking to tell a story, describe something silly, or just enjoy the matches. I have always appreciated this about Silas.

Senior Statement - Isaya Magatti

Isaya has been a four year player and contributor for the Bruins. He is curious, thoughtful, and a constant pursuer of improvement. He is someone who I love to sit down and have a conversation with about any topic, because he asks great questions and wants to know other people’s true perspectives. He has an easy smile and has been a great teammate, often winning our cheerleader award at matches or calling out to random fans in the crowd with a “Let’s go, Matt,” and waiting for them to echo back. Often in his voice, you can hear a tone of earnest faith and belief that we can do the thing we are striving for.

And there is no doubt that my favorite Isaya tennis moments are ones where he kept the faith and kept battling for the win. From the epic he played at NorthWood the other night to the three wins in a row he got at Fairfield his freshman year, he has done the job staying with it. I loved watching him this year at Oak Farm, seesawing back and forth and giving it his all. Or watching him last year playing doubles and pulling out a big win against conference rival Canterbury. Isaya plays with true skill at the net and has a booming serve, and when those skills come out it really makes for explosive highlights too. So many times when writing the blog, I’ve noted points where Isaya finishes with a beautiful overhead.

Isaya has so much hope for himself and others. In the past, I’ve given him awards like the “Fighting For It” Award, because he’s always going after improvement. He’s won multiple Dig Deep awards and Cheerleader awards for individual matches, because he’s the guy who believes in our team culture. He creates the culture with others too, invites them in so that they want to cheer for him as well. He’s had big crowds to cheer for him, including most of the girls team at Goshen, his fellow seniors at Oak Farm, and large group watching him raise a fist in victory at NorthWood. He seems to really embody this verse...

Lamentations 3:21-23
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Isaya is faithful, someone who seems to start new in every morning, every practice, and every point. And that hope, faith and love brings others in as well. Into discussions he helped leaded at team camp devotional time. Into games of diving for toothpicks in the pool during team camp. Into his doubles team during Middle-Middle. Into acceptance. Isaya is an amazing young man who we love having in our corner, and we love to be in his corner too.

Senior Statement - Ayden Lehman

Ayden was another who joined up late after running cross country early in high school. Truth be told, he’s still running cross country. But he’s another player who has affected the culture of our tennis team so much, and I am really grateful for him. I think that from the very beginning his hustle and his earnestness struck me. In fact, many of my favorite tennis memories about Ayden are built around that one important aspect of any sport, the one that makes a player a joy to coach and cheer for. Effort!

This year, Ayden had several matches that have impressed me with his effort. In fact, I think watching play tennis this year has been a treat! He had the match against Goshen where he lost a first mini-set 4-0, but then came back and pushed the match to a third set. Then in a second match on that hot afternoon against Goshen, this time in doubles with Sam, they came back to force a third set and this time they won it. He had the match against Oak Farm where he played varsity #2S and his opponent kept trying to drop shot and slice him, but didn’t know Ayden was all about the hustle. He’s had multiple tiebreaks and matches where the light is running out, because he just keeps playing hard and doesn’t give up.

And Ayden doesn’t stop trying to learn either. He is constantly full of great questions and seeking advice. Last year I gave him the “Student of the Game” award because he was constantly trying to improve, including reading a great book about the mental side of tennis that I had recommended to the team. Only 2 players took me up on the recommendation, and Ayden continued his gritty growth in that book. He’s a great example for the team with that work ethic and knowledge gathering for the team as well. So here’s a verse I picked out to represent and be a blessing for Ayden...

Philippians 1:9-10
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ...

Ayden is a player of hustle and grit, but that usually is because of love. We hustle when we love what we’re hustling for - our friends, a chance to hit a tennis ball, our God. I pray that as Ayden shows effort for all these things, that his love will grow with knowledge and depth, and that he will continue to be a leader in showing the way that is right. Thanks Ayden!

Senior Statement - Ender Finnigan

Ender joined the tennis team  his sophomore year, and he came in and got to work. He’s always had an eager spirit, and a huge love of crushing his forehand. I remember seeing him wearing an Alcaraz jersey, a professional player known for his athletic, fast paced forehands and knew that this must be inspiring Ender. He’s also had a flair for some of the most dramatic matches that we’ve had over the past couple of years, always seeming to find himself in a match that is going right down to the wire.

But those are the kind of matches that are a lot of fun, and Ender is a fun player to watch. My favorite tennis memories for him over the years involve those fun shots. This year, crushing some epic serves with Silas at Oak Farm. Or last year at Fairfield where he and Josiah had two epic matches and he hustled like a crazy person. I know he had a super successful day at the East Noble JV Invitational last year, taking 3 wins including one in a tiebreak. And here’s a cool stat... Ender has an undefeated varsity record, 4-0.

The most enduring quality over Ender’s time with Bethany has been his voice. Ender is an encourager, and I can constantly hear him calling out encouragement throughout the matches and in my video editing. This year at tennis camp, we had a player who had to leave early and I watched Ender pull him aside just to be sure that this player knew how much Ender enjoyed getting to know him and have him at camp. He is an enthusiastic and heartfelt in his thankfulness, and he showed that at camp during our devotional times. He is just the most encouraging person, and truly commits himself to the good of his teammates. He is the person of the kind word, that picks up everyone else. Just on Friday, he ran over to Judah during a changeover and told him he could do it!

Ender helps ease and cheer everyone's hearts, that’s why I chose this as a blessing/gratefulness verse...

Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety weighs down the heart,
but a kind word cheers it up.

My prayer is that Ender not only continues to be the person of the kind word, but hears the kind word for himself. That when he is weighed down, he allows a kind word to make its way into his own heart. I am so grateful for all that Ender has meant to Bethany Christian tennis, and the long impact that his encouraging words will have on us all. We will miss his voice in many ways!

Senior Statement - Ethan Claassen

Ethan has been an important member of our team since he stepped on the court freshman year. Most of that year he played #1SJV, but he stepped into the varsity in the middle of the Bremen tournament and played with confidence. This confidence has continued to make him a clutch player for the Bruins. It’s given him a winning record throughout his career, including All-Conference honors last year when he racked up a 15-3 record between #1D and #3S. Ethan has the ability to step it up in the best moments.

My favorite tennis memories of Ethan involve that, the ability to step it up in crunch time. Freshman year, we played Wawasee in a JV only match that Daniel coached, and I received frantic texts about how Ethan won in for the JV in his match tiebreak. Even better was last year’s match against Triton, that came down to Ethan as he played up at #2S, replacing a sick Judah. Or the clutch performance of saving 5 match points in Sectional against Bremen, keeping the team alive in the process and then winning the match. Or this season, where we’ve witnessed comebacks from he and Malachi against Northridge, NorthWood and Wawasee this past weekend. Ethan brings his best tennis in the clutch moments.

That maybe shows a quality of Ethan that is truly admirable - his courage. He does not shy away from things that are difficult on the tennis court. I love that he is up for any type of challenge that I can put to him. And more often than not, he’s up to it.

With a 10-2 record this season, he is currently holds the best record on our team this year. He’s in the top 20 overall in wins for a career, with a chance to move into the top 10. So, he leads us in that category. But one of the true importances to our team is his overall leadership. Last year, he finished second for our MVP award. I think that was mostly due to his leadership qualities. He’s one who can speak both for the team and to the team. I have seen that in the way he led stretching last year, and simply in the way that the team responds to his encouragement. If Ethan says it is time to get serious, people get serious. If Ethan’s laughing, others are as well. He’s a leader that shows the way. That’s why I’ve chosen this verse to represent Ethan...

Psalm 78:72
With integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them...

That is a verse that says something about who Ethan is, but also who I pray he continues to become. He is a leader with integrity and he has shown his skilled hands on the tennis courts :-) His teammates follow his lead and respond to him in clutch moments. But I pray that he continues to display these skills. That he truly walks in integrity and skill. I believe that he will.

The Story - Chapter 10 - Bethany Christian at the Bremen Tennis Invitational

Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

“The Making of What We Are Made Of"

Throughout the day, the Bruins faced a lot of challenges that will go a long way in determining what kind of team we will be as we deal with adversity. Today, the weather got hot, each position on the team faced tough opposition, our bodies got tired and dehydrated, and we began to feel our emotions for all different reasons. These things will happen, so learning what to do when they do is important.

Starting at the doubles, we had really successful days. But not without being pushed. At #1D, Ethan and Malachi started the day with a good match against Bremen. Malachi and Ethan got off to a good start, mixing things up and hitting good serves. Bremen fought back with some good play of their own, but Malachi and Ethan kept things skillful and simple. 

In their second match with Wawasee, things got more complicated. Wawasee had more firepower - bigger serves and smashed returns on dinky serves. In the first set, Malachi and Ethan tried to meet power with power, and that didn't go so well. In fact, they lost the set 6-0. In the second set, we focused on changing the types of points we were playing. Less power, but more guile, more precision. This more consistent tennis brings out the best, and suddenly the Bruins were flying through the games. We won with a 6-0 set of our own. The third set was a tiebreak played to 10 points, and it was nip and tuck throughout. But the Bruins ended up pulling it out 10-8!

The final match was the one with the least drama, as Malachi and Ethan kept up the good tennis and cruised 6-1, 6-0.

In #2D, Jordan and Lucas had much the same story. Against Bremen, they settled in after making a couple too many errors to open the first set. But as they started moving better and finding their spacing, they began to play really well. They won that first match and moved on to Wawasee.

Against the Warriors, they opened up an early lead with good, smart, attacking doubles play. They were also really hitting overheads well, as Wawasee put up a lot of lobs. After finishing off a close first set, the Warriors doubles dug in more to their defensive tactics. They moved both of their players off the net and to the baseline, daring us to hit through and not make mistakes. The switch up worked for awhile, enough to put us down early in the set. As we started figuring things out, we couldn't quite get back ahead and the match headed to a third set. In the third set, which again was a 10 point tiebreak, the Bruins played with poise. Instead of focusing on what had gone wrong, we did what we do well. We stayed smart and aggressive and won the tiebreak with Jordan serving it out.

Unfortunately, the long match and the many overheads maybe took a toll on Lucas's shoulder. So Isaya came in to the lineup for the final match. He'd been a great support throughout the day, so it was good to have him get some play. The team didn't miss a beat, as Isaya helped us defeat the Eagles from Fremont with a comfortable 6-0, 6-0 score.

Both doubles teams had dealt with adversity well, so then it was on to the singles positions. 

Judah had to deal with another returning All-District player in his first match. The Bremen #1S player had only lost 2-3 matches last year, and was back making an impact in northern Indiana with his athletic and precise tennis. Judah came out firing, but these matches sometimes get him too nervous. He couldn't quite get a handle on his game and make the Lion #1 hit the difficult shots. And so Judah's day started off with a loss.

But he didn't sulk. As the day heated up, Judah did too. His next match was against a Wawasee #1S player who had very similar scores to Judah against common opponents this year. This figured to be a long match, especially with Judah coming off a defeat. But he really locked in to his four dimensional style early in the match, and then just didn't let off the gas pedal. He proceeded to grab a 6-0, 6-0 victory of his own, an awesome response to his earlier nerves.

In the final match, Judah was rolling. He kept up the stellar play and the stellar serving to secure another victory against the Eagles of Fremont. By playing with energy in his last two matches, he also saved himself a lot of court time in the brutal heat of the day, which can always be difficult for singles players.

Elias at #2S had a lot more to deal with in the heat of his day. His first match against Bremen had also provided some frustration. The Lion's had a newly eligible, athletic, tall, aggressive player at #2S. He gave Elias problems on a lot of areas and had Elias questioning his own ability to strike the ball cleanly. After a tough first set, Elias was down on himself and the second set went away pretty quickly.

In the second match, it looked like a match Elias might be able to dictate. His opponent hit a lot of winners, but also made a lot errors. This suited Elias, and he was always just slightly behind in a very close match. In the middle of the match, his opponent got a bloody nose when leading 5-4 in the first set. He took a break to try and get the bleeding stopped, but it just kept going. The break in the play was hard for everyone, but when they finally started again, Elias lost the game and just like that was down a set.

But boy, Elias responded. In the hottest part of the day, when he wasn't feeling well, Elias fought back and grabbed the second set. This forced a tiebreak, and unfortunately Elias fell behind early. He couldn't quite turn it back. But he had already shown great character to force the tiebreak, great ability to find his game in difficult circumstances.

And he had the chance to prove it again in the final match. Feeling a bit under the weather, he decided that he could make it through one more match. But again, he faced an opponent who just seemed so on it and like he was unable to miss. But Elias was stubborn with his game. Trailing 5-4, Elias reeled off 3 straight games to win the first set. Both players were slower in their movement at this point, but Elias did a better job at staying with his footwork and getting to the right positions. He ended up pulling away in the second set, 6-2. And this meant his day ended with a win. And Elias certainly deserved that for the mental work he did in bringing himself back to the challenge after being tired and not always having his best tennis on the day.

Which means all that is left from the day was #3S. And that was maybe the position of the most drama. In the Bremen match, Aaron fell behind 4-1. He was a bit timid and a bit out of position and just missing too many shots. But he was giving himself a chance, returning well, and forcing some errors. We built on that strategy to help him come back, and with a lot of confidence he took a 6-5 lead. Then his opponent forced the tiebreak, and it went back and forth, but eventually went the way of the Lions. Aaron had to start again, blank slate, and build a new set. This time, he got the early lead, but it was erased by some great play and a strategy switch from his opponent. Now Aaron was trailing 6-5, trying to force a second set tiebreak. He fought off multiple match points against him, but finally fell and lost to the Lion #3S.

That was tough, because the match had required a lot of both physical and emotional energy. The points had been long and the match had lasted a long time. Aaron then had to come off the court and find the energy to go take on the Warriors of Wawasee. And this was another brutally close encounter. The Warrior #3S player was an exchange student from Brazil, and played with lots of different strategies. Sometimes an almost dink-like consistency. Sometimes he would swing away and hammer shots to the corners. Sometimes he'd lob. It kept Aaron off balance. And it was getting hot! The match continued and Aaron began to feel sick. We thought about pulling him off but he was so close to the finish line. He stayed on, but gave away the lead. And yet, he dug in. He played long points. He raced up to drop shots. He looked like he was going to puke... but he ended up winning. I was really proud of the effort, but really concerned for the next match.

Aaron was too. In fact, he wasn't really feeling good enough to continue. So, another JV senior, Ayden Lehman got his chance against Fremont. Ayden played excellent, really consistent in long points. Unfortunately, that style was a strength of the Eagle #3 as well. Ayden stepped in valiantly, but lost in two sets.

And so, on the day, the Bruins went 2-1, good enough for second place! And a day where we really learned what type of response we could make. We can focus on the story that is true, noble and good. And that will make us into what will be made of.

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Remembering Who We Are

The biggest temptation in a match is to try to outdo your opponent at whatever they are doing. But it's best to remember who you are. Tonight in #1D, Ethan and Malachi quickly remembered what they needed to do. They admitted that they were going a bit too big and for a bit too much. That humility and adaptability is a great moment of focus and wise play.

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

JV Players Step In

Today was hot and we had some injuries. Into that void stepped our JV players who had thought they were just along for a day as fans. But all three of Isaya, Ayden and Sam were ready and prepared to step in if called upon, and two of them actually got on the court. That was good to see, and I loved watching them compete.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

There were so many... all the amazing plays of the day have blurred in my head. Overheads from the doubles, passing shots from Judah, balls slung into the backhand from Aaron, Elias rocketed passing shots off his strong wing, pressure moments and big serves... and it was just so much tennis. It was beautiful!

Awards

Cheerleader: Isaya
Hustle: Ayden
Dig Deep: Both Doubles Teams - Ethan, Malachi, Jordan and Lucas

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us
Moment of Prayer

God, it was a hot day that really took a lot out of us, but we are thankful for the tennis that we got to play. We had to meet challenges. We had to dig deep. We had to trust in ourselves and find the true, good things that could help us bounce back. And that is important. We trust Your Spirit and the work that You are doing in us to help us become better in all facets of life. Glory to You, forever, Lord. Amen.

Scores
Bethany Christian - 2-3 - Bremen
#1S - Judah Miller - 2-6, 0-6 - Chase Devine (12)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 3-6, 1-6 - Bryce Miller (12)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-7 (4), 5-7 - Riley Tener (12)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-3, 6-1 - Lincoln Heiter/David Monesmith
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-3, 6-0 - Nick Stiles/Santiago Gutierrez

Bethany Christian - 4-1 - Wawasee
#1S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Grady Berkeypile
#2S - Elias Magatti - 4-6, 5-7 - Colin Hackleman
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-4, 7-5 - Ricardo Willemann
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 0-6, 6-0, 10-8 - Jack Shoemaker/Camden Reel
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-4, 2-6, 10-5 - Kyhan Heisler/Kamden Meerzo

Bethany Christian - 4-1 - Fremont
#1S - Judah Miller - 6-1, 6-0 - Avi Patel
#2S - Elias Magatti - 7-5, 6-2 - Ethan Neuenschwander
#3S - Ayden Lehman - 1-6, 2-6 - Garrett Forrest
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-1, 6-0 - Quinn Lies/Braxton Beeman
#2D - Isaya Magatti/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-0 - Isaac Schuemann/Silas Porter

The Story - Chapter 9 - Bethany Christian v. NorthWood

Photos from the Night

Awesome pictures taken by the team...

Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

“Whatever is True, Whatever is Noble"

This match was incredibly impressive from the Bruins, up and down the lineup. Each matchup saw our BC tennis brothers come under some type of pressure, and in each match we were able to respond. There were so many impressive twists and turns that I'm sure I'll miss some of them, but I am really proud of the Bruins.

We'll start at #1S, I suppose. This was the first match to finish. Judah started the match in a very reactive mode, his feet moving quickly but after the ball was struck. And his opponent was firing away, playing some excellent tennis and making very few errors. Judah quickly trailed 2-1 and then 3-2 in the first set. But he slowly turned things around, all starting from the quality of his movement and attention. He stopped expecting shots to go out, and just prepared to play every ball. This propelled him into some stellar tennis, in his style of true variety. He won the final 4 games of the first set and then went up 2-0 in the second. His opponent responded really well, raising the level and coming back with aggressive. But Judah found the extra gear again as well, moving his way to a two set victory.

Next off the courts was #2D. Jordan and Lucas had played a really solid match. They kept their noses just in front through a very tight first set, but never really getting anything more than a one game lead. The match stayed close and moved to a set tiebreak. Heading into it, we talked quickly about a two word key for them "Activity and Control." Using those as a guideline, they really found their form and confidence in the tiebreak. Winning it, we quickly regrouped and remembered the importance of coming out strong in the second set. With activity and control, mixing things up and challenging their opponents with more than just power, they took the first multiple game lead of the match and won the set 6-2.

The final three matches on court still had a long way to go, but the Bruins were starting to show that we were responding in pressure situations. 

The clinching point for the win came from Elias at #2S. He had a huge moment of pressure himself, winning a back and forth, seesawing first set by winning a tiebreak. Moving into that tiebreak, the word for Elias had been concentrating all the way to the final ball of a rally. In his match, whoever stayed locked in was winning the big points. And it was the big points that was deciding the match. They each were kind of playing random errors, then the game would get to deuce, and then someone would lock in. In the tiebreak, Elias trailed, but then locked in. He used his strengths and drove the ball to the back of the court. He used his volley and overhead to knock off some momentum gathering shots. He won the set.

In the second set, his energy left. It was if he'd used his focus to get the first tiebreak and had nothing left. But to his credit, he soon found it again. Trailing 4-1, Elias reeled off 4 games of his own to take a 5-4 lead. To be honest, this was his best stretch of tennis. Confident, loose, and active. Here, the games weren't even making it to deuce. But he couldn't get over the line for the set, and it went to 5-5. The next two games were incredibly tight, long deuce games where both players were nervous. But Elias locked in again on what he needed to do - use his strengths, finish the point. In the end, he got there, giving the Bruins the third point and the team victory.

In the time Elias was playing his two set match, our #1D team was embroiled in a tight 3 set match. Maybe that was because we had played a poor first set that raced by us. The Panther seniors had come out full of fire and incredible tennis, and taken the first set from us 6-1. We started the second with some new tactics, not just relying on outhitting our opponents, but using variety and control. Trying to be smart and aggressive. Much like the #2D's first set, this second set for Ethan and Malachi saw us just keeping our noses in front, always flipping the score card for us to have a one game lead. Near the end of the set, I encouraged them to step it up. They did and they took the set. 

The third set then continued the same way, Malachi and Ethan always just barely in the lead. But with control at the net and the right amount of touch and guile, they pulled off the three set victory.

That left Aaron playing at #3S. He had an incredible matches, long points full of lots of drama. He continues to play his best when he just plays. In this one, he took the first set, but then did the slow crawl on the scoreboard like everyone else, a game ahead and then a game behind. And so on... until his final set arrived at a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Aaron led early, but then trailed 6-4 as his opponent racked up two chances to win the set. Instead, Aaron saved the points, then took his own lead, then sealed the set with an 8-6 tiebreak victory.

So close exciting matches that the Bruins played. And in the tight, tense moments we seemed to stay focused on what was good. That's so key. It's also something that is encouraged by our team verse in Philippians... "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." 

In the big moments, you want to remember what can happen. What you can do. What your plan is and why that is excellent. That clear headed focus can simplify things, and make it easier to be aggressive. We did that in so many places in this match!

The JV Story

Once again, I can say that our JV matches are absolutely full of drama and excitement! The most dramatic match was the first one on, Isaya playing at #1SJV. Playing a NorthWood #1SJV player who had mostly played varsity this season, Isaya saw the match go back and forth. In the end, it ended in a tiebreak. Isaya was playing consistently, but he certainly still had his attacking shots. In fact, he ended the match with a winner that was an amazing volley. It was a great tiebreak and way to start the JV match.

Silas and Josiah AC also played amazing tennis tonight. Silas served so well, and they were able to put away a lot of shots at the net. A third win came from Josiah S. His consistency made his singles match go completely smoothly. He got the shots back and allowed for errors. 

Unfortunately those were the three wins for the Bruins on JV. And unfortunately, I didn't get that much time to watch many of the matches as the were on at the same time as the varsity. 

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Coming soon...

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

So Much Encouragement

In a close match, where there are cheers on every point, it's always great to have a team that is engaged and paying attention. I loved seeing the guys who had finished their matches scampering between the ones that were yet to finish. They were going from Ender and Sam's match in one corner of the complex to Aaron's match in the complete opposite corner. At the end, we all sat and rooted for our team in the last match on court. Even though we didn't get the win in that last match, we did take the encouragement to go comfort our teammates as they came off. It was a good vibe tonight!

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Isaya's Match Point

In a tense tiebreak, Isaya found himself with the first match point. After trading some groundstrokes, the ball was dropped in front of Isaya. He had to sprint forward, scoop up the ball, and he got to it. But his desperate scoop popped up a bit to his opponent. His opponent smoked the ball straight at Isaya. Isaya is an awesome volleyer, and it paid off here. He stuck out with racket for a backhand volley, and reflexes allowed him to angle away an awesome winner! Isaya threw a fist in the air as everyone cheered for his awesome match!

Awards

Cheerleader: Ender
Hustle: Malachi
Dig Deep: Isaya

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us
Moment of Prayer

God,  I leave this match really happy for our team, but also really tired. Late nights continue to work against us :-) Keep us safe, keep us looking for the good. In Jesus name, amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 6-3, 6-2 - Nolan Tompos (12)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 7-6 (4), 7-5 - Carter Rose (10)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-4, 7-6 (6) - Jack Johnson (11)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 - Eli Heckathorn (12)/Ethan Tompos (12)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 7-6 (3), 6-2 - Sebastian Chapman (12)/Colton Ewers (11)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 9-8 (5) - Aiden McEndarfer (12)

#2SJV - Eli Steiner - 0-8 - Jackson Kemp (11)

#3SJV - Ayden Lehman - 4-8 - Nerick Sanchez (12)

#4SJV - Josiah Shue - 8-0 - Scott Bushnell (10)

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 8-1 - Brody Freeland (11)/Sawyer Love (11)

#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Sam Brenneman - 7-9 - Aiden McEndarfer (12)/Nerick Sanchez (12)

#3DJV - Ethan Miller/James Weaver - 1-8 - Brinqley Parvu-Timmer (11)/Robbie Yoder (10)

#4DJV - Josiah Shue/Leo Schlabach - 2-8 - Jackson Kemp (11)/Sawyer Love (11)

The Story - Chapter 8 - Bethany Christian v. South Bend Washington

Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

“Stories”

The match against the Panthers from South Bend Washington tonight was a night full of stories. Stories as the guys chatted amiably with one another after their matches. Stories - as the Washington coaches told great stories of their college days, their tennis triumphs and their favorite strategies. Stories as the older players on our team got a chance to play matches with the younger guys. Stories as we literally sat with bowls of chili on the court and enjoyed the slow sunset. It was a night of enjoying the stories. 

The tennis was fun too. Washington is a small team in terms of numbers, having only 4 players and 3 positions. Each of the positions the Bruins won comfortably, but there were many things I saw that I liked. I really liked Judah's serve. I really liked Elias's consistency. I really liked the simple play of Malachi and Ethan. 

In the end, we grabbed the victories. But it was all the stories that we will remember :-)

The JV Story

There was no JV in the match against Washington, but we played some intra-squad matches. In most of them, we had an older, more experienced player team up with a younger guy. This way, everyone would really be involved in a high level tennis match. It was really fun to watch a couple of our guys get their first match play in. 

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

I Can

For a night that had a lot of really fun tennis, our team did a really good job locking in and playing good tennis, even when we were against ourselves. We really kept getting better, no matter the situation. 

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

You Can

We talk about how we can have peace because we know we hold each other in encouragement. And tonight in our mixed matches, we saw that. I loved how our older players reacted to being paired with the freshmen. They just went out and played fun tennis. And I love how our younger players reacted. They played some of their best tennis of the season. Above all, it was good to see each of them encouraging each other and not worrying about any mistakes. 

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

We Can

Nothing more joyful than a good conversation. Tonight, Sam and Eli talked with the Panthers #1S and #1D players for a long time. Laughing and lingering on the court. It was such a fun connection.

Awards

Cheerleader: Eli 

Hustle: James
Dig Deep: Sam

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us
Moment of Prayer

God, thanks for simple night. We want to become more like the life that Jesus showed us. That means connecting with the people around us. Help us to do that. Thanks!

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Chris Sykes (10)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-0, 6-0 - Jacob Mnichowski (12)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - Won by default
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-0, 6-0 - Elijah Smith (10)/Zyeer Vancamp-Love (10)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - Won by default

The Story - Chapter 7 - Bethany Christian v. Westview

Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

“Sustain-Ability”

On a darkening September evening, the Bruins competed against the district ranked Warriors from Westview. Statistically, they will be one of the best teams we compete against this season.

And compete the Bruins did. At every position in the lineup, the Bruins pushed the Warriors to the brink with tenacity, timely serving, angled net play and energetic execution of their strategies. Well, for one set in each match we did that.

At #1S, Judah needed to remember that his biggest strength is variety and depth. He left the ball too short in the first set and paid for it, as the Warrior #1 found angle after angle for winners. In the second, Judah dug in. With the ball deeper, his opponent made more errors trying to force offense. Judah took the set deep, but couldn’t quite grab a lead. He made it nervy, but couldn’t quite get the break.

The match that was maybe the closest contest of the whole night was the one that had the most lopsided score. Elias fell 6-2, 6-1, but he was actually the last two set match on the courts. His style of play required his opponent to come up with offense again and again, and his match was full of long points and deuces. Many times, it seemed Elias just lacked the final shot to end a rally.

At #3S, Aaron had the closest scoreline of the night. In a very consistent first set, he played with a simple confidence and ease. His opponent made a lot of errors and Aaron wrapped up a great first set. But his opponent refocused for the second set. Aaron made a few more errors, but his opponent had stepped up his aggressive play. He forced a third set, and Aaron made a good effort at changing a couple of tactics of his own. In the end, the Warriors attacking shots put Aaron in difficult defensive positions, and he lost in 3 sets.

The doubles were tight first sets. Both teams were doing a great job on serve. At #1D, we were really ripping serves well and when weak returns came our way, we finished them with authority. But we couldn’t find a rhythm on our return games. Struggling to put them in play, we were finally broken at the tail end of the set. The lack of rhythm continued into the second, and we didn’t keep up our level of resistance.

It was really a similar story at #2D, where we would have excellent points and groundstrokes, but then just couldn’t find the rhythm. In the first set, we were finding the shots that finished the points. In the second set, we couldn’t quite get our nervous feet to move in position to attack those shots. As they went wayward, so did the second set.

So, a 5-0 defeat with some real bright spots. We played up to the level of a really good team. For us to step up to that level, we need the ability to sustain our highest level. To stay concentrated and energetic. We can do it. We can bring ourselves to sustain that. We know that we need to, and can challenge ourselves to do it now.

Let’s go Bruins!

The JV Story

Our JV matches continue to be full of drama. They are fun matches that have surprising twists and turns, where our players are challenged to dig in and compete. It's really developing some talented tennis players.

Isaya at #1SJV was the first to experience that. He fell behind early in his match and the scoreline stayed close, but always with him just a game behind. The match was also taking a while, as both players hit consistently and constructed long points. But Isaya figured out what he needed to do right at the pressure point of the match, when he was down 4-3. Then he was able to execute on his strategy and it paid off. He really enjoyed the pay off of a match like that, and it was fun to talk afterward about how rewarding it can be to form a plan and watch it work!

Isaya got to play a second match as well, and in this one he took a big lead to start the match. Then his opponent made the tactical switch and mounted a comeback, which Isaya had to fend off. After losing some match point chances when he led 5-2 and 5-3, Isaya was able to get over the line for his second victory on the night.

At #2SJV, Eli's match looked to be on a similar trajectory. But instead of things kind of coming together, they just fell apart a bit. Eli had played consistently at the beginning of the match, and that fell off a bit at the end as the match entered its tight stages. 

Speaking of tight matches, Ayden played two of the closest. Unfortunately, he couldn't quite mark either of them in the win category. Ayden's game relies on consistency and hustle, and the hustle is never in question. But sometimes he can have inconsistent moments. When these happen during big points, like in close games or at the end of a set, it can cost. Ayden did an incredible job tonight of fending his opponent's off in big moments, defending multiple match points in both matches. His tiebreak to end the singles match went all the way to 11-9 because he kept making his opponent earn it. I'm really proud of that ability in Ayden.

And I was also proud of Ethan at #6SJV. He rarely plays singles match, instead usually playing doubles. In fact, he had secured a doubles victory earlier in the night with James. So, he fell behind here 5-1. Then Ethan really came to life. He started swinging with a little more intensity. I think that swing intensity also helped the speed of his footwork. His improved footwork put him in great spaces, and he made a comeback that fell just short.

In the doubles, Ender and Sam got us started first. They were playing #2DJV, but happened to be the next match we started with. There match was close all the way to the end, and there were spectacular efforts and spectacular shots that helped them secure a 7-5 win. But what really helped them get the win was the way they did the routine things well. Returns in the court, serves in the box, making the other team play. Sam and Ender did that well in this one.

At #1DJV, Josiah and Silas had opponents who hit the ball a bit harder and played just a bit more offense in general. Therefore, Josiah and Silas found themselves playing defense a lot. This meant that they needed to have early preparation and good placement. Sometimes this came off brilliantly, with angled volleys or shot directed up the line. Sometimes it didn't. In the end, the aggressive Warriors team took the match.

James and Ethan played #3DJV tonight, and they got a great win. James and Ethan really controlled the net, which is so key in doubles. They made it difficult to get the ball around them in the rallies, and found open court when they hit from the baseline. They continue to get better at their serving consistency as well, as there were not many double faults taking points away from them.

Finally, the last doubles of the night was Leo and Josiah S. This was Leo's first match of the season, and so there were some nerves around that. Nerves usually take their biggest toll on movement, and it looked like that was true for this group. Though they hustled well after their opponent's shots, they moved late. But when they were in good positions, their forehands and backhands looked really good. Josiah moved around and patrolled with a consistent shot most of the match, which was really nice to see.

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Behind the Runner

Elias did a really good job of recognizing what was available to him when he came to the net tonight. He often finished those points with an overhead into the open court, but late in the match he showed another kind of wisdom. He approached to his opponent’s backhand and got a volley in return. His opponent was already preparing to cover the open court to his right, so Elias simply directed the volley back into the baseline corner. It wasn’t a hard shot, and it certainly wasn’t flashy. It was just solid, purposeful tennis. He saw where his opponent was going and calmly put the ball somewhere else. Often, wise play is just that - seeing the court clearly and letting the simple shot do its work.

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

Who Needs Us?

The guys did a really good job of moving from court to court tonight, looking for teammates who needed some encouragement. They seemed especially drawn to the biggest moments—the tiebreaks, the final games, the points when a match was hanging in the balance. And that encouragement lasted all the way to the end. Ayden and Isaya were the last matches on the courts, and the guys gathered around them, getting loud and cheering them on. There’s something really good about a team that doesn’t just care about what’s happened in their own matches. We want our teammates to win, too.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Aaron's Angled overhead

Aaron, playing #3 singles, had one of those points that was just a joy to watch because it had a little bit of everything. He came forward for a ball and used our adjusted tactic of putting the approach right on the service line. Then he volleyed his opponent to one side of the court, then the other, patiently moving him around. Eventually, his opponent pushed Aaron back with a scooped lob that went just over his head. Aaron took two quick steps back and carved an overhead volley for a winner, breaking the short-angled forehand sideline with the shot. Movement, tactics, patience, adjustment, and then a really fun winning shot at the end. That’s a pretty enjoyable way to win a point.

Ethan's Power and Movement

Ethan M was down late in his match and getting a bit frustrated. He had missed a couple of shots in a row to go down Love-30 on his opponent's serve. On the next point, he moved quickly to a return and absolutely smashed it into the forehand corner. It went in for a winner, and we called out some encouragement to him. And then, inspired, he did it again on the very next return. And then a third time! Suddenly, something had changed. Ethan had found some new energy, and he started dragging himself back into the match. More than that, his attitude had changed. He was enjoying tennis again. Sometimes joy doesn't come because everything is going well. Sometimes it comes when you find your fight again—and remember that tennis is supposed to be fun.

Awards

Cheerleader: Ender
Hustle: Ethan M
Dig Deep: Isaya

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us
Moment of Prayer

God, tonight was a late night. We played until the sun was down and we could barely see the ball we were trying to hit. Those nights leave me with a satisfied type of tiredness, one that feels good that I was able to spend the day doing things that mattered - encouraging others, trying to get people to push themselves, consoling and congratulating. Thanks for surrounding us with a team that matters, that is full of people that have awesome personalities, talents and ways of thinking. May we learn, grow and live in Your joy. In Jesus' name! Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 0-6, 5-7 - Kaden Hostetler (12)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 2-6, 1-6 - Luke Stults (12)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-3, 0-6, 2-6 - Ethan Miller (12)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 4-6, 1-6 - Pierce Yoder (12)/Jaxon Miller (11)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 4-6, 2-6 - Hudson Yoder (11)/Avery Christner (10)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 6-4 - Evan Roth (10)

#2SJV - Eli Steiner - 2-6 - Brigham Rahn (9)

#3SJV - Ayden Lehman - 4-6 - Alex Stutzman (9)

#4SJV - Isaya Magatti - 6-4 - Miles Yoder (9)

#5SJV - Ayden Lehman - 5-6 - Grady Yoder (10)

#6SJV - Ethan Miller - 3-6 - Declan Ryall (9)

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 2-6 - Ethan Roth (10)/Brigham Rahn (9)

#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Sam Brenneman - 7-5 - Grady Yoder (10)/Miles Yoder (9)

#3DJV - Ethan Miller/James Weaver - 6-3 - Durrel Frey (10)/Declan Ryall (9)

#4DJV - Josiah Shue/Leo Schlabach - 2-6 - Durrel Frey (10)/Alex Stutzman (9)

The Story - Chapter 6 - Bethany Christian v. Prairie Heights

Video Highlights
Um... I may have accidentally deleted the highlights 😬

The Varsity Story 

“Simple Joys"

A heat wave swept through Northern Indiana this week, and right on its front end, we went and played at Prairie Heights. It was a chance for us to move into a winning record for the varsity season. And the Bruins took that chance.

Tonight, all of our positions seemed to follow the same general patterns.

A little rusty after a long bus ride, all the positions struggled to play clean tennis in the beginning of their first sets. For the first 2 or 3 games, every point felt like a little bit of scraping and clawing to find our form. Luckily for the Bruins, the Panthers were struggling too. But it wasn’t the prettiest of tennis.

We were especially a bit sluggish with our adjustment steps. Not for lack of effort, but maybe for lack of pressure. The Panthers' shots were not hit with huge pace, and having time to prepare for shots sometimes meant that we took too much time. We were leaning back on shots that we had plenty of time to get on balance for. We were jammed on shots that we had plenty of time to move away from. Because of this, we missed a number of shots that we could have made.

It is funny how tennis can work that way. Sometimes the harder ball is actually easier to hit because it forces you to react. When you have more time, you have to make your own decision to move. Tonight, we had to remember that.

But once we started moving well, we all of a sudden found ourselves flowing through the match. Judah hit approaches that caused attacking balls to float just long. Aaron put topspin pressure on his opponent’s groundstrokes. Malachi and Ethan were being smart and aggressive, putting away a lot of balls from the net. Jordan and Lucas were finding the gaps in the middle of the court. Elias was working angles, but having to dig in for lots of long points.

We really began to play better, and the games going in our favor added up as well. What had started with a little bit of scraping and searching turned into a night where the Bruins were simply playing good tennis. Moving. Making shots. Attacking when the opportunity was there. Trusting the things we have been practicing.

And sometimes that is a really satisfying thing to watch.

The JV Story

The same could be said for the JV. Josiah and Isaya represented us tonight, and I appreciated their calm and control as they played. They both won a number of easy points on serve, and then easily controlled the rest of the game. There wasn't anything flashy that needed to happen. They just played solid tennis, took care of what was in front of them, and kept putting themselves in good positions.

In the end, the tennis got a bit cleaner and we enjoyed a fairly stress-free 5-0 victory for the varsity, 2-0 for the JV.

Sometimes these nights are needed. Not every match needs to be a dramatic three-setter or a fight to the very last point. Sometimes we need a night where we can enjoy sitting with our teammates and cheering for our friends without anything being at stake.

We got to enjoy the end of Elias’s match, eat some popsicles before they melted in the heat, and sing on the way home.

Simple joys.

And I'm grateful for them.

Let’s go Bruins!

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Serving Advantage
Elias’s flat serve was really cutting through the court tonight, and it was forcing errors on the return. There’s something wise about a serve like that: it doesn’t need to do something complicated. It just needs to be placed well, hit with conviction, and make the opponent deal with it. Elias was doing that over and over again, and it made the first ball of the point a pretty good one for us.

Good Feet
Judah had really good feet tonight. Always bouncy, always ready to split step, always moving before the ball got to him. It doesn’t look like much when you watch one individual point, but over the course of a match, it makes such a difference. Good feet give you balance, and balance gives you options. And when Judah is moving like that, he just becomes a much more consistent tennis player.

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?
Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Simple Volley
Ethan had one of my favorite points in doubles tonight. He was at the net and made a subtle slide toward the middle. When the ball floated his way, he could have tried to do something impressive with it. Instead, he made a simple backhand volley right between his opponents. Nothing flashy. Just the right shot in the right place. That’s smart aggression—being ready to attack, but not feeling like every attacking opportunity needs to become a highlight. I especially enjoy this, because it was so simple. There’s a joy in watching a player resist the temptation to make a point harder than it needs to be. Sometimes the best shot is just the obvious one.

The Point That Kept Giving
Elias had another point that I really enjoyed. He earned a lob, then hit an overhead that pushed his opponent all the way off the court to the forehand side. His opponent managed to flop the ball back, but Elias didn’t rush. He adjusted to the new ball and then slammed it through the open space on the backhand side. I love points like this because the winner isn't really the final shot. The winner was created by the two shots before it. Elias moved his opponent, saw the space, and then took what the point gave him. One good decision created the next opportunity, and eventually there was just a big open court waiting for him.

Awards
Cheerleader: Josiah
Hustle: Aaron
Dig Deep: Elias

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us
Moment of Prayer

God, thanks for all that You provide. Joys. Friends. Warmth. Wind. Trees. Songs. Ever more. Love You. Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 6-1, 6-0 - Chase Hayward (12)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-1, 6-1 - Luke Johnson (11)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0, 6-0 - Michael Messer (11)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-0, 6-0 - Landon Wylie (11)/Mason Crites (9)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-0 - Kalob Hensch (11)/Josh Mullet (9)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 6-0 - Alex Weller (10)

#2SJV - Josiah Aguilar Clark - 6-0 - Alex Weller (10)

The Story - Chapter 5 - Bethany Christian v. Concordia

Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

“Running It Back”

It has been said that basketball is a game of runs, which is to say that momentum seems to play a big part in a team’s ability to succeed in their attempts to defend or score.

I say that is even more true in tennis.

It’s important to learn how to combat those momentum swings, and catapult ourselves into places where the momentum is behind us. Tonight gave us that opportunity.

The two positions where this “game of runs” idea was most obvious were the top two singles positions. These were also the most competitive positions and the last two matches to end. #2S was the most epic match of the night. Elias lost the first game against a player with a very similar game to him. But then, Elias rode a confident wave of momentum to six straight games to clinch a straightforward first set.

Then momentum changed, the match became a grind, a tug of war. Elias would win 2 games, then the Cadet #2 would grab the next 2. With Elias up 4-3, Concordia loosened up their attacking tennis and reeled off 3 games to win the set.

This set up a third set tiebreak, played to 10 points instead of a full third set. To begin, Elias fell behind 6-3, making a couple of tentative errors. Then his game flipped. He began to drive his backhand a bit more, he found some well placed lobs... all of a sudden he ran off 7 straight points to finish the match with a vicious overhead slam.

Elias had learned that an attitude of aggression, control and confidence can really create a timely run in tennis.

Judah had to run it back in his #1S match as well. Judah moved easily through a first set where his opponent made a number of errors. But like all varsity matches, his opponent started the second set with a fresh start and a fresh strategy. This challenged Judah, and suddenly he trailed 3-2 in the second set. Judah was trading games and needed to start a run of his own.

It started with confidence, it started with going back to locking in on what he does well. For Judah, that’s playing 4 dimensional tennis and changing the attack points for his opponent on their swings. Judah once again found the combination, and locked in on it to run off 4 games and a two set victory.

At the #3S, Aaron was locked in on his strategy from the beginning. He simply stuck with what was working well, which is another key strategy for going on a run in tennis. His mindset from the last match against Goshen was serving him well again tonight, so he brought that same mindset and strategy.

The doubles teams went on big runs, each sweeping their matches with 6-0, 6-0 scores. This takes concentration and confidence, but it also means that they weren’t giving away cheap errors. Clean tennis can also create runs in tennis. But so can big shots. An overhead slammed away or a big serve can change the mindset of our opponents, or of ourselves, and allow us to take a couple of games in a row.

So tonight, we saw how a run of games can be created...
- A big shot that excites us
- Clean tennis without a lot of errors
- Sticking to the strategies that are working
- Locking in to the strengths that we have
- Playing with an attitude of confidence and control

The JV Story

With the 5-0 varsity win, we turned to watch the JV. Eli Steiner took the win at the first singles position. He continues to improve his serve, but didn’t need too many other shots tonight as his opponent made a few too many errors. But Eli got to take home the win, as did Sam at the second singles position. Sam really served well tonight, a solid shot that is becoming the base of a solid game. He continues to work on his readiness and adjustment steps to be completely ready for anything.

And that was the 2-0 JV victory. After that, we had two intra-squad doubles matches. Isaya and Ayden took on Ender and Josiah in what was a really high level doubles match. The points that were played in that match surpassed some of the varsity play tonight for their intricacy and touch, as well as the movement that these players had across the court, particularly at the net.

And then Ethan and James played against the other Josiah and Leo. Each of these players continues to improve, especially in terms of their net game. I loved the number of times I got to see them patrol the net and slam down an overhead like we practice in our overhead drill each day.

A team meal ended the evening on a good note. We ran out the sunlight of the day playing and laughing on the courts, ready for our next chapter.

Let’s go Bruins!

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Hustle Brings Rewards

It's so tempting in tennis to not commit to running to the shots that drop in front of us. I see it all the time in practice, a shot comes in low and we let it bounce twice until it's in our comfort zone. But in a match, we're not ready for that. One player who I don't see do this is Aaron, and in his match tonight, he followed that practice-grown instinct and sprinted forward to dig out a backhand that had fallen just barely over the net from his opponent. Sliding his racket underneath, he spun up the most beautiful backhand drop volley, arched over the net and then spinning back toward it after the bounce. His opponent tried but had no chance. The instinct to hustle had paid off.

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?
Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

One of my favorite things every year is when we finish a match and there is still daylight. Inevitably, some players head back to the court because they just can't get enough tennis. Tonight, Judah, Aaron, Mason and Sam knocked tennis balls around the court in the falling dusk. A whole 45 minutes after the match, they laughed and tried crazy shots and just had fun. These are the moments for me, easy to forget, but building that belonging.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Ethan's Amazing Trick Shot

Ethan M. had an amazing shot in his match. Returning serve, he went to hit a forehand and he swung. And no one could figure out where the ball went. They turned in circles. They looked behind him and in the net. Then Leo and Josiah saw that the ball had wedged itself in the neck of his racket, in the small space below the strings. It was a shot that would be hard to do again if he tried, but was pretty awesome to see. 

Elias Hits 7 in a Row

Yeah, Elias's tiebreak run has to be mentioned here. The coolest thing about this run is that though Elias's game often relies on consistency, he brought a little bit of firepower to the tiebreak. Of the 7 points he won in a row, 4 of them were winners. Two were lobs, and two were overheads. It is good to see us finishing points in pressure situations. So much fun!

Awards
Cheerleader: Eli
Hustle: Elias
Dig Deep: Judah (but all of us had moments!)

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us
Moment of Prayer

God, with this match completed, we get to take a bit of a deep breath before we resume match play. Thanks for keeping us safe from injury in this first third of the season. Thanks for helping us grow. I pray that we are taking seriously being the people You have created us to be, knowing that we are loved. May we experience that in ways that are full of joy and reality. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-3 - Neil Jain (10)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-1, 4-6, (10-6) - Ian Satterlee (9)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-1, 6-0 - Jude Peters (12)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-0, 6-0 - Thomas Milholland (12)/Julian Van Meter (9)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-0 - Ethan Harris (9)/Lucas Neuenschwander (9)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Eli Steiner - 8-0 - Liam Herman (11)

#2SJV - Sam Brenneman - 8-1 - Ben Kremer (9)

Intra-Squad Matches

Isaya Magatti/Ayden Lehman - - Ender Finnigan/Josiah Aguilar Clark

Ethan Miller/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 6-3 - Josiah Shue/Leo Schlabach