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

Highlights coming soon...

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

Coming soon!

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
Highlights coming soon...

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

Highlights coming soon! 

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

The Story - Chapter 4 - Bethany Christian v. Oak Farm

Video Highlights

The Varsity and JV Story

"This is Nice"

It was such a gorgeous evening. The clouds were perfectly painted in the sky. The breeze was cool across the fields and through the forests behind the court. The facilities were very nice at Oak Farm. We had four of our fantastic seniors along for the match, as our JV took on Oak Farm's varsity team.

And since it was so nice, we decided to stay and play awhile.

Ayden matched up perfectly to his opponent at #2S. His opponent liked to play a lot of slice balls and try to make Ayden run for them. But Ayden is excellent at runnings for these types of shots. Once, his opponent let out a whispered "No way..." as Ayden got to the drop shot and won the point. The wind played a little bit of havoc on some of the games, but Ayden was able to mostly breeze his way through the match with hustle and consistency.

#1D played much differently. Ender boomed away with serves. Silas spun the ball all over the court. Both players ended up with big aces. Silas had a point where he hit an overhead down into the court so hard that it bounded into the second bay of courts. They enjoyed the opportunity to play together, and that was also really cool to see. It took them a moment to catch their rhythm, but then they reeled off 10 straight games to pull away with the match.

But we had the most fun supporting Isaya. He continues to grind through the closest matches. So far, Isaya has had a match go to a tiebreak, and then two matches that went to three sets. In this one, Isaya lost the first set against an opponent who used every spin in the book. Especially lethal were his opponent's drop shots, which he then followed up with inch perfect lobs. The Falcon #1S was brilliant at lifting them just a fingernail's width above Isaya's racket. But in the second set, Isaya really locked in. He readied himself for the short ball and hit massive approach shots when able. With this focus, he found himself in a third set.

The third set went back and forth, no player able to hold their serve. It was remarkable how Isaya would recover and come back, time and time again, with confidence and movement. Throughout the match, it was amazing how consistent Isaya was. He rarely missed a rally ball. But right at the end of the match, the rally ball was the thing that just couldn't find the court. However, in our courtside cheering section, we were proud at how well Isaya had played this tricky opponent.

And with the match over, we took off together to find a nice meal. And while it took quite awhile for our fast food to arrive (some might even say it shouldn't be called "fast food" when it takes over 30 minutes for it to arrive :-) - it was still quite a nice drive home together with a group of guys I enjoy being with.

Let’s go Bruins!

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

In the wind tonight, Ayden repeatedly made really smart choices. Rather than try to power through the ball, he repeatedly used short angles to take his opponent out of position. He got up to short shots quickly and then angled the ball towards the sideline (kind of like our "Short Ball Two Ball" :-) These shots took the wind out of play, because they didn't have a ton of air underneath them, they didn't float high through the air. I don't know if this was a strategy that Ayden thought about, or if it was just instinct, but it worked really well.

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

Isaya can have peace. Throughout his really tight and nervous match, the other three seniors continued to encourage Isaya. They even echoed when his mom would cheer for him. After a difficult match, they picked him up. When can have peace because we know our relationships with our friends don't change based on the outcome of a tennis match. Win or lose, the story remains that we are loved.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Ender's Laser Serve

I don't know why this made me smile, but Ender hit a serve last night that was straight and fast. It hummed over the tape and then bounced up straight toward the Falcon returner. He leaned toward his backhand, trying to get a forehand swing on the ball but Ender's serve bounded right through the gap between his arm and his body. It was a really cool ace!

Drop Shot Mania

After being drop shotted all the time in his match, Isaya did get a little revenge. Down 4-5 and 40-40, Isaya came forward to the net and his opponent actually slammed a forehand pass down the line. Isaya lunged down and out for the ball, but it ticked the frame of the racket and spun frantically in the air. Luckily for Isaya, it flipped onto his opponent's side and then the rapid spin carried it back into the net. It was a big point that allowed him to get back into the set, and it looked really cool - even if it had a little element of luck :-)

Awards
Cheerleader: Lenora :-)
Hustle: Ayden
Dig Deep: Isaya

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

God, I'm super proud of the four seniors who played tonight. They embody much of what we want our team to be about. Joy for the season! Encouragement for each other! Wisdom and perspective too. Thanks for their influence over our team, and for a nice evening together. Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S(JV) - Isaya Magatti - 5-7, 6-3, 5-7 - Fyo Hayden (11)
#2S(JV) - Ayden Lehman - 6-2, 6-2 - Afton McGinnis (12)
#3S(JV) - Bethany Christian wins by default
#1D(JV) - Silas Martin/Ender Finnigan - 6-2, 6-0 - Riley Fitzharris (12)/Liam Reynolds (9)
#2D(JV) - Bethany Christian wins by default

The Story - Chapter 3 - Bethany Christian vs Goshen

Video Highlights

The Varsity Story

"Learning Our Lessons"

Tonight, the Bruins showed that we are learning our lessons.

What I mean is that we are taking the experiences we have in matches, adapting to them, and putting that new learning to work. Or we are taking what we learn on the drill court and bringing it straight into the match court.

No where was that more evident tonight than at #3S. Aaron has been working on playing attacking and smart tennis, and tonight he did exactly that. He had such a great attitude, just trying to have fun and attack his opponents weaknesses when possible. He did that to the tune of a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Or take Elias at #2S, a position where the Bruins took a loss tonight. Still, in practice we worked on finding a passing shot down the line. And what happened on the first attack of Elias’ backhand? A perfectly placed passing shot down the line.

And at #1S, we’ve been getting Judah used to the firepower he’ll face in a loaded #1S gauntlet this year. Facing his second All-District returning player in a row, Judah upped the depth of his shots, but even more importantly, his belief that he could just play. Though he lost, he showed great grit to keep coming back at it.

At #1D, we learned to shift strategies mid-match against Northridge. Tonight against Goshen, that mid-match strategy wasn’t working. So we shifted again to a new style, being more aggressive and moving forward. This gave us a lead in the 2nd set. Unfortunately, the RedHawks shifted as well, which good teams will do, and we couldn’t take the set. Still, great learning steps.

Best of all was #2D. Jordan and Lucas had experienced a long three setter on Tuesday, and on this Thursday, they found themselves under that pressure again. Against Northridge, they got nervous and their feet got stuck. Against Goshen, they shook it out and swung through. Going behind 3-0 in the deciding set, they came back again and again. They served so well under pressure. And finally behind some timely serving from Jordan, they closed out a 3 set win. 

The varsity Bruins dropped the match to the defending Sectional champs 3-2. But it was a great night of learning. And it was a great night of learning that we tend to play our best tennis... when we just play. When we get out there and have fun!

Another big thing we learned was the importance of projecting confidence. Tonight, it was very noticeable when we believed we could compete and were full of confidence and energy - and when we got down on ourselves and were just going through the motions of the match. We need to play with that little bit of swagger, a bit of knowing that whatever happens, whoever we play against, we can bring it and be proud of our effort. We did that in many positions at points in the match. We are learning we can bring it all the time.

The JV Story
In the JV match, there were close matches up and down the lineup. Isaya had probably the best of the lot, a three set classic that also saw him shift strategies in the middle and gain momentum. I loved his simple game and attitude throughout, and the cheering section that came along to encourage him in the long match.

Also going 3 sets were the #2DJV, Eli and Ender. They battled nerves, tiebreaks, frustration and more. They kept coming back again and again. This is something we talk about at practice. The simple practice of taking a deep breath and starting each point again is worth celebrating.

Another three setter occured at #2SJV, where Ayden displayed amazing hustle and grit. After dropping the first set 4-0, Ayden really began to fly around the court and display amazing consistency. He pushed the match into a tiebreak third set, but couldn't find the winning combinations right at the end of the set. Still, he maintained belief.

A final three setter occurred at the final doubles spot on the night #4DJV. In this match, we were able to break through and take the tiebreaker. Ayden and Sam were tired and hot, but managed to make a great comeback. In the tiebreak, Sam caught fire. He didn’t miss a serve, fired away winning volleys and backhands. It was a focused display that I loved to see.

Other positions on the night learned and grew as well. Silas and Josiah had their first match against true varsity quality doubles players, and grew in their ability to deal with that as the match went on. Ethan got to play his first singles match of the season, and really got to work on his anticipation and improved at it. James and Josiah played their first doubles together.

And overall, it was great to see the Bruins out supporting one another. The echoes were louder tonight and more frequent. The things we are working on are coming together for growth. We can continue to move toward these excellent, noble and praise-worthy things.

Let’s go Bruins!

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Elias Does the Practice Drill in a Match!

I referenced this above in the match report, but during practice on Wednesday, James, Eli, Sam and Ayden helped run Elias through a passing shot drill. In this match, the drill came into play immediately and Elias placed it brilliantly down the line. Throughout the match, he continued to see the drill pay some dividends. It wasn't always perfect, but you could see the growth right in front of us. Love it when hard work, both by a player and his teammates, begins to pay off.

Aaron Does the Practice Drill in a Match!

For Aaron, one skill we've been continuing to strengthen is his ability to get to the net. Each day in practice, we work on coming forward with accurate aggression. Today, he displayed that confident ability again and again in his match. It makes me anxious to get back to the practice court.

Lucas Does the Practice Drill in a Match!

In the third set, Lucas and Jordan were really trying to be aggressive and active at the net. In Wednesday's practice, we had done a drill practicing that. In the midst of the drill, we kept taking big swings at shots that were headed far past the baseline. So we stopped and practiced knowing if a shot was in or out. I hit hard topspin shots at the net person and encouraged them to swerve out of the way if the ball was smashed with high speed above the level of their eyes. In a crucial sequence of the third set, Lucas "matrix-ed" a shot, ducking his head and letting it fly past the baseline. The knowledge and experience was growing.

Jordan Does the Practice Drill in a Match!

Late in the match, Jordan was trying to serve out the win. These moments can have pressure in them. During practice, I had asked players to visualize a pressure moment in the match, then concentrate and hit the serve. Jordan did just those things, along with the other pressure relievers we've been talking about - shaking it out before the point begins, bouncing the feet, taking a deep breath. Then he served it out with brilliance.

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

More Echoes Please!

In each match, the echoes have been growing. This match brought forth the most. What encouraged me so much was where they came. In big moments, or after big disappointments, players were calling out to their teammates so that they could hear the encouragement coming back their way. Lucas, Jordan, Aaron, Isaya, Ender, Judah... and more. Love to hear our team vocally pick each other up.

The Girls Team Shows Up!
Just wanted to throw in a moment of appreciation for the Bethany girl's tennis team, many of whom showed up at the match and lended their voices to the encouragement. They picked Isaya up at a crucial point in his second set, then picked up #2D at an important point in their third set, then cheered for the final matches on court as Isaya and #4DJV finished up. Thanks ladies, we appreciate you!

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Sam's Brilliant Tiebreak

Sam just played about the most perfect tiebreak possible in his final match. Booming serves put his opponent's on the back foot. He didn't miss a serve in the tiebreak. Even better, his net game was solid. He didn't do anything spectacular at the net, just hit simple volleys to the right spots. I was so excited about how he stepped up to pull out the win!

Awards
Cheerleader: Isaya
Hustle: Ayden
Dig Deep: Lucas

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

God, I'm just grateful for a good week. I pray that we can stay focused and keep building. Keep building friendships and support. Keep building our game play and strategy. Keep building our faith and belief, that Your way in the world is truly the best way to live. We are loved. Thank You! Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 0-6, 3-6 - Logan Beck (10)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 2-6, 0-6 - Logan Yoder Rupp (10)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-1, 6-2 - Graham Ebright Zehr (10)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 0-6, 4-6 - Holden Ebright Zehr (12)/Tristan Keiser (12)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 - Aiden Saner (11)/Andrew Hughes (12)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 - Shaun Paetsch (12)
#2SJV - Ayden Lehman - 0-4, 4-2, 7-10 - Leo Herber (11)
#3SJV - Sam Brenneman - 3-5, 0-4 - Josh Soto-Macias (11)

#4SJV - Ethan Miller - 2-4, 0-4 - Sam McDonald (9)
#1DJV - Silas Martin/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 1-6, 2-6 - Manny Arredondo (10)/Jordy Miller (12)
#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Eli Steiner - 5-3, 3-5, 2-10 - Connor Yoder (10)/Vincent Castillo-Miller (10)
#3DJV - Josiah Shue/James Weaver - 2-4, 0-4 - Dom Keiser (10)/Tristan Schmitz (12)
#4DJV - Ayden Lehman/Sam Brenneman - 2-4, 4-0, 10-2 - Carsyn Querry (10)/Harold Hartzler Bhandari (10)

The Story - Chapter 2 - Bethany Christian vs Northridge

Video Highlights


The Varsity Story
"The Long Game"

This match is about the long game.

Literally, this match featured three positions that totalled over 9 hours on court! But more importantly, this match was all about the building blocks of confidence that will lead to a great season.

Even in the quickest of matches, Judah’s loss at #1S, there was a lot to be learned. Judah had opportunities to play against big serves and big groundstrokes, also hit with perfect placement. He got to see how his feet created opportunities, and how some strokes cause players more trouble than others. But ultimately, Northridge was just too good at #1S, and Judah’s match ended in less than 45 minutes or so. But by playing hard and never letting up, Judah was building up for the long haul of the season.

At that point, every other match was just getting started. No other match was even in the second set when Judah came off. In fact, it was more than an hour and a half later that Aaron came off court after suffering a lengthy two-set defeat. Again, Aaron learned a ton in this match - attacking weaknesses of his opponent and facing up against his own nerves. Every game was close, and sometimes single shots changed the complexion of a whole set. I was quite proud of Aaron’s ability to bounce back and keep the pressure on throughout this match.

That left three matches on the court, and we needed to win each one to grab a victory. And we came oh so close to doing exactly that. Two of these matches lasted over 3 hours, and the other went almost 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was a ridiculous level of tennis over a long period. Elias at #2S continued his great start to the season. He battled back and forth with an opponent who struck very attacking shots, but also made some mistakes. Elias was able to find the returns and change the contact points of his opponent, encouraging errors. His first set went to a tiebreak, which he prevailed in. The second set went back and forth, mostly against serve. But Elias fell behind and was eeked out 6-4 in the set.

This sent it to a third, and Elias fell down 3-2. He was a bit discouraged, because his earlier strategy was drying up. We talked about making one more stand, giving it all of his energy and seeing what happened. Standing up and taking the big punch and sending it back. What happened was that Elias ran off 4 straight games to take the third set and win the match in 3 hours and 10 minutes.

Also finishing up at that exact same long time was #1D. Malachi and Ethan similarly seesawed through the first set, taking an early lead but then fading late. In the second, they trailed the whole set but kept it close. In the middle of the set, they made a tactical change, choosing to use the lob more. Down 5-4 they won a big game. Then kept the momentum up to take the set to a tiebreak. Full of confidence in their strategy, they raced out to a 5-0 lead in the tiebreak, then took the set to force a third.

In the third, the match stayed close. But there was a confidence and security to Malachi and Ethan. They had discovered a strategy, it was still working, all they had to do was play. With that attitude they toughed through a tight third set, and in 3 hours and 10 minutes, defeated the Raider doubles crew. They were honestly serving their match point at the exact same time as Elias 🙂

But unfortunately, those two matches weren’t enough to win the match. Just 25 minutes before those matches ended, Jordan and Lucas had fallen in a long third set at #2D. They played great tennis throughout, especially serving very well. In each game, one error was keeping them from inching ahead. At the end of the first set, they went through a period of movement and focus that eliminated those single errors, and they took a tight first set. But that focus waned in the second set, and they fell behind and couldn’t make the comeback.

In the third, they came out with the needed energy and focus. Again, confident serving and net play were on the cards. However, the Raider team pushed back with joy and excitement. They upped their game and called upon Jordan and Lucas to do it to. We couldn’t quite overcome the nerves at that point, and double faults and first ball errors crept in. In the end, that cost the Bruins the final point. But there was brilliant tennis throughout for #2D.

In the long game, this was quite a victory for the Bruins. Experienced players gutted out long matches. Inexperienced players got experience under pressure, and a chance to learn from that experience. We all got to play competitive matches that tested us.

And in the long game, that can be a very good thing.

The JV Story
The story wasn’t that different for the JV. Long matches that were good challenges for our growth.

Isaya went on at #1SJV right in the middle of the varsity matches, figuratively and literally. On the center court, he built a lead with consistent and yet powerful strokes. His normal shot really zooms off the racket, with a lot of spin, and when it is controlled it does a lot of damage. His opponent made a lot of errors early. But after Isaya had a lead, his opponent began to play much more cautiously. The match tightened and went to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Isaya played brilliant tennis, but couldn’t quite find the finishing touch. In the end, the Raiders took the tiebreak in a long match.

Silas and Josiah then took center court, and began their match while Elias and #1D toiled away on either side. Silas looked really strong in parts of this match, especially on serve and when finding forehand passing shots. Josiah did a great job of angling a lot of volleys away for winner when playing the net. It was another tight one though! It also went into a tiebreak. This time the Bruins were able to pull away for the tiebreak win.

Eli at #2SJV didn’t have a tiebreak, and didn’t get the win either, but he played long points that required a lot of effort and running. He really had the ability to get a lot of shots back in play. His feet were good, and now racket preparation and recognition need to follow. Eli’s serve also continues to improve and that really helped when he played again in doubles.

#3SJV was Ayden tonight, and his match was crazy. Ayden isn’t a crusher of the tennis ball, but someone who’s effort is the way to victory. He built a lead behind crazy good effort tonight, offering shot after shot to his opponent and trying to draw an error. Up 6-5 with the light fading, Ayden offered to play a tiebreak because the light was going to make things difficult to finish. Unfortunately he lost the tiebreak, but I still consider it a win because of his generous offer and the fact that he had led by a game when the light was basically gone.

#2DJV of Ender and Sam struggled to find rhythm tonight. They made good shots but their opponents would return them. They couldn’t quite string 3-4 shots in a row to really keep the pressure on their opponents. Still, they kept things close and supported each other really wel..

#3DJV really showed what can happen when you keep the ball in play with good placement. Eli and Josiah excelled at simply finding the court with their shots, but especially because they were able to direct those shots to the open court. Rather than just lift shots toward the Raider net player, they would force the player in the back of the court to move and hit passing shots. This strategy wore away at the Raiders until Eli and Josiah S pulled away.

#4DJV continues to improve. Every time I watch Ethan he is serving better. Every time I watch James he seems more balanced and consistent. They had a great tennis battle with their opponents, finding the angles and advantages. Increasing their anticipation is probably the next step.

Overall, I’d say that’s a good word for the whole JV. We will run and hustle, giving it our all. We’ll do that all night long. But we need anticipation, court positioning, and feet moving before the ball is at our feet. That anticipation and preparation are the keys to getting better.

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Finding a Strategy and Working It
Ethan and Malachi adjusted in the middle of their match. They realized things weren’t going their way, listened to advice from Coach Daniel, and turned things around. They incorporated another piece of information from me. From 5-4 down in the second set, they took simple doubles to a better level. From then on, they had a great chance to win the match. And they did. It was as simple as moving to a strategy that helped them keep the ball in the court more, and put themselves in advantageous positions. Malachi just used the lob a bit more, and Ethan made sure he was balanced before attacking. And they hunted for backhands, aiming at their opponent’s weaknesses. Then they stayed with it to secure the win.

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

The Meal
One of my favorite traditions is eating together. I love that we all wait so that we can enjoy the meal together. Tonight, we grabbed rice and fruit skewers and disappeared into the dark, under the pine trees. Laugh, we poured too much soy sauce on our bowls. We came back for seconds. We called everyone over to offer them a seat. Love it!

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Ethan’s Passing Shots
Early in the match, Ethan had an awesome shot, that just deserves some attention. Running toward his forehand side, he slapped a forehand down the line for a quick winner past the net player. He let out a roar and it was awesome. Just a laser of a shot.

Lucas’s Angled Volley
Late in the first set, with the Bruins down 5-4 and Love-30. A shot slid cross court from the Raiders, and Lucas saw the ball dip low over the net. With great touch, he dinked a ball cross court at a crazy angle. The Northridge team had no chance to get it. From there, Jordan and Lucas came back and won the game, before capturing the set. It was a great point!

Josiah’s Four Overheads in a Row
In the #1DJV match, Northridge had great hands and kept getting shots back to us. In one point, Josiah slammed one overhead down that crashed past the net player, but the back player sent up another lob. Josiah slammed it down the middle. A quick lob was put back up. Josiah knocked it down the middle again. Finally, Josiah slammed the ball cross court for a winner. Good thing we practiced overheads so much :-)

Awards
Cheerleader: ??? We need someone to step up and make this their own!
Hustle: Elias
Dig Deep: Ethan/Malachi

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

God, we were so close tonight. Bring us growth in these close moments. Give us the grace of having a big match where we make the difference, we cheer for our teammates, we give the encouragement or make the shot. These are fun, and make for great stories. Thanks for every opportunity. Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 0-6, 0-6 - Seth Lomas (12)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 - Ty Stahly (11)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 3-6, 4-6 - Lucas Ellis (10)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 - Grahm Tabor (11)/Miles Hainlin (12)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 7-5, 1-6, 2-6 - Grant Kauffman (11)/Finn Schmidt (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 6-5 (8) - Brody Keeler (9)
#2SJV - Eli Steiner - 2-6 - Jacob Stephens (11)
#3SJV - Ayden Lehman - 6-6 - Landon Bennett (9)
#1DJV - Silas Martin/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 6-5 (4) - Brady Barkby (11)/Caleb Miller (11)
#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Sam Brenneman - 2-6 - Lewis Rush (9)/Easton Caldwell (9)
#3DJV - Ethan Miller/James Weaver - 2-6 - Nickolace Karpenko (9)/Benaiah Rasier (9)
#4DJV - Eli Steiner/Josiah Shue - 5-3 - Garin Wilkinson (10)/Truman Mast (10)

The Story - Chapter 1 - Bethany Christian at Lakeland

Video Highlights

The Varsity Story
"Wrinkles and Knots"

The Lakers varsity team threw out different challenges for the Bruins on a beautiful Monday evening. Power, touch, two back returning. New wrinkles that the Bruins needed to face and figure out.

And then their were the knots of our own game. The tangles that cause us to lose confidence or get tentative. When we freeze, when we get tight, when we can't stay aggressive. The Lakers put our team under pressure with good tennis, consistency, and never backing down. The Bruins needed to respond.

The matches got off to good starts. Each position won the first game. But in many, the Lakers won the next game. But the Bruins were coming in with good confidence, built from a successful scrimmage at Angola. In each of the first sets, the Bruins were able to come through without much pressure. But it was the second sets - when the Lakeland team adjusted - that Bethany needed to smooth out the wrinkles and untangle their knots.

For Judah, his match was full of highlights. His forehand was on fire. He was keeping the ball low and making it difficult for his opponent to attack. He was cracking away when he got to the net. In the second set, he began to have to figure out his serve, which was beginning to get difficult for him. But the story he believed was that he could figure it out. We noticed the toss was off, and he lifted it a bit higher and into a better place. From a close 4-3 scoreline he reeled off the last two games to win the match. 

Those two games actually ended up securing the team match for the Bruins, because two other matches were off the courts before Judah. The first was Elias Magatti. At #2S, he was perhaps the most confident win of the night. He really impressed in this match in the way that he was able to get to the net, using both low short balls and also driven shots into his opponent's backhand. His overhead was really on fire as well.

The other early team point came Jordan and Lucas at #2D. They really dominated the first set, but ran into a knot right at the end of it. They were up 5-0, when their was a little wobble. Their consistency dropped a bit, double faults crept in, and volleys were left in the net. They finished out the first set, but went down 2-1 in the second. Jordan's serve led the same then, helping them breeze through a game. From their confidence grew and the two ripped off 5 more games in a row. It was a great job recovering their best game after a wobble.

With the three points secured, we turned our attention to #3S. That was the next match to finish. Aaron used his forehand well to set up attacking play. His well placed groundstrokes were also drawing random errors. All his skills added up to a first varsity singles win for Aaron.

Which led us to the team dealing with the biggest wrinkle of all, #1D. After a fairly easy first set, Malachi and Ethan found themselves down 5-4 in the second set. Their own games were full of little knots, shots that they weren't confident in. Because of that, their feet and their focus were kinda everywhere. But they really responded under pressure. They played two great games to turn a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 lead. Then the Lakers responded with a great game to send it to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, some great serving gave the Bruins an advantage. Both Ethan and Malachi served up some unreturned serves. A couple of solid overheads led them to match point. On that point, Ethan ripped a forehand return down the line to seal the match.

The match challenged us to respond. To nerves, to disappointment, to downturns in our play. And so the Bruins responded to those wrinkles and knots.  

The JV Story
A wealth of experience. Our JV started the night with many players with several years of JV experience. These are players who know what we want our Bruin team to be about: growth and joy. 

Isaya started this match showing both of those characteristics. His shots were strong and showed his growth. His confidence and demeanor showed joy. He breezed through his match and got the Bruins our first JV point. 

The other matches took much longer, but Silas and Eli were able to put point number 2 on the board. Despite some early struggles with focus and consistency, Silas's net game was enough to put them on top. Eli played reliably from the baseline, putting shots in for their opponents to hit to Silas, who put those shots away. 

Ayden provided the third Bruin point, a long match where he was dominant. His footwork and movement were real keys, allowing him to outlast his opponent in hitting balls in the court. He did have some awesome moments, where he got a ball in the mid-court and smashed it away into the corner.

Josiah and Ender apparently love to play close matches. Last year they were the kings of the close match, and this year started that way again. Little mistakes and shots that just didn't find the court sometimes cost them the advantage won from strong net play or strong groundstrokes. Getting that margin of errors to balls in court will be key to the Bruins success this year.

Our final point came from Sam. He played back against the Laker #1SJV player, but had great placement on his groundstrokes and was able to pull away. His backhand was especially laser-like, finding the cross-court corner often and forcing errors. 

The last match on court was Ethan and James. James was playing his first match of official high school tennis, and he definitely had some highlight volleys and put aways. He's really grown in his comfort level at the net over the young season. And Ethan continues to grow strengths he started last year. His serve improves and his backhand can be a weapon, especially on weak serves. He used those to his advantage, but the doubles pair fell, 8-4.

But the JV opened with a 4-2 win to follow up the varsity's victory.

Who Can Focus in the Moment? 

Moments of Wise Play

Silas Takes Out the Trash
Often during practice we do a drill that Daniel named “Take Out the Trash.” You start at the net, and if the ball fed to you is low over the net, you volley deep into the court. If it floats higher, you finish it with a strong shot. Silas put that drill straight into practice during his doubles match. A low passing shot dipped over the net and Silas bent his knees to send the ball back deep. This ball dropped near his opponent’s feet. This led to a shot that popped up, and Silas stepped forward to slam it away. It’s awesome to see our drill bear fruit in a match.

James Applies New Learning

Speaking of taking things from the practice court to the match court, James really did the same. Last week, we really tried to emphasize proper form for James on his volleys. We encouraged him to learn to not swing through on the volley, but a make a short forward movement. In the match tonight, he was ready. As his opponent's tried to pass him in doubles, James poked several volleys through the middle of his opponent's. James is learning fast. 

Ethan's Tactical Brain

Just a quick one. Ethan had some great cross-court returns to win points. After the match, he explained his thought process. He had realized that he was hitting backhands really well in practice. So he decided to return on the Ad side, the backhand side, during his doubles match. The tactical decision paid off in several points.

Who Can Have Peace in the Match? 

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

Nerves

There were a lot of nerves tonight. It was the first match of the season to truly count toward our record. Many of us were in new positions for the match. Some of us had just dropped our oldest sons off at college (oh, wait, I guess that was just me :-) In that, we needed each other. During the matches, we were a bit quiet. But after the matches, it was great to see the players process with one another the good and the bad. This chatter will help us as we move forward.

Cheers for #3DJV

Loved seeing the team gather around the final court and cheer on the volleys and overheads from James and Ethan. There are always the temptations to lose ourselves in phones or in private conversations, but when the team cheers on those who remain on court, it is special. Loved that Lakeland came down and did the same.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season? 

Moments for Celebration

Judah's Overheads

Judah started his #1S career with a victory, and a large separator between him and his opponent was the ability to do damage at the net. For Judah, a lot of this came from his overheads. Late in the first set, he approached the net and was lobbed. With no hesitation, he stepped in a pounded a flushed overhead. The ball exploded down off the court and then hopped over the fence. It was a cool point to witness, again, something that carried over from practice to the match.

Ethan and Malachi's Tiki-Taka Point

In soccer, tiki-taka is a style of intricate passes that end up breaking down the defense. In the #1D match, there was a sweet point where Malachi hit a great forehand deep in the court, and then the next ball was placed to Ethan. Ethan hit a drive forehand volley at his opponent's feet, who picked up a reaction volley and lifted it towards Ethan's feet. Ethan slid back and placed a flat shot near the middle of the court. This caused his opponent to shuffle over and bend down to lift another soft volley near Ethan's feet. Ethan shuffled quickly too, this time lifting a long, low half volley into the backhand of his opponent, who missed a passing shot from the low contact point, hitting it into the net. The whole point was played with such precision and patience. It was a way of attacking shot after shot with accuracy and control. Kinda like tiki-taka.

Over All This is Christ's Love for Us

Moment of Prayer

God, what a gorgeous evening. The clouds were fluffy and huge. The sun was glowing up the courts. It was warm but not hot. Thanks for that. Continue to teach us to rely on You for perspective about this season, about all the things that are to be rejoiced over. Continue to work in the lives of each of these players. I can't wait to see what you can do in and through us.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Judah Miller - 6-1, 6-3 - Logan Curtis (11)
#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-2, 6-1 - Matthew Miller (10)
#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-1, 6-3 - Zeke Jacobson (11)
#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-2, 7-6 (4) - Bradley Miller (10)/Adrian Troyer (10)
#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-1, 6-2 - Maxwell Mishler (12)/Will Hofer (12)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 8-1 - Jacob Hofer (9)
#2SJV - Ayden Lehman - 8-3 - Alex Resor (9)

#3SJV - Sam Brenneman - 8-2 - Jacob Hofer (9)
#1DJV - Ender Finnigan/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 6-8 - Caleb Hahn (11)/Ethan Huppenthal (10)

#2DJV - Silas Martin/Eli Steiner - 8-2 - William Barrick (11)/Luke Hofer (11)

#3DJV - Ethan Miller/James Weaver - 4-8 - Caleb Hahn (11)/William Barrick (11)