The Story. - Chapter 19 - Sectional Semi-Final - Bethany Christian v. Bremen

Video Highlights

Coming soon!

The Varsity Story 

"Who Can Focus in the Moment?"

Whoa! What an incredible match! Saving set points, saving match points, tiebreaks, third sets, a shift to indoor courts for the first time... this match had a little bit of everything, and the Bruins dealt with it all to secure an nail-biting, joy-inducing 3-2 win!

So often, a tennis match can come down to moments. Big points that swing momentum, small errors that chip away at confidence, little losses of focus that lead to bigger trends. Due to the individual nature of matches, things can switch quickly. Focus and movement are so important!

And what a great job the Bruins did with those moments tonight.

Even in the positions where we couldn't really keep pace with the Lions from Bremen, we brought focus and fight. Judah and Elias at #1S and #2S couldn't really figure out how to hurt their athletic, attacking opponents regularly. Both Bremen players had great touch on their shots and kept the ball low over the net, skidding off the slick surface of the indoor courts. Both Bremen singles players gave very little away in terms of errors or double faults. This made it really difficult to find consistent paths to winning games. Elias was constantly in every game, but couldn't convert the final points. Judah found himself in similar positions. Both players continued to give their effort, Judah sliding around the court trying to pick up volleys and make his opponent hit another ball. Both tried various strategies and mindsets, but they couldn't string together the points needed.

So they were depending on their teammates to win the matches, because after #1S and #2S the Bruins trailed 2-0 in the team score.

The doubles matches were both very competitive and very fun! Malachi and Ethan started off a little sloppy, but as has been their pattern, they cleaned it up pretty quickly. Then they jumped out to a lead in the set and took it. But the second set started a little slow for them, and their opponents really picked it up a notch. You could tell that the Bremen players were fired up to try and change the course of the match. The Lions served really well and began to make the points last a bit longer, cutting down their errors and going for a little less power. We had to match the consistency and the focus of the Lions, because the longer points required it. Games tightened and the Lions actually had points to take the second set. But again, the Bruins found their best tennis under the pressure, and reeled off 3 straight games to win the set and the match.

Meanwhile, the Bruins #2D team was trying to find their consistency. The team was plagued by the disease of great shot followed by a shanked shot, and in the big moments of the first set, we played tentative and nervous. That brought errors and Lucas and Jordan dropped the first set. With no more margin for error, the Bruins took the lead in the second set, serving for the set twice but dropping those games each time. When we would get in winning positions, our feet would freeze up. But from losing positions, we kept making the plays. Several times in the set we trailed in a game love-40 and came back to win it. 

I guess this pattern ended up serving us well, because we found ourselves trailing in a tiebreak that we had to win to keep the match alive. Trailing 4-3, Jordan and Lucas played a couple of excellent points, but then made a couple of return errors. Now the score was 6-5, and we were down a match point. But under the pressure, #2D's came through! They saved the match point, then had set points of their own! It took them 3 tries, but Jordan and Lucas clinched the set eventually and sent the match to a third.

In the third, they broke immediately to take a nice lead. Service games had been a bit nervy for the Bruins, but Lucas served a great game with several big first serves to consolidate our break and put us up 2-0. Then the Lions held making Jordan's next service game a big one. It was one of the most tense of the match, multiple deuces and ads going either way. In the end, the Bruins held for a 3-1 lead. We followed it up with another break of serve and pushed the lead all the way to 5-1. Closing it out required us to conquer our nerves again, but the Bruins got over the finish line with a big win under pressure!

With the team match now tied at 2-2, attention shifted to #3S, where Aaron was playing his best tennis of the season. Aaron was really locked in, giving all his energy to returning his opponent's big serve and then finding opportunities to attack. Sometimes this match looked like "traditional" #3S, where points are long and the shots are looped centrally to prevent errors and force the other player to do something. But much of the match was determined by who was attacking. The Bremen player was similar to the other Lion singles - tall, athletic, and really good at the net. The main difference tonight was that Aaron was able to draw some errors.

In the first set, Aaron's smart attacking earned him a lot of wayward shots and opportunities to put the ball away. Aaron took the first set, putting the Bruins one set from a comeback victory. In the second, his opponent strengthened his own attacking play, and made less errors. This just made for an epic set, with both players playing well. Aaron took the lead 4-3, then with the chance to finish out the set, he dropped both games. He picked up the energy and won two tight games to take the lead 6-5 with a chance to serve it out. But the nerves came and his opponent found the openings, and the second set went to a tiebreak. Aaron trailed the whole tiebreak, but then tied it up a 6. But a good lob and a deep return gave the two points to Bremen, and suddenly we were in a third set, with everything on the line.

Aaron and I conferenced. We still just needed one more set. He still was playing his best tennis. The biggest thing was to find energy, even if he had to fake it. He had to believe too, and I encouraged him to focus on every point, telling himself that he can do it. 

And, wow, did he ever. 

Aaron came out in the decisive set with energy and focus. Despite the late hour and the energy he'd spent, he looked fresh. He went right back to what was working and won the first 5 games of the set. After having a match point on his opponent's serve at 5-0, he had several chances to win it in his service game, up 5-1. As his opponent approached the net on the final match point, Aaron curled a forehand at his feet, and the resulting volley sailed long, giving the Bruins their third team position and a win!

The team stormed over to Aaron after he shook hands with his opponent. He was tired and happy. The Bruins had proved that in all the different moments, we can focus in each one. Now we're on to the Sectional final. It was a great night!

Let's go Bruins!

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Energy in a Third Set

The most important thing in a third set is to bring confident energy. Of course, by the time you get to a third set you don't feel that energy. You either spent a lot of energy to stave off elimination by winning the second set, or you just went through the disappointment of not winning the match in two sets. Both things steal your energy. But the important thing to note is that both things take your energy... in other words, both players are feeling the lull. So, even if you have to fake it, you show energy. Aaron did that tonight. After a disappointing second set, he regrouped and went out with belief into the third set. He handled himself wisely.

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

Team Support (Including So Many of Our JV!)

Last night, so many of our players were there to cheer on their teammates. That's awesome, because even though its the seven varsity players who play for the Sectional title, it's all of their teammates who have helped them get ready for this opportunity. Each varsity win is actually a win of the whole team, just as each JV triumph doesn't happen without the varsity encouragement and days teaching, hitting and just being with their teammates. Loved seeing everyone who was there to cheer, encourage, and celebrate with us.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Big Points Played Just Like Practice

Tonight, on the big points, I saw our practices on display. Sometimes, it wasn't in a great way, like when we watched a lob go over our head instead of sprinting back behind it. Or when we weren't prepared to get forward to low balls in front of us, because we're used to letting them double bounce in warmups. But most of the time, on the big points, I saw the fruits of our practice time. Our overheads were way above average, providing moments of strength at each position. On big points, we went for it and it paid off. And then there was the 3/4 court shot that won the match for Aaron, a shot that we often practice during our hitting series. The ball was hit at an awkward low spot for Aaron, and he swept it to his opponents feet, just like we practice most days. These things help us in the big moments!

Awards

Cheerleader: The Whole Team
Hustle: Aaron
Dig Deep: Aaron, Lucas, Jordan

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

God, whew! It was a long, late night. We enjoyed watching players perform under pressure. But help us also realize that we can be content in all things. Had points gone the other way, had we not been at our best, had we made a mistake instead of a winner - we'd still be loved. There are so many true and beautiful things in our world, and winning is not really high up on the list. It's fun, and we're grateful, but You give us so much more. We are grateful that it is not what we accomplish, but that we are Your beloved. In Jesus name, amen.

Scores
Varsity

#1S - Judah Miller - 1-6, 1-6 - Chase Devine (12)

#2S - Elias Magatti - 0-6, 0-6 - Bryce Miller (12)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 - Riley Tener (12)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-3, 7-5 - David Monesmith (12)/Beck Barnes (10)

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 3-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3 - Nicolas Stiles (12)/Lincoln Heiter (12)

The Story - Chapter 18 - Bethany Christian at the Wabash Invitational

  Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

"Joy in the Season"

Saturday in Wabash, it was just a really good day. There was abundant sunshine. Perfect temperatures - autumn in the air, but still warm enough to play tennis with that fresh sheen of sweat. And there were bees. Lots of bees buzzing around the complex. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, and so were we.

We started the day against Marion, and there wasn't much stress in the air. The guys were focused and ready to play, but they weren't wound tight. Confident, but not cocky. Focused and enjoying the day.

And then they went out and took care of business. We won all five courts pretty comfortably, dropping just six games across the entire match.

But that's not really the interesting part. What was great was what we were able to do with those matches.

At #2D, Lucas and Jordan worked on using their serves to draw weaker shots and then finding ways to finish those points at the net. Judah worked on patience. Ethan and Malachi worked on recognizing those little dips in their focus and figuring out how to deal with them themselves, without needing a coach to draw them back in. Aaron worked on making his first serve more of a weapon at #3S, while Elias was working on changing each shot of his points with depth and width.

That's a pretty good way to spend a first round - getting the win, but also find things to work on.

Pretty quickly after that first round, we turned around and played Wabash. They're a young team, but a solid one. They came in at 7-10 on the season, and they had just beaten Marion 5-0 as well. It looked like they would provide a challenge in certain spots, especially to our focus. 

That started at #1S, where their ninth grade #1 had some really good strokes, hitting with good power and placement. But Judah was just relentless. He kept making balls and making balls. Judah kept changing the spin and the point of attack. And the fun part was that Judah was also playing with some serious power. He was absolutely crushing passing shots and even hitting some baseline winners. That's not always his game, but apparently it can be.

The rest of the lineup was pretty comfortable, too. The scores were lopsided, but the tennis was good. In fact, we dropped an identical amount of games as a team in our match versus Wabash as we did against Marion. And I think sometimes we don't quite realize what we're doing when we win matches like this.Wabash is a team more toward the middle of the pack in the state. They're also closer to our school size than some of the teams we see. So these matches give us a chance to see what we look like against teams that are more like us. We looked pretty good.

And then came the trophy poses, pictures around the shining orange trophy we'd secured.

We got the group photos, and then I just loved watching the seniors gather around it for a senior class pose. Then the juniors, smiling and laughing. Then the sophomores, including Sam. Sam had come along as a fan, but ended up playing a JV match, so obviously he needed to get in on the trophy picture, too.

That's one of my favorite things about this team.

It's not just the guys who happen to be playing varsity.

It's all of them.

We've spent a lot of time this season talking about what we're building together. About being brothers. About working hard. About joy. About enjoying the process instead of always looking ahead to the next thing.

And Saturday felt like one of those days where we got to enjoy it.

The weather was beautiful. The tennis was good. We got a trophy. We took some pictures. We laughed.And then we headed home to get ready for Sectional.  Because, yeah, there's still some work to do.

But Saturday wasn't really about the work. It was about enjoying some of what that work has produced.

It was a day of joy in the season.

Let's go Bruins!

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Aaron's Big Serves
Aaron decided he wanted to work on something in the first round: a bigger first serve. So he started going after it. And then he started finding it. A few serves went down the T with some serious pace, and suddenly we had a couple of aces. I love moments like that because the point isn't really the ace. The point is Aaron deciding, I'm going to try this. Then trusting it enough to actually hit it. That's the confidence we've been building.

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

Donuts

Once again, we got to celebrate Lucas's birthday while at a tennis match. And once again, his parents provided the perfect snack for us. This time, some fall themed donuts were right on the spot to serve as celebration food alongside our trophy pictures! It's amazing how eating together really seems to have a big impact. I'm grateful for those who make it possible.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Malachi and the Pine Trees
Malachi hit an overhead with so much force that it didn't just land past his opponent. It bounced into the pine trees beyond the court. That brought back a memory from a few years ago, when Malachi was on JV and managed to break the sign by our court with an overhead. Apparently, we haven't completely solved the problem of Malachi and excessive overhead velocity. But it's pretty fun to watch how far his game has come since those JV days.

Awards

Cheerleader: Sam
Hustle: Aaron
Dig Deep: Ethan and Malachi

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

God, thanks for the glorious weather, the safe bus ride, the stress free day. Thanks for all that You've built into us this season. May we move forward with confidence. May we overflow with the fruit of Your Spirit. May we grow and glorify You. Amen. 

Scores
Bethany Christian v. Marion

#1S - Judah Miller - 6-1, 6-0 - Landon Beal (10)

#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-0, 6-0 - Nick Smith (12)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0, 6-0 - Albert Tucker (11)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-2, 6-0 - Esteban Santiago (12)/Judah Trout (9)

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-2, 6-1 - Adam Elarnaouty (11)/Antonio Cruz (9)

Bethany Christian v. Wabash

#1S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-1 - Micah Siders (9)

#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-0, 6-0 - Reed Wiles (10)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0, 6-0 - Zeke Byers (10)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-1, 6-1 - Jarrett Mcwhirt (12)/Caden Cogdell (9)

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-3 - Michael Lepage (11)/Gabe Lepage (11)

The Story - Chapter 17 - Bethany Christian v. Canterbury

  Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

"Paying Off"

Our work is starting to pay off.

That was the feeling tonight.

Canterbury is a team that could challenge us. And with this being our only conference match of the season, there was some extra importance to the night. But more than anything, this was another opportunity to see whether all the things we've been working on are starting to show up when the lights come on.

And they did.

At #2S, Elias came out ready to play. He controlled the first set with good depth and pressure, taking it 6-1. Then he kept his foot on the gas in the second, winning 6-2. It was another match where Elias showed that his consistent, steady game can also put real pressure on an opponent. Beyond that, Elias really did a great job keeping his focus throughout the match. There was no let down in the way Elias found his spots.

Aaron was doing the same thing at #3S. He played with confidence and attacked when the opportunities were there. One point in particular made me smile: Aaron got a ball at the service line and hit an overhead. Then the ball came back. So he hit another overhead. From the service line. With confidence.

That's the kind of thing we've been working toward. Not just having the shot, but also trusting the shot. Aaron trusted his game tonight so well, and won 6-1, 6-1.

The doubles were really solid as well. Ethan and Malachi continued their recent run of confident, simple doubles at #1D. They served well, pressured their opponents at the net, and finished points when the opportunity came. They won 6-2, 6-1.

At #2D, Lucas and Jordan were even more dominant, racing through the first set 6-0 before finishing the second 6-2. They kept the pressure on and didn't let the match become complicated.

The really well played tennis continued at #1S. Judah came out with a good game plan, dealing with his opponent's big serve and big swings well, getting enough shots into difficult areas to cause misses from his opponent. He pulled away from a couple of tight games at the beginning of the set, and stretched his first set lead as his opponent worked through the wrinkles Judah was providing. Judah won the set 6-1. 

The second set seemed one of calm for the Canterbury #1. He rarely gave away any mistakes, and he clearly was trying to take charge of the points. Again, nip and tuck games at the beginning of the set gave way to a Cavalier victory, 6-1.

This sent the #1S match to a third set. With the team match already decided and a long drive ahead, it was agreed to be a 10 point tiebreak. Judah kept playing the comeback kid in the tiebreak. Trailing 3-1 then tying it at 3-3. Trailing 6-4, then back to 6 all. Again, down 8-6 and then back to 8-8. But Canterbury's #1 came up with some brilliant attacking shots in the clutch points at the end, and Judah lost the tiebreak by the slightest of margins.

It was a bit of a bummer way to end what had been an exciting night of tennis. Literally every position played well, so it would have been really nice to come away with all 5 spots. Still, the work that we've been doing, the stories that we've been focusing on... they are paying off. Our best tennis is coming in the last week of the season, and that is a blessing!

Let's go Bruins!

The JV Story

There was no official JV match tonight.

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Elias went through a stretch where he didn't play at his peak. But he didn't give up. He came back, especially with his footwork. In the most recent matches, I've seen Elias really focusing on being active before the point. That's one of the most important things for our tennis, getting active in preparation rather than in reaction. Over the last two matches, this means Elias has been bring his best tennis right now. I've loved it!

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Judah's Incredible Rally

In Judah's match, he had one moment that was amazing. His opponent was really finding his spots and starting to make Judah play a lot of defense. But Judah was flying across the court, covering corner to corner at the baseline. Judah's shot dropped a little short and his opponent hit a drop shot. Judah sprinted to it and scooped it up, but straight to a volley for his opponent. His opponent didn't have a lot of time, so simply screamed a shot right at Judah. Judah reflex volleyed it into the open court and let out a roar. These are fun points!

Awards

Cheerleader: 
Hustle: Judah
Dig Deep: Elias

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

God, thanks so much for the love that You shower on us. We can compete knowing that we're already loved, already supported, already told that You have the vision of a great life for us. May we continue to strive for what is good, both tennis wise and as we treat one another. Don't let competition or the rough points cause us to forget the good we are called to. You are good to us, may we be good to one another and to all that we compete with and against! In the name of Jesus, amen!

Scores
Varsity

#1S - Judah Miller - 6-1, 1-6 - 8-10 - Brody Blume (11)

#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-1, 6-2 - Kellan Gupta (10)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-1, 6-1 - Grayson Achenbach (12)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-2, 6-1 - Sam Freed (11)/Albert Furman (10)

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-2 - Brody Bauer (10)/Gavin Beauchel (9)

The Story - Chapter 16 - Bethany Christian v. Elkhart

   Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

"Pressure AND..."

In the practice before this match, the Bruins acknowledged that pressure is coming. We had this match against a good team, we have a conference match against Canterbury, we have a weekend tournament and then the Sectionals begin.

So many events that will put on different types of pressure. And as we try to think about the story we tell ourselves, we don't want to tell stories that are untrue.

There will be pressure.

AND

we can still be focus, at peace, and enjoying it.

The message for the Bruins is to find our "AND." Yes, we may be playing badly "and" that could change in the next game. Yes, we could feel the pressure "and" maybe our opponent is too. With that message in our ears, we headed out to play a very close tennis match.

Well, as a team the match was close. Judah once again came up against a stellar #1S player. Once again, his opponent started the match on fire, barely missing shots. After Judah lost the first set, he was having trouble finding his "and." But he began to focus on what he might be able to do differently. The second set was full of more intensity from Judah. He was locked in and had belief. This didn't push him all the way to the win, but it certainly made his talented Lion opponent earn every point.

At #2S, Elias was up against it as well. He had rediscovered his best form from early in the season, and was really playing with life and confidence. Unfortunately, his opponent is one of the best #2S players we will see all season. So despite Elias mix of pace and placement, he couldn't really string any games or points together. Still, this was an encouraging mental rebound match, one where his game really looked like himself.

But with those two matches marked down as losses, the Bruins had to win every match left on the courts to win the match.

And that could happen. In fact, in the other three matches, the Bruins had the lead.

In fact, soon after the singles finished, #1D came off the court with their own dominant win. In a match that they may have let get tight earlier in the season, they breezed through tonight. Against a team that struck the ball well and put them in some tough spots, Malachi and Ethan simply had the answers. As long as they don't get lazy and start to float at the net, they are really asking questions of all of their opponents. They've had a great season. And they gave us our first Bruin point.

Next off the courts was Aaron. He had simply worn down his opponent with his relentless consistency and attacking. Aaron was really on it today with his net play. Volleys roped to the baseline, overheads struck with confidence. He seemed to really be letting fly. Aaron's movement is really good right now, and that gave the Bruins our second point.

After grabbing the first set in #2D, Lucas and Jordan looked like they'd provide it for us. But a 2-3 deficit in their second set suddenly became 2-5. And then the set had slipped away. They had lost focus, they had gotten nervous... and there was a chance to respond. 

In the third set, they knew they were playing for the team match. It started out with a long game with Jordan serving. Again and again, deuces came and went. We couldn't get the ad, always trailing and having to save match points. But again and again, we saved them. Jordan hit several awesome serves to keep the game alive. Finally, we got the ad and converted. Suddenly we were swinging loose, playing with confidence. We took a 4-1 and then 5-2 lead before the JV team arrived. With their support, Lucas and Jordan broke at love to deliver a 3-2 win to the Bruins!

We were tested under lots of different types of pressure AND we responded.

Let's go Bruins!

The JV Story

There was no official JV match tonight, but it was the night where they went over to play Fairfield. You can read about those matches and find those scores in this post.

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Coming Soon...

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

Judah rushes to invite the JV

As Lucas and Jordan were moving toward the finish line of their match, the JV bus pulled into the parking lot, returning from Fairfield. Because it was such a close team match, Judah waited until a point was finished from the #2D, then went sprinting toward the JV players unloading the bus, waving his arms and telling them to hurry up and come support the final couple of games for Jordan and Lucas, trying to cheer them over the finish line for the win. The JV guys saw him and many dropped their bags and started running down to watch the match. Suddenly, there was a host of support for the Bruins as they took the 5-2 lead in the final set. Then, when they finished it off, the team poured out onto the court to slap them on the back and tell them good job. I loved how excited Judah was to share this moment with his #2D teammates, and then to invite all the JV players into the moment as well.

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Coming Soon...

Awards

Cheerleader: Judah
Hustle: Aaron
Dig Deep: Jordan and Lucas

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

God, I'm grateful for this team. The way they support. The way they push. The way they care. Thanks for each of them. Wrap them up in Your joy! Amen.

Scores
Varsity

#1S - Judah Miller - 0-6, 3-6 - Logan Kelly (12)

#2S - Elias Magatti - 2-6, 1-6 - Cameron Miller (12)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-4, 6-2 - Adam Grolich (12)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-2, 6-3 - Austin Linn (12)/Jackson Sumrak (11)

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 - Caden Foster (11)/Brady Cox (11)

The Story - Chapter 15 - Bethany Christian v. Fremont

  Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

"Meeting What is in Front of Us"

This was a tricky match for the Bruins. On a melancholic night, we traveled the long drive to Fremont in the Northeast corner of Indiana to take on an Eagle team that we had defeated about a week earlier. That's a challenge to our focus, a challenge to our readiness, a challenge to our tennis.

It's not just about taking down Fremont, it's about continuing to build momentum. And so that's what we were looking for.

And at #1S, that's what Judah gave us. With his opponent playing on his senior night and blazing some shots low over the net, Judah got down low and made sure to get those shots back. He asked his opponent to find angles and corners and finish, and the Eagle #1 couldn't find those shots on the night. Judah was able to repeat his victory at #1 from the tournament last Saturday, securing the first point for the Bruins. He did a great job of staying focused on the moment, and moving through the match.

At #2S, Elias found that harder. He took an early 3-0 lead, but then lost his rhythm and his anticipatory feet. Suddenly, his easy shot was gone and there was a bit of panic in his game. In the meantime, his opponent was really finding his game at the net, and his finishing was really good. The Eagle #2 seemed like he couldn't miss, hitting some short angles and just kind of confusing us. Elias got down in the set and missed some shots under pressure. And the set went. The second set followed a similar pattern, but reminded us the importance of focus. It's easy to let it go, and really hard to fight against it when it does. 

Aaron was able to stay focused throughout his match. It helped that he had not gotten to play due to injury at the end of the tournament when we played Fremont last. This time, it was his opponent who had the slight injury. Aaron just simply played his brand of tennis, movement focused and confident. He really had a good serving night and was able to play the net well also. This led him to a victory.

So through the singles with a 2-1 edge to the Bruins.

In the doubles, Ethan and Malachi repeated their exact scoreline from a week ago. They continued to play with confidence. One of the things that I'm noticing about the #1D as the year goes on is that there are still some times when they lose focus and intensity, but those times are being corrected and cut down on a whole lot faster. Tonight, it was basically only 1-2 loose focus games as they finished out a victory.

At #2D, we continue to learn about the importance of focusing and bringing a new intensity in the second set. Lucas and Jordan raced through a simple 6-0 first set, but their opponents refocused, brought a new strategy and belief in the second set. Jordan and Lucas let down their intensity a bit, and as such started to miss a bit more. This allowed the Eagles back in the set. Credit to them as well, as one of their senior night players was in this match, giving it their best focus and energy. The Eagles volleyed a lot better and made less tentative mistakes. But we were tentative as we made mistakes, but were able to overcome it to finish off the varsity match. 

A 4-1 victory and a lot of good lessons learned. Focus is needed for whatever is right in front of us.

Let's go Bruins!

The JV Story

The JV match had some new players in new positions. Josiah got us off to a great start, as he pulled ahead early in his singles match. After getting a 4-1 lead, Josiah's opponent became more consistent, and Josiah got nervous. The match tightened up to 4-4, before Josiah surged to the finish line. Josiah used his ability to get to the net and finish overheads and volleys to pull away in this match.

Another match where consistency paid off was Ayden at #2SJV. He also was changing the position of his opponent all the time, sometimes slicing it short and then other times looping it toward the baseline. His opponent couldn't deal with the differences and Ayden got his best win of the season.

At #1DJV, Ender and Sam were following the ways of the varsity doubles. They moved well to the proper spots on the courts and finished with simple shots. My favorite thing about this match was how well Sam and Ender used the middle of the court, often finishing volleys right through the middle.

Those 3 matches gave the JV its win, but we also had two close losses. Eli couldn't quite find the powerful and consistent shots to take down Fremont's #1SJV player, but he stuck close. Ethan and Leo played #2DJV, and they led the whole match long. Leo was playing excellent at the net and Ethan continues to build his footwork and movement, picking up the balls that got past Leo. Unfortunately, they lost in a close tiebreak.

Awards

Cheerleader: Eli
Hustle: Leo and Ethan M
Dig Deep: Josiah

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

God, thanks for safe travels. Thanks for the ability to focus in each moment. Thanks for the gifts of the autumn, the cooler weather and the fading light (it's beautiful even if it doesn't help tennis :-) May we serve You well, and remember to find our purposes together. Amen.

Scores
Varsity

#1S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Avi Patel (12)

#2S - Elias Magatti - 4-6, 3-6 - Liam Neuenschwender (10)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0, 6-0 - Garrett Forrest (11)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-1, 6-0 - Braxton Beeman (11)/Quinn Lies (9)

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-4 - Silas Porter (12)/Isaac Schiemann (10)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Josiah Aguilar Clark - 8-4 - Tyler Myhhier (11)

#2SJV - Ayden Lehman - 8-1 - Logan Sattison (9)

#3SJV - Eli Steiner - 2-6 - Tyler Mynhier (11)

#1DJV - Ender Finnigan/Sam Brenneman - 8-1 - Skyler Jack (10)/Quinten Esquilante (11)

#2DJV - Ethan Miller/Leo Schlabach - 7-8 (2) - Abram Porter (9)/Raymon Perry (10)

The Story - Chapter 14 - Bethany Christian v. Fairfield

 Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

"What's Next"

We enter into the last week of the regular season with five matches left to play before Sectional. Each year, our goal is to go into Sectional playing at our peak, giving us the best chance to have an epic finish to our season.

This Fairfield match is an important step, as Fairfield is always…
1. Good (They are 15-2 this year)
2. Skilled (They get a lot of balls back and make few mistakes)
3. In our Sectional (Which means we might see them again)

All of these things make this chapter of the story an important one to respond to, a challenge that can propel us to growth. We always hope to bring our best and compete, so we can know what’s needed next!

And each of us brought some of our best tonight. And we had some moments where it was difficult. But that lays out a great road map to growth.

At #2S, Elias had a slow start. Maybe nervous, maybe rusty from the rainy weekend, maybe playing against a really good opponent… but for whatever reason Elias was a bit slow on his feet. His normal consistent game wasn’t there, and he struggled to feel like he could find it.

But at the beginning of the second set, Elias really focused on getting his feet to the right spots that allow him to put his shots in the right spots. Doing this allowed him to put more pressure on his Falcon opponent, and this pressure brought some errors. That’s the place for Elias to continue to lean in with his focus, and to not lose sight of. His opponent brought some more firepower and ended up taking the set. But Elias gained an incredible gift of focus. This helped Elias in the second set, but his opponent still ended up winning the match.

At #1S, Judah was facing another returning All-District player, the fifth he’s faced this year. Early on, Judah was energetic and full of belief. He served really well and drew some errors. Tied at 3-3, his opponent stepped up and tightened down the errors. This left Judah feeling like there wasn't any place to win points. He continued to fight hard, but Judah's game relies on his changing depths and variety. He lost a bit of that as the match went on, as it felt like maybe he was just trying to hold on. He couldn't hold on in the second set, and the match also went to the Falcons.

With the Falcons up 2-0, they only needed one more point to hand the Bruins our fifth defeat of the season. And though the Bruins were giving all their effort, that point came at #2D. Jordan and Lucas were playing well and working hard, but were moving in ways that were reactive instead of proactive. They are always needing to be proactive with their feet to give themselves the space they need to hit the shots they want. In that way, they can stay active and in control. Tonight, they were very active, but it always seemed to be in response or desperation against something the Falcons were doing. Still very proud of the effort.

And their was a lot of effort at #1D. This team continues to rise to every occasion. Malachi and Ethan went ahead early in the match, and then the Fairfield seniors fought back to tie up the set at 5-5. Keeping cool under the pressure, the Bruins reeled off 2 straight games to take the set. It was good intensity and confidence from the #1D pair, but they immediately lost that focus and went behind 3-0 in the second. But point by point, they built momentum again. Game by game they came back, 3-2, then taking a 4-3 lead. Then they had won 6 games in a row to take the second set. Super proud of the way that they played aggressive and confident tennis, but with simple spots and simple shots.

Finally, though the match result was decided, the last position to be decided was #3S. Aaron had really come out well, taken the first set with confidence and movement. Aaron carried that into the second set, but then ran into a little bit of a brick wall. In other words, his opponent just kind of stopped missing. This put a lot of pressure on Aaron, and he couldn't quite finish off the second set. This sent the match to the third set, and Aaron played it close at the beginning. But eventually, the Falcon #3 pulled away and won.

So the Bruin varsity lost 4-1, moving us to a record of 10-5 on the season. But the question becomes, where do we go from this match? How will we learn to compete against teams that good, skilled, and matches that bring pressure? That's a question I can't wait to get into...

Let's go Bruins!

The JV Story

On the Monday night that the varsity played, the JV guys stuck around and cheered the varsity on. Then, later in the week, they traveled to Fairfield to complete the match while the varsity played Elkhart at home. Because I wasn't there, I don't have eye witness accounts to the match. 

But what I do know is that we played everything incredibly close. Only one of the nine matches that we played didn't have a tiebreak in it. And so the Bruins got valuable experience playing tiebreaks, and playing under the pressure of tiebreaks. In all, there were 11 tiebreaks, but the Bruins only won 4 of those 11. So, we got experience but we're going to have to perform a bit better.

It's a lot like the varsity, pressure is a crazy thing. So much of tennis is built around how you can respond to it. Tonight at the JV level, no one laid down and didn't bring effort. Everyone gave there best.

I was especially proud of our seniors on JV, for whom this was there final tennis match. Isaya gave it all, Silas and Ender pulled out a third set tiebreak win, and Ayden never has stopped. I said this on senior night, but this group of seniors has done more for the culture of Bethany Christian tennis than many. All 6 guys bring something unique and needed to the team. I'm so grateful for that. This beautiful picture sums a lot of things up for the JV in this match. We brought our best and so we can have peace in that!

Awards

Cheerleader: All of our JV
Hustle: Aaron
Dig Deep: All of the JV!

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

God, thanks for the opportunities to play these intense matches. Thanks for the opportunity to grow and change. Be with us as we seek to end the season with Your joy and peace. Do not let us be anxious about anything, but by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, may we present our requests to You. Protect us, help us focus, have peace, and rejoice! Through the name of Jesus, amen.

Scores
Varsity

#1S - Judah Miller - 3-6, 0-6 - Drew Beachy (12)

#2S - Elias Magatti - 0-6, 2-6 - Ben Penrose (12)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-3, 4-6, 3-6 - Justus Herbert (10)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 7-5, 6-3 - Adler Bender (12)/Zach Mehlberg (12)

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 1-6, 2-6 - Easton Garber (11)/Jacob Mast (11)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 1-4, 4-1, 8-10 - Austin Lehman (10)

#2SJV - Josiah Aguilar Clark - 3-4 (7), 2-4 - Liam Fowler (11)

#3SJV - Sam Brenneman - 1-4, 4-3 (8), 7-10 - Alex Ustavlev (12)

#4SJV - Ayden Lehman - 2-4, 2-4 - Cooper Garber (9)

#5SJV - Josiah Shue - 3-4 (5), 4-3 (5), 5-10 - Darren Moore (11)

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Ender Finnigan - 4-1, 2-4, 10-8 - Brady Troyer (9)/Brady Hefferman (9)

#2DJV - James Weaver/Leo Schlabach - 1-4, 4-1, 8-10 - Liam Clem (10)/Ean Shoopman (10)

#3DJV - Eli Steiner/Ethan Miller - 2-4, 4-0, 11-9 - Weston Pressler (9)/Simon Koch (9)

#4DJV - Eli Steiner/Ethan Miller - 0-4, 3-4 (4) - Mason Penelli (9)/Jackson Kleindenst (9)

The Story - Chapter 13 - Bethany Christian v. Jimtown

 Video Highlights

The Varsity Story 

"The Challenge Ahead"

It rained all morning and the chances for this match looked bleak, but around 2:00 everything cleared off, the courts dried, and we took on the Jimmies at 5:00. 

Jimtown has not had the strongest of seasons, and unfortunately they were missing two of their players today. But the Bruins had a test of focus ahead of them. We have played some really good matches. We just won three nail-biters in the last week. Now, can we stay focused on getting better and preparing ourselves for the challenge of Sectional.

At the beginning of our matches last night, the answer seemed to be no. The day was humid, we've had a long week with lots of emotionally draining tennis, and most positions started out real sluggish. One definite exception to that was Aaron at #3S. He had a lot of pep, coming off what was some of his best tennis of the season at Blackhawk. Using a similar strategy and playing with a lot of belief and energy, he worked the points, used depth and attack with masterful effect, getting ahead quickly and sealing at 6-0, 6-0 win.

But at all the other positions, we looked flat on our feet. But this is where I love having a year long theme. Way back at camp we learned that difficulty is an opportunity to grow, and that coming back at it is maybe the thing most worth celebrating. After some encouragement at the fence, all of the positions picked up their energy - especially in our feet. We could suddenly hear the shuffles and sprint steps and adjustment steps as we lined up our shots and hit to our spots.

Elias was a great example of this. After a 3-2 start, he shifted into a great mode. He attacked the net a bit more, his shots became a bit more like darts, and he locked in on an excellent lob. And he won the next 10 games to close out his match.

The doubles were a similar story. If we served well, our service games set us up for some easy finishes. As long as we moved our feet to get into position for those finishes, it was simple and straightforward. On return, we were tempted to try to end the point in one shot. But when we brought that temptation under control and set ourselves up instead of trying to finish too big, we ended up drawing weak shots that we could finish on the next ball. That's what good doubles looks like, you make it simple rather than heroic. You finish simply. Our teams fought their way through their sluggishness and found their way back to this simple formula. Games were close at the beginning of the match, going to deuce and fighting off break points. By the end of the matches, we were getting through games much more easily. Two more victories there gave us the team points needed for the match win.

Judah had the longest match of the night, playing a Jimtown player for the third year in a row. The Jimtown #1 player entered this match with an 8-5 record on the season, so a very good player. He always fights hard and challenges with his consistency. Judah knew the challenge ahead of him. Judah had to work through some nerves at the beginning of the match. But soon he had pulled ahead in the first set, forcing errors and finding ways to finish the big points.

In the second set, Judah found himself trailing by a game throughout most of the set. He would grab the lead in every game, but then find himself back at deuce. Daniel challenged him to be brave in the finishing points, and he did, taking a 5-4 lead. But his opponent picked up his focus, locked in to not making errors and drew level. But Judah was brave again, and took the 6-5 lead with some great points. This time, he got out to a lead in the final game, and continued to hit the ball deep in the court to force difficult returns. On the last point, a Jimmie forehand sailed long to give Judah the victory.

And so, the team score was 5-0. But this match really was the first step on the challenge that lies ahead for the Bruins. How are we going to approach the final stretch of the season? Will we be content with where we are? Will we push ahead with focus to continue our growth? 

Tonight was a great first step.

Let's go Bruins!

The JV Story

There was no official JV match tonight, but the JV players played intra-squad matches. The senior doubles players team up to play against a couple of their teammates, and the result was a lot of great points. Ender and Silas have really relaxed into some of their best tennis at the end of the season here. It feels like they've been able to enjoy the good a lot recently. They played some brilliant points where the ball really pinged back and forth at the net.

And Ayden and Eli continued their longstanding match. They've played several times throughout the season and it always is close and we can hardly ever get it finished. Both players have hustle, good hands, consistence, but it seems like neither can ever put the other one away.

Josiah S and Ethan M played the best tennis I've ever seen them play. Ethan was flying around, getting himself into the right positions early and hitting the best strokes I've seen. He's really good at taking instruction and then moving toward that. Josiah had some big forehands going, but consistency is again his game. They went to a tiebreak at the end of their set, and that was fun.

Leo is improving by leaps and bounds and he took on James, as James continues to figure out singles. Leo's movement and preparation for the shot is so much better over the course of this week, but James has the edge when it comes to consistency and the type of shot he hits. 

Other matches were great, and we just had a lot of fun together attempting new things in this sport we love. I absolutely loved watching the play, and hated to tell everyone to stop when it was time to eat some tacos... but I think everyone was glad to have tacos. Who isn't? 😀

Who Can Focus in the Moment?
Moments of Wise Play

Judah's Simple Volley

Judah had a lot of pressure points in his match. He was playing an opponent who had great anticipation and was always making Judah hit one more ball to finish the point. This was especially true when Judah came to the net. But in the second set, under a lot of game pressure, Judah was able to figure out the wise play against someone with anticipation. The best play? To hit the ball where they just were. Judah volleyed to his opponent's backhand side, and he scrambled up to scoop the backhand low over the net at Judah. This meant his forehand corner was open. And normally, people would go to that side. But Judah's opponent new that, and the Jimmie's #1 was already recovering toward that part of the court. So Judah sent the volley, simple and solid, back behind him into the backhand corner again. A wise play!

Who Can Have Peace in the Match?

Moments of Belonging and Encouragement

Because Jimtown didn't have a JV, we played matches against one another again... and they were awesome, and our teammates were watching and cheering. It was really a fun time to watch Josiah and Ethan both have people cheering them on in the tiebreak. Or people calling out encouragement to Ayden, and then continuing right on to cheer for his opponent in this one - Eli. I like what this team continues to build when it comes to encouragement. 

Who Can Have Joy for the Season?
Moments for Celebration

Awards

Cheerleader: So Many!
Hustle: Ethan M
Dig Deep: Judah

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

God, I'm grateful for nights like these. Where we are able to pull ahead and have an easier victory. Where we are able to focus on improvement and how much better everyone is becoming. Where You shine through in the people who are displaying the fruits of Your Spirit.

Scores
Varsity

#1S - Judah Miller - 6-1, 7-5 - Carson Gingerich (12)

#2S - Elias Magatti - 6-2, 6-0 - Colten Allen (12)

#3S - Aaron Hochstetler - 6-0, 6-0 - Alex Pyfer (10)

#1D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-0, 6-0 - ?? Maybe... Kemper Garver/Jacob Anthony 

#2D - Lucas Bateman/Jordan Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-0 - ?? Maybe... Charlie Wright/Connor Fawson

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

Video Highlights

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

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!