Scores
Goshen 3, Bethany Christian 2
I am so proud of you. I am SO proud of you.
Last night, we lost. But we played our hearts out. Every single position, up and down the line, played with courage, joy, confidence and energy. And when that happens, nothing more can be asked. Just tip the cap to your opponent, because Goshen played great last night too. And pick our heads up because we laid it all out there, and we can be proud of that.
I'm proud of #2D, Will and Tyson. At the beginning of the season, these guys suffered some mental setbacks. They wanted to play higher in the lineup. They had been hoping for singles. They had been preparing for different partners. And they struggled to find their rhythm. Even in that, they've won big matches for us as a team. They sealed the win against Concord, and against Elkhart Central, both with big three set wins. But with their match against St. Joe at the Portage Invitational, they became a different team. Instead of just being good at #2D, they became dominant.
They were very dominant tonight in a match against Goshen. In the first set, it was obvious that both teams were very pumped up, but we were simply better. We stroked the ball around the court, we used our volleys well, and we served extremely well. Will and Tyson built a 5-0 lead and won the set 6-1. In the second set, Goshen changed strategy at the beginning and did it well, beginning to lob and force us to hit lots of overheads. The RedHawks built a 3-0 lead, but from there Will and Tyson roared back, winning 6 of the next 7 games to take the match. There was so much good movement, confident cross court hitting and more. I wish I'd get to see these guys continue their dominant tennis, but I'm so proud of how they closed out their season.
I'm proud of #1D, Nathan and Joseph. This is a match that Nathan and Joseph really wanted to win. Last time we played Goshen, they fell in a first set tiebreak, then breezed 6-1 in the second set, then won a nail-biting third set in a tiebreak. They wanted to make this one easier, because they've worked so hard at becoming better throughout the season.
And they did that tonight. Wow! What confidence they played with. Time after time, Goshen put us in difficult spots, driving groundstrokes deep or lobbing around us. And time after time, Nathan and Joseph came up with the shots to stay in the points. I loved watching them just play with instinct and belief. In both set, #1D opened up sizable leads at 4-1, and then finished off the sets with very little drama. It was great seeing them so tuned it, and great that they will continue in the Individual Doubles Tourney.
I'm proud of Caleb. During the regular season matchup with Ryan Harmelink, Caleb came out with a whimper. He didn't have any belief in his strokes then, but he has built them into formidable weapons now. And he came out full of belief tonight. In the first set, Caleb was clearly in control of the match. He was forcing mishits, he was finishing volleys, he was winning free points off his serve. He was even hitting winners. I was so proud of how he took what we learned throughout the season and brought it confidently to his match. He won the first set 6-1.
Starting the second set, I could tell that Caleb was thinking about it now. Instead of acting on instinct, he was thinking about what he should do. It's very hard to come out of that. He continued to play well, but he was missing that final ball, that finishing one. Without that, it is almost impossible to beat Harmelink. The Goshen #1 has a game that is built on forcing his opponent to hit the finishing ball. He is such a good player, and Caleb didn't have the sharpness as before. What never left was the effort, and Caleb pushed through right until the end. Unfortunately Caleb fell short in three sets. But I was so proud of his effort, improvement, and example.
I'm proud of Braden. He too kept coming back and coming back. He fell behind early to Goshen's #2S, Carlos Lichty. Down 5-3, he fought back to tie the match at 5-5. Then he fell behind again at 6-5, then again in the tiebreak. But each time, Braden made a comeback. He dug in and refused to give up. When Lichty was pounding forehands, Braden found ways to lift up some lobs. When Lichty was pounding overheads, Braden smashed some passing shots. He kept coming back, but he could never get out in front in the first set. And as a result, after fighting off two set points, he fell at the third try.
In the second set, Lichty went into "the Zone." He ran through a stretch of games where he couldn't miss. This really got to Braden, as he could only throw up his hands at a couple of shots. But he rallied. Down 5-0, Braden got to work on just trying to play each point. He won two straight games and had a chance at a third. But he came up just short. Still, his 6-7, 2-6 victory was a closer match than earlier in the season. I'm so proud of Braden.
I'm proud of Josh. What a fighter. How big an improvement Josh made. What great spirit Josh had. He came out and just played his tennis. He moved around the court, he got the ball back, he returned every ball, he lobbed. He played fantastic. Conversely, his opponent was definitely nervous in the big Sectional moment, and Josh's energy was a bit overwhelming. Josh played amazing and deservedly won the first set.
In the second set, Goshen #3S, Wyatt Fisher, made a smart adjustment to be more consistent with his shots. At the same time, Josh's energy dipped and Josh made many more mistakes. The second set went quickly to the RedHawks. We found ourselves in a third and final set, and by the time it was getting started, we could see that it would be the deciding one in the team match. Josh dealt with that pressure well. He didn't make stupid mistakes, he played the shots that he needed to, and he gave it every drop of sweat that he had. But Fisher ended up playing better. He had more weapons for the big points, he covered Josh's lobs really well, and he played through his nerves. Both players did their best. But Goshen won. And I was still so proud of Josh.
When the team season is over, I tend to have a crisis moment. I look back at all the time and effort and mental strain and practices planned and tears dealt with and jokes and strategy sessions and times that I woke up in the middle of the night worried about whether we were getting it and I wonder...
Was it worth it?
It was obvious to tell it was worth it tonight. The team spilled onto the court to greet Josh, smooshing him in the middle of a 20 person group hug. I could look every player in the eye and know that they were there for Josh. No anger, just disappointment. To go through an experience like this season, with all of you, and watch you grow...
It's all worth it.
Thanks guys.
Last night, we lost. But we played our hearts out. Every single position, up and down the line, played with courage, joy, confidence and energy. And when that happens, nothing more can be asked. Just tip the cap to your opponent, because Goshen played great last night too. And pick our heads up because we laid it all out there, and we can be proud of that.
I'm proud of #2D, Will and Tyson. At the beginning of the season, these guys suffered some mental setbacks. They wanted to play higher in the lineup. They had been hoping for singles. They had been preparing for different partners. And they struggled to find their rhythm. Even in that, they've won big matches for us as a team. They sealed the win against Concord, and against Elkhart Central, both with big three set wins. But with their match against St. Joe at the Portage Invitational, they became a different team. Instead of just being good at #2D, they became dominant.
They were very dominant tonight in a match against Goshen. In the first set, it was obvious that both teams were very pumped up, but we were simply better. We stroked the ball around the court, we used our volleys well, and we served extremely well. Will and Tyson built a 5-0 lead and won the set 6-1. In the second set, Goshen changed strategy at the beginning and did it well, beginning to lob and force us to hit lots of overheads. The RedHawks built a 3-0 lead, but from there Will and Tyson roared back, winning 6 of the next 7 games to take the match. There was so much good movement, confident cross court hitting and more. I wish I'd get to see these guys continue their dominant tennis, but I'm so proud of how they closed out their season.
I'm proud of #1D, Nathan and Joseph. This is a match that Nathan and Joseph really wanted to win. Last time we played Goshen, they fell in a first set tiebreak, then breezed 6-1 in the second set, then won a nail-biting third set in a tiebreak. They wanted to make this one easier, because they've worked so hard at becoming better throughout the season.
And they did that tonight. Wow! What confidence they played with. Time after time, Goshen put us in difficult spots, driving groundstrokes deep or lobbing around us. And time after time, Nathan and Joseph came up with the shots to stay in the points. I loved watching them just play with instinct and belief. In both set, #1D opened up sizable leads at 4-1, and then finished off the sets with very little drama. It was great seeing them so tuned it, and great that they will continue in the Individual Doubles Tourney.
I'm proud of Caleb. During the regular season matchup with Ryan Harmelink, Caleb came out with a whimper. He didn't have any belief in his strokes then, but he has built them into formidable weapons now. And he came out full of belief tonight. In the first set, Caleb was clearly in control of the match. He was forcing mishits, he was finishing volleys, he was winning free points off his serve. He was even hitting winners. I was so proud of how he took what we learned throughout the season and brought it confidently to his match. He won the first set 6-1.
Starting the second set, I could tell that Caleb was thinking about it now. Instead of acting on instinct, he was thinking about what he should do. It's very hard to come out of that. He continued to play well, but he was missing that final ball, that finishing one. Without that, it is almost impossible to beat Harmelink. The Goshen #1 has a game that is built on forcing his opponent to hit the finishing ball. He is such a good player, and Caleb didn't have the sharpness as before. What never left was the effort, and Caleb pushed through right until the end. Unfortunately Caleb fell short in three sets. But I was so proud of his effort, improvement, and example.
I'm proud of Braden. He too kept coming back and coming back. He fell behind early to Goshen's #2S, Carlos Lichty. Down 5-3, he fought back to tie the match at 5-5. Then he fell behind again at 6-5, then again in the tiebreak. But each time, Braden made a comeback. He dug in and refused to give up. When Lichty was pounding forehands, Braden found ways to lift up some lobs. When Lichty was pounding overheads, Braden smashed some passing shots. He kept coming back, but he could never get out in front in the first set. And as a result, after fighting off two set points, he fell at the third try.
In the second set, Lichty went into "the Zone." He ran through a stretch of games where he couldn't miss. This really got to Braden, as he could only throw up his hands at a couple of shots. But he rallied. Down 5-0, Braden got to work on just trying to play each point. He won two straight games and had a chance at a third. But he came up just short. Still, his 6-7, 2-6 victory was a closer match than earlier in the season. I'm so proud of Braden.
I'm proud of Josh. What a fighter. How big an improvement Josh made. What great spirit Josh had. He came out and just played his tennis. He moved around the court, he got the ball back, he returned every ball, he lobbed. He played fantastic. Conversely, his opponent was definitely nervous in the big Sectional moment, and Josh's energy was a bit overwhelming. Josh played amazing and deservedly won the first set.
In the second set, Goshen #3S, Wyatt Fisher, made a smart adjustment to be more consistent with his shots. At the same time, Josh's energy dipped and Josh made many more mistakes. The second set went quickly to the RedHawks. We found ourselves in a third and final set, and by the time it was getting started, we could see that it would be the deciding one in the team match. Josh dealt with that pressure well. He didn't make stupid mistakes, he played the shots that he needed to, and he gave it every drop of sweat that he had. But Fisher ended up playing better. He had more weapons for the big points, he covered Josh's lobs really well, and he played through his nerves. Both players did their best. But Goshen won. And I was still so proud of Josh.
When the team season is over, I tend to have a crisis moment. I look back at all the time and effort and mental strain and practices planned and tears dealt with and jokes and strategy sessions and times that I woke up in the middle of the night worried about whether we were getting it and I wonder...
Was it worth it?
It was obvious to tell it was worth it tonight. The team spilled onto the court to greet Josh, smooshing him in the middle of a 20 person group hug. I could look every player in the eye and know that they were there for Josh. No anger, just disappointment. To go through an experience like this season, with all of you, and watch you grow...
It's all worth it.
Thanks guys.
You are accepted.
Before this match even began, I knew who you are. I have seen you practice. I have seen you argue. I have seen what makes you upset, what makes you cheer, and what makes you laugh. I have shared all of that with you over the course of this season. I knew how we would react to adversity. I knew which position it would come down to. I knew, because I love you guys. And before the match, during the match, and after the match... that is still true. It is the same way with God. God knows all about us, failures, character flaws, wounds and weaknesses, strengthsYou are sustained.
Today, we are sustained by these moments of joy...
1. Caleb's 1st Set Ending Forehand
Favorite shot of the night for me? Hands down, it was Caleb's forehand to end the first set. Caleb controlled that first set, and I wanted him to finish it off. As it ended, his opponent dropped a ball short in the court, toward Caleb's backhand side. This is what we had been working on all week, and Caleb slid around it and pummeled a forehand approach down the line. His opponent just watched as it bounded into the fence for a clean winner and sealed the first set for Caleb.
2. Nathan's Insane Point
Umm, there was one point in Nathan's match that I'm not even sure how to describe. It started as an important point, 30-30 on his serve. And he got driven back in the court behind the baseline. He picked up two or three shots from there and kept them away from the net man, but then had to chase down a lob on the opposite side of the court. He barely both there, putting up a lob of his own and began to slide back into position. His lob got semi-overheaded, and he zoomed over behind Joseph to pick it up. The RedHawk at the net volleyed it back toward Nathan, and he sidestepped to hit a backhand, that he guided right down the line for a winner. It was such a cool point, and showed just how well we play when we stay on our toes and play with instinct.
3. Josh's Final Point
Josh's match was a really good reflection of tonight for our team. He got up early in the match, playing really good tennis. His level made his opponent have to rise up and play. His opponent picked up his level of play, and Josh kept working hard to adjust. In the final point of the match, Josh played outstanding. He lobbed over his onrushing opponent. His opponent came back to the net and hit and overhead smash. Josh got it back. Another smash. Josh got it back. Another slam. Josh got it back. 6 in a row, Josh returned. He never gave in, never dropped his head and just let the Goshen player have it. But in the end, he couldn't return the seventh overhead. This effort was outstanding, and it was reflected in each position tonight. But Goshen played their best to beat us, and that's okay. It was still joyful to watch us give that amazing effort!
You have achieved.
You played with so much courage. That is an achievement.
You brought attention, intention and energy to the beginnings of your match. That is an achievement.
You played the shots we've worked on throughout practice. That is an achievement.
You won points, games, sets, matches. That is an achievement.
You sweat all over those courts. That is an achievement.
You came together with your brothers. That is an achievement.
You started the season together, you ended the team season together. That is an achievement.
You played with so much courage. That is an achievement.
You brought attention, intention and energy to the beginnings of your match. That is an achievement.
You played the shots we've worked on throughout practice. That is an achievement.
You won points, games, sets, matches. That is an achievement.
You sweat all over those courts. That is an achievement.
You came together with your brothers. That is an achievement.
You started the season together, you ended the team season together. That is an achievement.
Prayer
God, You have been generous to us this season. I want to end the team season looking joyfully at all that we have been blessed with. We had close matches, tight victories, joyful practices, great teammates, days that were so beautiful I wanted to Instagram the empty courts. There were ways that our skills develop, there was so much hustle and heart and belief... thank You. May we see how these things point us toward You. You are the source of our life, may we live in gratitude. In Jesus name. Amen.
Scores
Varsity
#1S - Caleb Shenk - 6-1, 1-6, 0-6 - Ryan Harmelink (12)
#2S - Braden Bohn - 6-7 (7), 2-6 - Carlos Lichty (11)
#3S - Josh Cartwright - 6-3, 1-6, 2-6 - Wyatt Fisher (12)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 6-2, 6-2 - Brenton Pham (11)/Carter Schmucker (10)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-1, 6-4 - Cormac Koop Liechty (11)/Moses Sawatsky (9)
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