I really like the way... Jimtown

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Varsity Recap
The Bruins played a fantastic match against the Jimtown Jimmies. It started with both doubles teams jumping out to early leads. Keagan and Emerson played with the confidence they earned from the matches this week. Ethan and Malachi kept balls in play but were really doing a great job finishing at the net to take some easy points.

Meanwhile the singles players were doing their thing. Gideon was dealing with a big server, but built an early lead with continued solid footwork and groundstrokes. He was able to provide the first Bruin victory with one of his best matches. Gideon also displayed a great attitude in the match, staying even keeled early in the match and building up his intensity and level of play as it went along. In other singles, Judah was toiling away through long games, as was Noah. So more on them later.

Back at the doubles, we found ourselves with first set wins in each. #2D would go on to lose the second set and went to a deciding third, but #1D had a chance to close their match out in a tiebreak. They served and returned confidently, getting points started and putting the pressure on the Jimmies team. Emerson continues to dominate the rallies, and Keagan was smart and active and talking at the net. It was awesome to see them fight their way through a close tiebreak, and then Keagan ended it with a smash and a win for the Bruins!

Ethan and Malachi were in their third set, and took an early lead. A win in their match would be the clinching point for a full team victory. They continued to control the rallies from the baseline, and find opportune moments to finish. They also served so well in this match. I was impressed with the way they kept their nerve and just kept coming right back at it. Eventually, they wore down their opponents with their spin, pressure, and consistency. The Bruins had the team win!

But speaking of wearing people down, Judah went to a third set in another long match. He had lost the first set, but had made a great fight back right at the end of it. In the second set he trailed as well, but flipped it right toward the end to force a third. In the third, Judah displayed his best tennis of the year, driving groundstrokes and passing shots. He displayed a very Noah-like talent of sticking with it and figuring out a tactic that worked. Then he executed that tactic for the win.

Speaking of Noah, he played as evenly matched of a competition as I've seen. For over 3 hours, Noah and Jimtown traded forehands, slices, net attacks, service returns, deuces and ads - but the match couldn't even finish 2 sets. Noah dropped the first set, but came back to hold a lead at the end of the second. Despite having a handful of set points, Noah missed errors as the light began to fade. The match had to be stopped due to darkness. It was an incredibly even match-up.

So as the sun set, it was only 4 matches in the varsity match that actually finished, but it was 4 victories for the Bruins!

JV Recap
The JV match had equally good play tonight. Isaya began right away with his consistent work, playing a collected style of tennis that serves him well. Isaya has an excellent mentality and is always calling out with echoes to help himself and the team.

Dominic jumped into some singles tonight and played with great consistency. Dom has gone back and forth from doubles to singles and back again during his career, but he does have the spins and placement at times to be a great singles player. His first singles match of the year took some getting used to, but he adjusted well and was able to find a comfortable victory.

Lucas served incredibly well tonight, and also found good consistent groundstrokes to draw errors. He took a big lead by moving well to his forehand and using his backhand as an effective shield. Despite making some attacking errors late in the match, Lucas too got a comfortable win.

In the last singles, Preston got better and better as his match went on, putting serves and shots back to his opponent. Trailing late in the match, Preston made a comeback right next to Noah as the light faded. He couldn't make it all the way back though. In total for the singles, we learned from our matches against Blackhawk and played well tonight.

At the doubles we played great as well. At #1DJV, Silas and Aaron were the aggressors. They whipped shots cross court and roamed the net for putaways. I loved seeing their focus and quickness. They continue to build a great record for themselves. Ender and Josiah had moments of beauty, but couldn't quite string them together as consistently. 

And that consistency remains the key for improvement. In all, I'd say we saw that improvement tonight as the JV got the 4-2 win.

Let's go Bruins!

I really like the way...

This will be a segment of each match report where I'll highlight amazing things - points, efforts, encouragements from the match.

- I really like the way we get stronger as the matches go on

In so many of tonight's matches, we got off to good starts. But in even more of the matches, we finished strong. All seven varsity players finished off their matches playing their best tennis. Many of the JV players did as well, like Preston who was building a comeback. This is such an important trait because it requires two things: FOCUS and BELIEF. We've wanted our way to be about belief all year long, and we showed it tonight!

- I really like the way we continue seek improvement

I said this after Blackhawk as well. We keep getting better, we keep moving better, we keeping gaining confidence. We will need to take this into our final matches of the season, and we're doing a great job. I loved seeing new skills incorporated, like new spins or new touch. I love seeing new strategies being used and executed. I really like the way we stay positive about the players (and people) we can yet become.

- I really like the way we sang together

Last match it was John Denver and N'Sync. Tonight it was just Sarasponda, our team victory song, while gathered around homemade tostadas. The seniors led the final part in syncopation with one another, and it just made me happy to have a team that eats together in the dusk, sings together with goofy traditions, and embraces the importance of each person. I'm so proud of this!

Prayer
God, we know that so many good things come from you. You bless everyone, not just our team. You gave another beautiful sunset and moon last night, created a gorgeous world that we've tucked our tennis courts in, given so many people the ability to play a game like this with grace and movement and skill and power. Last night, as I watched the close matches, I was just grateful for the world. Help us to live in this world in a way of peace, in a way of relationship, in a way of forgiveness and hope. Thanks!

Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 4-6, 6-6, DNF - Zane Wort (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-3, 6-0 - Dalton Cook (11)

#3S - Judah Miller - 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 - Carson Gingrich (10) 

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 6-3, 7-6 (7) - Chase Clay (12)/Lennart Klages (12)
#2D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 - Leighton Gingrich (11)/Bradyn Warp (11)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 8-0 - AJ Allen (12)

#2SJV - Dominic Ramer - 8-2 - Juan Amaya (11)

#3SJV - Lucas Bateman - 8-2 - Colten Allen (10)

#4SJV - Preston Miller - 5-8 - Alex Secor (9)

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Aaron Hochstetler - 8-2 - Gabriel Rodriguez (10)/Ethan Creech (10)

#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 2-6 - Gabriel Rodriguez (10)/Ethan Creech (10)