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)

Growing in Wisdom - Blackhawk Christian Match

 Video

Varsity Recap
Once again, senior night proved to be a really fun night! We started out with senior speeches about Dom and Gid, about how much we appreciate them. Then we headed out to the courts to take on Blackhawk.

And starting with our seniors, it was a great night of tennis. Gideon did a great job of serving tonight, and then backed it up by finding a game of consistency and control. He seemed to balance things out well tonight between having consistent rallies and finding the ball to step in on.

Dom and Aaron continue to really impress with great tennis. Once again, they controlled the net. Once again, they played with great attitude and belief. Once again, they were able to force their opponents into difficult positions. They got the win, so both seniors won on their senior night.

But we needed one more spot for the team victory on the night. And actually, the first match off the court was Judah. He had to figure some things out in his first set, especially returning a big lefty serve. But once he got that figured out, he really began to relax and roll.

Ethan got us a fourth victory on the night. He too started slowly and had to figure things out, but then rolled. Ethan used good positioning and aggressive shots to simple spots to put his opponent in difficult spots.

The only position dropped was #1D, but we saw a lot of growth there as well. Malachi and Isaya struggled with consistency against Blackhawk's athletic sophomores in the first set. Once they found consistency, they needed a bit of strategy. They enjoyed really joyful tennis in the second set where they controlled the net, but couldn't quite turn the match on its head.

JV Recap

A 4-1 victory for the varsity flowed right into a great JV night. Elias got things started with an awesome shutout at #1SJV. When Elias is confident and moving lightly on his feet, he is a tough opponent for any singles player. He played with great confidence tonight in his match.

At #1DJV, Silas and Lucas continue to build on their strengths. In this match, Silas served very well and Lucas continue to pressure net players with his forehands. Especially when Lucas and Silas drove their shots through the middle of the court, they present problems to all their opponents. They won 8-3 giving us victories at both #1 positions.

At the #2 positions, matches were tighter. Both Jordan and Josiah and Ender fell behind early in their matches. Then Josiah and Ender put on a run of great tennis, they went from behind 4-3 to leading 7-4. This run was marked by great positivity, not letting poor shots bother them. They finished off the match with some solid play and the Bruins led 3-0.

Jordan hit the ball beautifully, but couldn't find the combinations to finish out enough games. But he showed enough flashes of brilliance to let us know he'll continue to improve.

The other JV guys challenged each other in matches. There was an intense match between Sam and Ayden, both challenging each other's skills. Eli and Ethan played some singles, and showed off their hustle and improving touch and skill. The JV players are improving by leaps and bounds throughout the season, and I'm still convinced we have a very good team. It was a 3-1 win tonight, a lot of good to celebrate!

And then we celebrated the seniors, eating cake and ice cream and hanging out. I love this team.

Let's go Bruins!

WE CAN BE HUMBLE, BECAUSE WE BELONG: Moments of Belonging

Play

Ping pong. Volleyball. Ginormous hot dogs. A whole sheet of cake. Hanging out an hour and a half after the match ends. I love that we love to be together. It was a night of laughter and fun celebrating our seniors, and I'm glad we could do it. You can read more about our seniors here -

Dom Ramer

Gideon Miller

 

WHEN WE ARE WISE: Wisdom is Playing the Percentages

Our Strengths are Becoming Routine

One way to focus on playing your best tennis in a match is to try to do the things that you do well repeatedly. We're really starting to do this. Judah's using his variety, Gideon is using drop shots and passing shots regularly, Dom and Aaron are dominating the net. Elias is outlasting his opponents in rallies. Lucas and Silas are attacking the other net players. Ethan is rallying with deep topspin. Malachi and Isaya have great putaways at the net. These skills and many more are becoming routine, things we can count on in our tennis. Now we need to build the rest of our games around that.

Just Re-quoting Arthur Ashe

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."

THEN WE ARE STRONG: Exceptional Outcomes

Favorite Point of the Season

I love points where we scramble then get back in control. Tonight, we had a point where we got lobbed over and Malachi ran it down. Then the ball came back to him and he hit another groundstroke. Then it was hit mid-court to Isaya and he swung but couldn't pick it up from his feet - but Malachi was behind him to hit back. Isaya then centered himself on the net, and put away the comeback shot. Isaya picked himself up mid-point to stay focused for the putaway. Great! 

Jordan's Dropper

Jordan was hitting the ball beautifully but not finding ways to finish points. Later in the match he started approaching the net, and that's when he hit the most awesome backhand drop shot. Jammed a bit by a passing shot, he quick pulled his racket across his body with the most delicate touch. The ball slid over the net and had wicked side spin because of the angle that Jordan had to hit it at. His opponent had no chance!

Ethan's One Hand Backhand

On the JV, Ethan has been working on a backhand slice. When he has to stretch or come forward, he's been using this shot to get shots back into the court. Tonight, he got a ball his wide to his backhand and reached out with the slice. It dropped cross court for an almost perfect winner. He couldn't have placed the ball in a better spot. It's great to see him get winners as he continues to grow and improve! 

Awards

Cheerleader: Isaya

Hustle Award: Josiah

Dig Deep Award: Seniors!

Prayer

God, I am so grateful for our two seniors. I have watched with pride as they've gone through high school, stepped into leadership positions, worked hard and listened well to their teammates. May Your blessings be well received by them. For the rest of us as well, may we mature in our ability to see how You delight in helping us in trouble. Thanks for all you do! Amen. 

Scores

Varsity
#1S - Gideon Miller - 6-3, 6-0 - Marshall Treesh (9)

#2S - Judah Miller - 7-5, 6-0 - John Dykstra (10)

#3D - Ethan Claassen - 6-2, 6-0 - Grayson Nigg (12)

#1D - Isaya Magatti/Silas Martin - 1-6, 3-6 - Drake Sefton (10)/Quinton Richard (10)

#2D - Dominic Ramer/Aaron Hochstetler - 6-2, 6-3 - Duke Faupel (10)/Ryan Dykstra (10)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Elias Magatti - 8-0 - Ram Zehr (10)

#2SJV - Jordan Hochstedler - 4-8 - JD Tilma (11)

#1DJV - Silas Martin/Lucas Bateman - 8-3 - Jonny Scheumann (12)/Austin Greenwalt (10)

#2DJV - Ender Finnigan/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 8-6 - Warren Tobo (11)/Isaac Tilma (9)

I really like the way... Blackhawk Christian

Video 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bethany Christian Tennis (@bcbruintennis)

Varsity Recap

It was another gorgeous evening for tennis, and the Bruins took advantage. Playing against a good Blackhawk team who has hopes of hoisting a Sectional trophy themselves, the Bruin singles players played some great tennis - some of the best of the season. 

Gideon was strong and dependable, finding some ridiculous forehands when under pressure. His serve really kicked into gear in this match, and his energy and footwork have really returned as he's mostly recovered from his injury now. The small change in his mobility was so evident, as he just has more simple power from being in better positions. This was one of his best matches this season.

And Noah was dominant, having a perfect mix of patience and strength to handle the victory. In this match, Noah was really all over the attacking shots. He would wait the point out until the perfect moment to drive a low slicing ball for an attacking winner, or crack a low ground stroke across the court. He was forcing a lot of short balls and finding himself able to attack. He picked up a third straight 6-0, 6-0 victory in the match.

Judah was solid, moving and striking lobs and passing shots with precision. His opponent was a fellow 9th grader. He was tall and athletic, an attacking player. He had a strong serve. Judah dealt with all of these weapons admirably, really picking his spots and playing with confidence. Judah picked up the third win of the evening for the Bruins, securing the team match.

At doubles, Emerson and Keagan played well, giving up a few too many errors but also coming up against one of the strongest #1D teams they've faced this season. Despite striking their shots well, they'd often find their opponents had quick stab volleys to get them back. I actually thought that we played a great match, but the score didn't reflect that at all. I have to give credit to the Blackhawk team for that, we brought it and they just played great.

#2D found themselves right in it during a very competitive match. In the first set, they played great, moving and not worrying about the score. They led early in the match, but their opponents turned up the precision, and despite an opportunity to take the set towards a tiebreak, they fell away.  Then they got behind in second as well. Some moments of great play followed, but they were in a bit too big of a hole to dig back out. 

That great effort ended the varsity evening. Overall, it was a nice 3-2 win for the varsity Bruins. We continue to grow and learn, and we're moving toward playing our best tennis of the season!

JV Recap
At the JV, we faced a crew of young 9th graders. Blackhawk played 5 singles positions, something different than we've been used to. So lots of our team got experience at singles tonight. Singles requires patience and continued movement, and a lot of consistency. We hung in early in matches, playing close games and keeping the scorecard close on every changeover. But things just seemed to slide away the further along the match went. 

We have to remember that one game can change the momentum, and then tell ourselves that we can do that. We can get one shot, one point, one game. I'm proud of these lessons we continue to learn. When we play singles matches, moving is probably the most important thing - doing anything possible to just get the next ball in. Often times, it was shots that got into awkward positions that made us make errors in this match. 

The brightest note was Malachi and Silas, who continued a tear of wins, slamming down overheads and generally being great movers. They won 8-0 for the Bruins only JV win.

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 built our games emotionally

Tonight, we kept ourselves from getting too emotionally high or too emotionally low. I liked the quiet confidence that we had. We continued to echo, but it wasn't over the top. It wasn't desperate. It was confident. Sometimes, it can feel like we're screaming when we win a point because we're so desperate to win another, so afraid that we won't. But tonight's emotional level felt full of belief, especially amongst the varsity. I like the way we built that confidence tonight.

- I really like the way we continue seek improvement

It's actually pretty late in the season. We've only got a week after this. But I love how many of our players are committed to figuring out how they can make it the best end to the year possible. Isaya is asking questions. Malachi and Silas have been great listeners. Practice and warmup have been filled with requests from players... Can we work on quick, reflex volleys? Can you watch my serve? Can you toss some ball to my backhand? It's awesome to see us keep such a positive culture of growth!

- I really like the way we sang together

The bus ride back was one of my favorite ever. The seniors began to remember a bus ride they'd taken with Daniel during their 9th grade year, where they had sung together on the way back. So they pulled out a phone and started some karaoke on the bus. The whole hour long bus ride back from our ice cream stop, the team joined in singing everything from Frank Sinatra to 90's boy bands to current songs. It just made me happy!

Prayer
God, I am always grateful for the times we get together. Thanks for providing a wonderful gift, memories that we will hold onto. Whether that is ice cream, singing, or playing tennis, all the memories made together are a blessing. Help us be a blessing to others as well!

Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Caleb York (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-1, 6-0 - Conner Treesh (12)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-1 - Drake Sefton (9)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 0-6, 0-6 - Bryce Sefton (12)/Luke Mansfield (12)
#2D - Dominic Ramer/Ethan Claassen - 4-6, 1-6 - Sam Donnelly (12)/Owen Saliek (12)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 4-8 - Quintin Richard (9)

#2SJV - Lucas Bateman - 3-8 - Duke Faupel (9)

#3SJV - Aaron Hochstetler - 1-8 - John Dykstra (9)

#4SJV - Ender Finnigan - 0-8 - Ryan Dykstra (9)

#5SJV - Eli Steiner - 1-8 - JD Tilma (10)

#1DJV - Malachi Yoder/Silas Martin - 8-0 - Adam Albrecht (11)/Grayson Nigg (11) 

#2DJV - Preston Miller/Josiah Aguilar Clark - 1-8 - Rem Zehr (9)/Austin Greenwalt (9)

What We Really Enjoyed 10: Senior Night w/Blackhawk Christian

Enjoy Some Highlights! 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Matt (@bcbruintennis)

What Happened in the Varsity Match?

For two years, we've had trouble completing this tennis match. Two years ago, Blackhawk drove up to Goshen, we began to play, and then it rained. Last year, we got to Fort Wayne, stepped off the bus, and it rained. But this year, for our Senior Night, we were blessed with clear skies and some fluffy clouds.

In the varsity matches, we had uneven starts. In several of the matches we seemed to start quickly and confidently, especially in #2S and #3S. Both Gideon and Ian raced out to early leads against opponents that seemed somehow rattled. These two settled into good early patterns, hitting smart shots and playing their brand of tennis. I was impressed at how they just kept playing the next point.

Noah, at the other singles position, started well (taking a 2-0 lead), but then saw his opponent get red hot with attacking strokes. For 4 games, the Blackhawk player couldn't seem to miss when he struck a big forehand or passing shot. This put Noah on his heals a bit, and he went down 4-3.

Also on their heels a bit were Adam and Ethan. They were playing their first match together as a varsity doubles pair, and this was taking a bit of getting used to. Blackhawk was playing aggressive tennis, and this was rocking us back a bit. 

#1D was the opposite, Justin and Tristan started with a smart and aggressive strategy. They took pride in make the smart plays, controlling the rallies, and looking for opportunities to finish. They crept out to an early lead in their match as well.

But what was amazing tonight is that we continued to see improving play throughout the matches. In the matches where we started well, there was very little let up. Ian got a bit nervous with the lead in the second set and made some tight errors. But he recovered really well, which was a great step for Ian. #1D never looked in doubt despite playing a team with a great winning record on the season. And Gideon continued to play his simple, smart, effective shots right through the end of the match. I really enjoyed watching us maintain a high level of play.

On the other hand, Noah suddenly surged in his match. Moving a bit more, committing to keeping the rallies going a bit more, Noah's opponent lost his aggressive touch. Shots that had been winners were now coming back, and the Blackhawk player began to press and make more errors. In the end, Noah was able to regain his confident serve and putaway shots, and won the last 9 straight games in this match.

At #2D, we gained confidence as well. Suddenly, the second set was a close one, where we threatened to tie the match by taking the set. In the end, we couldn't quite close it out and put the pressure on. We probably needed to remember to play each point the way we want, regardless of the ones before. But I was super proud of how Adam and Ethan grew into the match and maintained a positive attitude!

So our best, most confident tennis came at the end of all of our matches. What a great place to build from.

What Happened in the JV Match?

The JV match tonight was 3 singles matches. Keagan played his second singles match in a row, really focusing on movement and topspin. In a match that was about controlling play and controlling errors, Keagan showed an added ability to win points (or force errors) from the net. His strong movement really helped him overcome in a tight match.

Elliot's match was all about concentration and consistency. On Senior Night, I desperately wanted to see Elliot get a win. But both players seemed to be rushed early in rallies, and short points ending in errors seemed to be the order of the day. In singles, the most consistent player will typically have the upper hand. As the match went on, Elliot became that more consistent player. And Elliot would want me to correct the graphic. Elliot actually won 6-1 :-) (Oh, and the graphic should say we won 3-0, not 4-0 :-)

Dominic's match was much the same. Dominic excels when he is playing against players who provide the pace, those who hit big shots and allow Dominic to catapult them back. Tonight, that was not the case. His opponent was very similar, hitting without a lot of pace on the ball. Dominic needed to find consistency and a bit of bite on his shots to close out most points. But like Elliot and like the varsity, Dominic got better as the match continued. 

Our other JV players got to compete against each other. I enjoy watching each of our player's journeys toward getting better. I love to see the blue jerseys flying around the court. I love to review our video footage before making a reel. I really love that we as a team are playing some great tennis right now. I hope we carry that right into the weekend. 

What Were the Moments of Joy?
These are going to be moments that I saw in the match that were fun, beautiful and memorable! Again, just from what I happened to see :-)

Simplicity

Tonight's match didn't have any standout points that I remembered. But what I did remember is all the simple and brilliant points that are becoming part of our routines. Noah's forehands and net play. Gideon's serve and return game. Ian's variety. Tristan and Justin covering the net with quickness and strength. Adam finishing volleys at the net. Ethan moving on quick feet for forehands. Keagan using his movement to set up powerful groundstrokes. Elliot making adjustments to his opponent and finding a way to win. Dominic moving quickly and never giving in. Isaya getting in long rallies. Silas covering the net. Malachi flying around the court athletic and developing his net game. (And Emerson's serve and volley game, even though we didn't get to see that because Emerson was sick tonight :-)

The more I see these things, the more I realize these strengths are just becoming who we are as tennis players. And that is wonderful! And that is something I really enjoy!

What Were the Moments of Encouragement?
This segment is where I'll highlight ways that we built each other up during the match or the lead up to it.

Senior Celebration

The celebration and meal at the end of the night was just amazing. Tacos and memories. It was great to think of the tennis players that this senior class has become, but also the people they are. They started their careers when we weren't even sure if we could have a team or season because of the pandemic. They persevered through injuries and disappointments. But they've come into this part of their careers playing their best. And all that they've gone through also has made them understanding and compassionate. This group is some of the best listeners I've ever coached, and I hope that is something that passes on.

Let's Take a Moment of Intention

This is a space where I will offer a short prayer for the team.

Lord, it is such a great blessing to coach this team. Thanks for the different players, personalities, and personal strengths of these players. Continue to look after us, in our relationships with one another, in our health, and in our play. May we witness answered prayer and offer support for each other in the last two busy weeks of this season. May we see You at work, helping us manifest the fruits of Your Spirit and grow. Thanks! Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-4, 6-1 - Geno Rongos (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-1 - Sam Donnelly (11)

#3S - Ian McHugh - 6-1, 6-4 - Caleb York (11)

#1D - Tristan Mast/Justin Hochstedler - 6-2, 6-2 - Will Guthrie (12)/Bryce Sefton (11)

#2D - Adam Siemen Rhodes/Ethan Claassen - 1-6, 4-6 - Luke Mansfield (11)/Conner Treesh (11)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Keagan Meyer - 6-4 - Owen Saliek (11)

#2SJV - Elliot Hertzler Gascho - 6-1 - Luke Chhabra (11)

#3SJV - Dominic Ramer - 6-3 - Grayson Nigg (10)

Match Report #12: Blackhawk Christian

Instagram Reel 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Matt (@bcbruintennis)

Varsity
Senior night! If you haven't read already, check out the things that I shared about each of our amazing seniors...

- Matthew Dyck

- Jacob Leininger

- Josiah Schlabach

- Jacob Shank

- Austin Shenk

These five have been the cornerstone of this year's team, many of them setting the pace in the offseason for the success we're experiencing now. And we are experiencing a lot of success lately. After falling in our first 5 matches, we are 5-2 in our last seven matches. And the two losses there have been to state ranked teams!

Tonight was not a loss, but it didn't quite get to be a full victory. That's because the weather was not at all helpful. If not for our celebration of the seniors, the weather would have stolen the whole story. It rained about 45 minutes before the match was to start, but then thankfully dried in just a couple minutes. Then we began play and got through most of the first sets, before rain came again for five minutes. We had barely reported scores before we went back on, but this time we got poured on. The courts were wet, but we thought we could get them dry. Before we even got one court finished, it poured again. The match was over.

But in the match, our guys continued bringing some of their best tennis. Against a Blackhawk team with 10 freshmen (!) our team came out very focused. Matthew and Austin started by claiming Austin and Matthew's service game before getting a big break. One of the #1D's for Blackhawk had a big serve, so he was going to be tough to break. So Austin and Matthew were really under pressure to hold their serve. All throughout the first set they were able to hold, and then break the opponent with the weaker serve. They had solid momentum against this team, a Blackhawk position they have not often lost throughout the year. Austin and Matthew won the first set before the rains came.

Our other varsity senior didn't quite get to finish off a set. Jacob and Breece got a hot start at #2D, leading 3-0. But their opponents were very athletic, and really made Jacob and Breece hit good shots and finish points. Unfortunately, this led to a couple of errors from our team, but we were able to stay ahead, if only by a game. Breece again led the line with his serve, and really volleyed well again. Jacob was having a nice volleying day as well, able to finish off some points by closing off the net. They led 5-4 and 40-15 when the rains came for the final time, just a point away from a set.

Our singles positions all followed similar paths through their matches. They got out to big leads, each position going up 3-0 behind some really good play. It was great to see Cameron bringing intensity, Ethan really getting his serve, and Noah whipping the ball around the court. Both Ethan and Noah were able to finish quick sets before the first rain, but Cam tightened a bit as his opponent found the range. When the first rains came, Cam was up 5-3, 30-15, two points from the set. When we came back out, he won the first two points to take the set :-)

So, it was a good night of tennis. Even as the rains came, it felt like we had really put our best out there.

JV Recap

The rain did us in so we never even got started :-(

Moments of Encouragement
This segment is where I'll highlight ways that we built each other up during the match or the lead up to it.

Encouraging Fans

We had a great set of fans out to encourage us tonight. Much of the girl's soccer and volleyball teams stopped by to cheer for the match, but I was especially impressed at how many stayed for our senior night ceremony. That meant a lot to me, so shout out to the students!

Moment of Intention

This is a space where I will offer a short prayer for the team.

Lord, I will still pause to praise You. Thanks for this team, and tonight, especially for our seniors. They are truly a fun group, growing together in maturity, tennis, life and faith. Keep them close. Amen!

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 6-3 - Harrison Allen (11)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 3-1 - Luke Mansfield (9)

#3S - Ethan Pairitz - 6-1, 1-1 - Same Donnelly (9)

#1D - Austin Shenk/Matthew Dyck - 6-3, 0-1 (rain) - Gage Sefton (11)/Will Guthrie (10)

#2D - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - 5-4 (rain) - Kellen Pickett (9)/Bryce Sefton (9)

Junior Varsity

No matches started.

Blackhawk Christian - Match Report

Varsity Recap

Well, it was certainly another exciting match! But this time, the Bruins were able to pull the victory out in the third set. This match marks our 8th competition of the season, and 6 of those have been decided by a 3-2 scoreline! This is remarkable experience playing under pressure for our team, and it is making for some memorable matches.

There were some great matches in this as well. Josh Cartwright continues to play his best tennis ever, and I am really grateful to see it. Josh started this match a little slow on his feet. In the first game it didn't look like he had his usual pep. But when he crossed over, I mentioned that to him. He said, "Yea, that's true." Then he went out and won the next 12 straight games! Again, Josh played in a way that made his opponent be consistent. Josh is adding things to his game all the time, so it was good to see those elements as well.

Theo's match again was difficult, as he played a player who competed at #1S last year against us. The Blackhawk senior had powerful groundstrokes and was able to move Theo back. As Theo does, he began to figure out cracks to attack in the second set, but couldn't string together enough back-to-back points to win the games. It was a good effort against a good player.

Braden played one of his best matches of the season. He got down quickly in the first set, trying to shot for shot with Blackhawk's #1. But after getting down, Braden started to change the strategy. Rather than just belting away with power, Braden turned to loopier balls and mixing in slices and drop shots. These turns threw off the rhythm of his opponent, and suddenly Braden was right back in the set. His opponent regrouped, took the first set and then got out to a 3-0 lead in the second. I talked to Braden about intentionally doing what he had in the first set, and Braden again came back, taking a 5-4 lead in the set. But, he couldn't quite finish through the match, and ended up losing with valiant effort.

So, the match ended up coming down to doubles. #1D looked very much in command in the first set. The set score stayed close, as the Blackhawk duo that Joseph and Tyson were facing were consistent and good at the net. But when Tyson and Joseph closed off the net and played with confidence, they were a force to be reckoned with. They finished off the first set and took the lead in the second. But the second set stayed right on serve or close to it. The teams ended up trading off games. But there was a sense, for me anyways, that we would eventually close it out. And again, with some great net play and serving, we were able to win in two sets.

Which meant that the match came down to Austin and Aaron at #2D. And tonight, they were very up to the task! Well, after the first set :-) We have struggled this year with teams who are consistent and make us hit more than one shot. We expect the errors to come off the first aggressive ball that we hit. So often, we are unprepared to play two aggressive shots in a row. Then the doubt creeps in. The first set went like that at #2D. 

But the second set turned around quickly. When we move aggressively, anticipating our shots and staying on the balls of our feet, then we play really well. For this to be the deciding match, the final two sets weren't actually all that close. We attacked the net, forced them back with deep groundstrokes and lobs and finished really well at the net. And because of that aggressive simplicity, we won the match! 3-2 to the Bruins in a season of lots of 3-2's!

JV Recap

The JV continues it's run of playing so well right now. Everything that we are working on in practice is coming to fruition in their matches. Cameron looked so confident in the match tonight. From early in the match it was obvious that his shots are gaining some solidity and intention. His passing shots are really flying past his opponent and he is still carrying that fighting spirit that he was always brought to the table.

Breece and Matthew had much of the same in their match. They were able to control most of the play with their intention. Sometimes, errors can creep in. But they are the same type of errors that we see at the varsity doubles, where we lack movement and anticipation. But their strokes are dominant when they are focused, Breece with serving and net play and Matthew with his forehand and approach game. Both of these guys have the skills to be excellent doubles players, and got the win tonight.

Also getting a win was Ethan. Ethan's game is growing in consistency. His groundstrokes in this match were awesome. He was moving slowly at the beginning, but Daniel really gave him some good advice about his energy levels. After that quick talk, Ethan shot into the lead. When he could get into a longer rally of 4-5 shots, Ethan almost never lost the point from that part of the match forward. From a close beginning of the set, Ethan ran off 3 games in a row to take the win.

So, the JV continues to play excellent tennis, pushing themselves forward!

Moments of Joy

Postponed until I can find my sheet where I wrote down these great points :-)

Moments Together

I love our traditions - especially the eating ones! Tonight, we got to stop at the Magic Wand as we drove through Churubusco. It was great. Ordering at the walk-up window, ET sundaes and Magic Burgers, sitting at picnic tables and enjoying some great wins. I was so glad for the joy that surrounded our team in this match!

Prayer

Lord, let us carry confidence and joy like we had tonight into our remaining matches. Bless us with nights of peace, where we don't feel like we should have done more... where we aren't upset at ourselves. Where we accept what you have given. Lord, help us to find things to praise more than things to criticize. And tonight, I praise You for the wonderful sunset, the safe drive, and for laughter. Amen.

Scores

Varsity: 3-2

#1S - Braden Bohn - 4-6, 5-7 - Rylan Doden (10)

#2S - Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 0-6, 2-6 - Colton Romines (12)

#3S - Josh Cartwright - 6-1, 6-0 - Harrison Allen (10)

#1D - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Tyson Miller - 6-4, 7-5 - Luke LaGrange (11)/Gage Sefton (10)

#2D - Aaron Shenk/Austin Shenk - 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 - Caleb Gibson (12)/Eli LaGrange (9)

Junior Varsity: 3-0

#1SJV - Cameron Heinisch - 8-2 - Josh Wallace (10)

#2SJV - Ethan Pairitz - 8-5 - Will Guthrie (9)

#1DJV - Matthew Dyck/Breece Erickson - 8-6 - Josh Wallace (10)/Will Guthrie (9)

Blackhawk Christian Match Report - 2019

Scores

V: Bethany Christian 5, Blackhawk Christian 0
JV: Bethany Christian JV 3, Blackhawk Christian JV 1

Photos
Click here for photos from the match.

Varsity Recap

For a 5-0 match, this was a very exciting night!

First of all, it was Senior Night, so it was a chance to watch our seniors go out and compete for a win on a night where we could honor them. That often adds an element of energy to the match. Secondly, Blackhawk continues our swing of better opponents. We had a series of matches where we played teams that really struggled to stay in rallies with us, but now we've played several teams in a row that were fun to compete against. Finally, we had several positions have the exact matches that they needed, and they figured out some things that will hopefully help them throughout the season as well.

At #1S, Caleb has truly been improving week by week, match by match this year. He played two of the best players he'll see all season last week, playing two guys who had made our All-District team last year. He put up a great fight, even if the scores didn't show it, and improved. Tonight, he continued that same type of play, moving the ball around the court and forcing errors. As a result, he picked up the first win of the night for us. It was just what he needed, reinforcement if his progression with a win.

At #2D, Tyson and Will needed to break out of a little funk they'd been in. They had been struggling to make simple shots, and were getting down on themselves. Early in this match, it seemed like they were struggling again, as they were finding it hard to break the Braves serve. Down 4-3, they found some positive and sustainable momentum. From that point on, they began to roll. Tyson and Will won 8 of the last 9 games, to grab our second point with the 6-4, 6-1 victory. In so doing, they got some strokes really working. Both guys began to serve well, but it was the smart returns that really turned the match around.

At #2S, Braden has had a similar story to Caleb. Over the past two matches, he's played really good tennis, but hasn't been able to reap the results of that because his opponents have been excellent. And so, tonight it was good to see him get a win. He got that win because he committed to moving his feet well and not reaching, which is the way he needs to win all his matches. His opponent liked to try and drop the ball short and slice it in front of Braden. When Braden shuffled forward and committed to getting through that ball, he forced errors and was able to win points in a row. It was a great match to watch unfold, and as it ended and secured our third point, I was grateful. The team had picked up another win.

Meanwhile, #1D rolled through their first set, picking up a 6-0 scoreline and playing some confident, simple, and aggressive tennis. But for whatever reason, this disappeared as they entered the second set. They found themselves down 3-0, and the games that got them there were full of tentative movement and stiff swings. As the set continued, they struggled to correct this, but they couldn't relax back into their pattern of dominance from the rest of the season.

They were in need of snapping back into it, and it looked like they might at the end of the second set. Trailing 3-5, Nathan and Joseph had multiple chances to put it back to 4-5, and then they would have been serving to tie the set back up. But instead, Nathan sailed a lob a bit long, and into a third set we went. The tentative theme continued to start the 3rd, going down 1-0 and having our serve broken. But then, it seemed like the weight just dropped off their shoulders and they figured it out. The aggressive net play came back, the smart placement of groundstrokes came back, the serves began to come back. The duo grabbed the next 6 games straight for a comfortable third set victory.

And yet, the most epic match of the night was still going, as Josh competed at #3S. Josh started this match in his normal way, scrambling and sending ball after ball back. Mistakes piled up for his opponent, and Josh jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Suddenly, the Brave #3S changed tactics and rushed the net. Josh was flustered and lost 8 straight games to lose the first set and go down 2-0 in the second.

It didn't look good at that point. Josh was frustrated. We knew what to do, Josh had to strike passing shots and hit lobs with intention. He wasn't sure if he could do it. Shots were feeling off and his passing shots were simply being smashed back down by the onrushing opponent. Josh looked on the edge of giving up. He needed to find some positivity.

He found it by celebrating his good shots. When his shot forced his opponent to make a mistake, he gave himself a fist pump. And slowly, the match began to change. Now instead of streaks, they were trading games until Josh trailed 4-3. Then Josh took the next three games to win the set. In the third set, Josh took the early lead. Now his passing shots were low and difficult to volley, his lobs high and difficult to overhead from the back of the court. Then his opponent fought back, taking a 5-4 lead and serving for the match. But Josh was aggressive on return, and tied it at 5-5 by breaking at love. Then he held to go up 6-5. A hold from the Braves #3 sent the match into a tiebreak.

Josh had never played a tiebreak before, but he was riding a wave of positive adrenaline. With lobs, passing shots, and volleys, he took an early lead at 4-1, and then nursed that into a match point at 6-5. On that point,  Josh scrambled after a volley and forced his opponent to hit one more backhand volley off a hard forehand passing shot. The volley floated wide, and Josh had secured a tiebreak, comeback victory!

That sealed off a 5-0 win for us. And it let us go watch the JV, where the other seniors were competing.

Junior Varsity Recap
Our three seniors played tonight at the three singles positions. Each of them competed so well. Chris Craw has played most of his career at doubles. Singles relies on consistency for sure, something that he has gotten so much better at over the course of this year. In his match, he was consistent. But singles is also about finding a smart yet aggressive way to end points. And that was where Chris struggled. But when he had great points, he had great points! In one point, he put 4-5 groundstrokes back to his opponent before hitting a great approach into the backhand. Then he volleyed his opponent back and forth across the court before finishing a forehand volley. These great points were the memories I will take from Chris's match.

Jim Lyu and Xudong Sun also played singles. Jim struggled a little bit with his serve to begin his match, but as he got comfortable it got so much better. His groundstrokes were really working. I loved looking down at his match and seeing the every now and then when he would hit an ace or pop a cross court forehand winner. Much of the match went back and forth, no one really ever getting more than a game lead. However, the match ended with Jim holding his serve and then breaking his opponent's for the 8-5 win.

Xudong is a forehand and backhand king right now. His shots from the baseline have pace, depth and spin. However, he continues to struggle a bit with the other elements of the game, serve and volley being the biggest. In his first service game, he couldn't find the range and had too many double faults. But he honed in quickly, and rolled from there. He picked up his 7th win of the season in convincing fashion.

At #1DJV, Theo and Aaron were just the better players. I loved watching their precision and control in the match. The opposing coach told me that these guys had great chemistry and that it must be fun to watch them play together, and I said it was. But it was actually the first time Aaron and Theo had played together this season. Their play looked really synchronized as they talked to each other, switched positions and attacked the net together.

What I love about their coach's comment though is that it is just true of our team. We can put many different doubles teams together and I am not worried about the chemistry. I just know that you will succeed together. Because our team has a great joy for one another.

You are accepted.

Before this match even began, I was proud of you. You had worked hard in practice yesterday, you had focused in the warmup for the match. You were all in on supporting the seniors. These things mean so much to me, because they allow us to take steps toward being the type of people we want to be. And I love watching that process, being part of it, and seeing you value it. Because you are trying to be people of true character, and mostly succeeding, I was proud of you!

You are sustained.
Today, we are sustained by these moments of joy...

1. Our Seniors
Tonight, we celebrated the senior players. Every team tends to follow the lead of the seniors. These guys have set a focused, joyous, friendly tone for the team this year. They are hard-working but gentle hearts, who rejoice with others around them. I want to thank again Caleb, Nathan, Chris, Xudong and Jim for their influence on the program. You can read what we had to say about each player on the links below.

Chris Craw
Jim Lyu
Nathan Oostland
Caleb Shenk
Xudong Sun

2. Our Families
Tonight, our families came together to celebrate the seniors. They did it by providing a wonderful meal for everyone to enjoy. It was delicious. But doing a little bit of organizing for the meal helps remind me how awesome our parents really are. I loved getting a bit of time to pray with everyone, as we stood around the seniors. I love knowing that we are supported even by those who aren't there at every practice and game.

3. Our Brothers
I love our team. I love our team huddles. I love our team cheers. I love our team songs. I love our team enthusiasm. I love who you are. Thanks for being brothers.

You have achieved.

We never gave up. That is an achievement.
We stayed positive. That is an achievement.
We adjusted our games when we needed, That is an achievement.
We played with energy. That is an achievement.
We committed to moving our feet. That is an achievement.
We won the varsity match. That is an achievement.
We won the JV match. That is an achievement.
We celebrated our 5 seniors with a wonderful meal. That is an achievement.

Prayer
Lord, help us rejoice in You always. I will say it again, may we rejoice. God, let our gentleness be evident to all, for You are near. May we not feel anxious about anything, but in everything may we enter prayer, petition and thanksgiving. May we present all of our requests before You. And may Your peace that transcends understanding guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. May we think on all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and excellent. And what we learn, may we put it into practice. And may Your peace be with us.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Caleb Shenk - 6-2, 6-1 - Colton Romine (11)
#2S - Braden Bohn - 6-2, 6-3 - Rylan Doden (9)
#3S - Josh Cartwright - 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) - Wes Tainer (12)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 - Bear Roberts (12)/Gage Sefton (9)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-4, 6-1 - Aaron Jentgen (12)/Ryan Neff (12)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Chris Craw - 3-8 - Caleb Gibson (11)
#2SJV - Jim Lyu - 8-5 - Harry Allen (9)
#3SJV - Xudong Sun - 8-1 - Josh Wallace (9)
#1DJV - Theo Siemens-Rhodes/Aaron Shenk - 6-1 - Chandler Pope (11)/Kelsen Volkert (11)

Blackhawk Christian Match Report

More Photos: Click Here

VARSITY MATCH REPORT
In this match, we came out in the first sets with focus and energy. We came out with commitment to play the way that we had practiced. In every match, our opponents responded by raising their level of play. And in every match, we got nervous. And then in every match, we responded ourselves. This was a significant step forward in our tennis growth.

There's positives to point out in every match. So I'll start with the match that we lost. Philip controlled most of the match, and that is important to mark. He wasn't being pushed around the court, but instead was firmly hitting his shots. He just missed them sometimes. And sometimes didn't move with the same conviction. But I was especially proud of how he responded at the mid-point of the second set. Philip had lost a close first set in a tiebreak, and had slumped behind in the second set. It didn't look like he was going to keep competing. But instead, Philip picked himself up and fought back. By the end of the set, Philip had given himself several opportunities to take it to a third set. That was the type of fight against the situation that I love to see!

In #1D, the beauty was actually watching their attack of the net. Jonah has so improved this part of his game that it has become a strength of the team. I really loved watching them put away balls and get in attacking positions. There were parts of the match where these two got knocked onto their heels, but they kept coming back to the simple aggressive plays.

Similarly at #1S, this was one of my favorite Liam matches to watch because he continues to integrate the things we are talking about in practice. Today, he brought a bigger serve and a bigger backhand. No doubt, one of my favorite points of the match was when Liam's opponent approached to his backhand and Liam smoked a topspin backhand down the line. But in Liam's second set his focus began to slip. I began to get worried because it looked like Liam was abandoning the aggressiveness that had helped him build a comfortable lead. But in the end, Liam reenergized his feet, spun some forehands and put pressure on by coming to the net. It was really a fun match.

But it was the #2's that really responded the best to self-imposed difficulties tonight. Both Caleb and Will and Tyson took their first sets with relative ease. But in the second sets, they were faced with a lot of difficulty as they had to face self-doubt and the poor play that causes.

Caleb began to falter when up 3-0 in the second set. First, his serve became shaky and he threw in a few double faults. Then, his strokes suddenly didn't seem as easy. From up 3-0, it was suddenly 3-3. Then back and forth it went the rest of the match, Caleb not holding his serve at any point. His opponent was shaky as well, but developing confidence as Caleb had stopped being able to find attacking balls. Finally, Caleb found himself down 6-5. At fence, I told him simply that he had to stop imagining the worst and realize that the best was also possible. I told him he was going to win this service game and dominate the tiebreak. I knew it.

I don't know what changed, but from there out Caleb did dominate. He easily served out his game to force the tiebreak, and then charged through the tiebreak only losing 1 point. His win also sealed the team victory, which let me exhale and enjoy the remaining matches a bit more. That comeback from a dark mental place was impressive, and truly the mark of growth. I loved it!

#2D had to do the same thing. Faced with opponents who took the pace off the ball, Will and Tyson started doing the exact same thing. Unfortunately, they were much more timid, and their movement suffered as they got more and more nervous in the set. They started with the lead, but the most they pressed, the less they moved and the weaker they hit the ball. They lost the second set and had to go to a third set tiebreak.

But in the tiebreak, they responded. Will and Tyson didn't play perfect, but they played with purpose. That made such a difference. They didn't hit shots just to get them in, they played shots to win the point. Tyson hit some great serves. Will hit a couple of overheads. Leading 7-6, Will served 2 big points to extend the lead. It was a wonderful response.

And that was a great theme. When things go bad, it is reasonably and even probable to expect that they will go better again. Keep energy and focus high - and they probably will.

JV MATCH REPORT
It was a short JV match tonight, but well played. Joseph and Aaron racked up their second win in a row at #1DJV, and Braden added his second win at #1SJV. Both positions faced teams that were less skilled and less confident, but this can often be a problem for JV players. It makes them lethargic (especially after an hour and a half bus ride :-) We were not lethargic, and we simply played the way that we've been practicing. Aaron and Joseph came to the net, settled balls into the court and put the pressure on. Braden used his weapons to pressure his opponent. In the end, both positions won fairly easily.

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough tonight that we made the effort to imagine our brighter possibilities rather than only the darker ones. It was enough that we once again realized that it isn't enough to know the right thing to do, we actually have to do it. It was enough that we then made ourselves do it.

YOU ARE BROTHERS
You are brothers when you simply enjoy being together. When you get excited about things together. Tonight, the bus ride home was fun. Philip and Joseph were discussing current ideas and social issues. We stopped to get ice cream. We teased each other about the Cardinals and the Cubs and who is going out before the playoffs and in the first round. We swatted mosquitoes. We had an ease with one another that is smile inducing. You are brothers.


I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...
- the beautiful moon over the forests and cornfields as we drove home.
- a mild night to play tennis.
- our responses to adverse situations today.
- the long drive and the time to think and talk.
- Braden, Joseph, and Aaron's simple JV wins.
- for ET Sundaes and Brownie Tornados.

A PRAYER
God, we are not ever finished products. It one of the things that is so hard about being human. But have have successes, and I pray that You can help us rejoice in them. When we take time to listen to another's feeling or point of view, when we refrain revenge, when we react with positivity to challenge - these are all places that we grow. May we rejoice in that grace of Yours. Amen.

SCORES
Varsity
#1S - Liam Bradford - 6-1, 6-1 - Zach Kaufman (12)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 6-0, 7-6 (1) - Jimmy Bunner (10)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 6-7 (4), 5-7 - Bear Roberts (11)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 6-1, 6-3 - Aaron Jentgen (11)/Colton Romines (10)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-2, 3-6, (10-6) - Wes Tanner (11)/Ryan Neff (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Braden Bohn - 8-2 - Tiago Freitas (11)
#1DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Aaron Shenk - 8-3 - Caleb Gibson (10)/Kelson Volkert (10)