I really like the way... NorthWood

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Varsity Recap
Lined up and ready to go for our 3rd of 6 matches this week, the Bruins took the courts with energy. I really like the way the Bruins tend to start matches. We play confident and with movement. 

The varsity singles positions won games early in their matches, but at Noah and Judah were both having to win long points to take their games. They kept their cool and patience, methodically trusting the shots they've mastered over a lot of practice and playing. Judah and Noah both use slice and variety very effectively, both in defensive modes and for offense. They also are multi-directional movers, so no type of shot really puts them at too much of a disadvantage. They were able to last through the long rallies and unorthodox shots of their opponents to take early leads.

Gideon's singles match was much different. The points were quick and powerful, but if Gideon could withstand an onslaught early in the point, an error usually ended the point. Gideon did a great job of keeping his confidence and positive energy high. Although he sometimes made errors as well, Gid allowed his opponent's wayward shots to silently pump himself up. He echoed encouragement to his fellow Bruin players. It was a great example how we play great when we're giving energy back to our teammates. It's amazing how that electricity builds. Because of the quick points, speed of shot, and consistency Gid showed, his match went quickly, but Gid gave the Bruins our first team point with a 6-1, 6-1 victory.

Despite the length of the points, Noah and Judah were just behind in finishing off their matches. They each won in two sets, and just like that, the Bruins had the 3 positions and had won the team match. There was some tension at the end, as Judah once again was in a position to provide the winning team point. He felt a little stress as his opponent picked up the consistency, but Judah battled back and calmed himself extremely well. I really liked the way he maintained composure.

Still on court, the varsity doubles positions were fighting it out to take their spots as well. Keagan and Emerson were attacking and fighting inconsistency, both their own and their opponents. It was a game of big shots, each player cracking away at their forehands. But it was also a game that provided a lot of errors. I loved the way that #1D was digging in for their service games. Keagan and Emerson were serving in a lot of ways that hampered their opponents clean returning. It was a close doubles match.

Meanwhile, Dominic and Ethan were trying all sorts of things to draw errors out of their opponents. They were switching formations, moving well together. But the first set was also full of their own inconsistency, and likely nerves that caused them to get a little tentative and be a little still.

Both dubs lost the first set, but mounted comebacks in the second. It is the most exciting thing in tennis when doubles team are making comebacks, celebrating together and being electric. I really liked the way we dug in, put the first sets behind us and played great tennis. Keagan and Emerson teetered on the edge of tying things up in the middle of the second set, and Dominic and Ethan took the first game to show that they were not going to fade. Playing a close match brought back some of the errors, but we kept moving and swinging.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and both doubles team lost in long two set matches. All around though, another great 3-2 victory for the varsity Bruins!

JV Recap

In the JV match, I continue to be so proud of our progress!

The JV was missing two players from its lineup, so people got switched around. Eli Steiner moved into a singles spot. Ender and Preston got to play some doubles together. It was a night to try some new things.

One player who has had memorable matches all year in his singles spot is Isaya. Tonight, he trailed 4-7 in his #1SJV match. Never putting his head down, he heard Daniel's advice - just keep the ball in the court at all costs. He put that into practice, and came all the way back, winning five games in a row to take a victory. It was an epic, remarkable victory that was the first of two for him on the night.

Other victories followed on the night, including Lucas Bateman grabbing a second singles win for the week. Lucas had a difficult first match, where many things didn't quite turn his way. In the second match, he was in a tight battle, but then created separation at the end with really confident serves and forehand strokes. 

Malachi and Silas got two wins, as they played solid doubles across three matches. I love watching Silas hit great serves and Malachi putting the ball away at the net. I love Malachi sliding forehands just over the net and then Silas pouncing on them. I like watching all of these things, and they were especially tuned in for their last two matches.

And Eli Steiner got his first win of the season as a singles player! Again, after a difficult first match, Eli learned some things from Coach Daniel about hitting balls that he had to run forward towards. He put that advice into practice in the second match, and drew many errors. Eli's forehand has improved so much, and it was really proving to be a weapon in this match.

We dropped some matches as well, but the theme of the night was how coachable the Bruins were. All of the matches incorporated the strategies that the coaches gave to them, and a lot of times it worked! The final score was tied, but these continued building blocks of improvement made it feel like a 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 the guys sprinted down to celebrate Eli's first win with him

Every player on this team is important. They are all great people to be around and have made the season so fun. Eli is no exception. From camp to practice, he fills the courts with positivity and laughter. But he hadn't won a match yet during the contest season. When the varsity had finished their match, they were watching some of the JV doubles and gathered around the water cooler on a hot night. But then they heard that Eli might have a chance to get a victory. Together, they hopped on down to Eli's court - to encourage, cheer and give him high fives as he achieved a victory and showed how much he keeps improving.

- I really like the way our doubles played with POSITIVITY

This was a really solid match for our doubles teams. They didn't necessarily grab wins, but they definitely were close. Each match, we have to attack our doubles with confidence. I liked the way Malachi and Silas played tonight. I liked the way Ender attacked at the net. I liked the way Preston served and is learning anticipation. I liked how our doubles teams, despite playing 3 times, got right back out there to compete. I liked how our doubles came with energy in each second set. I liked the way we turned to each other. I liked the way we tried new things. All of this requires hope and positivity. I really liked that tonight.

- I really like the way Judah recollected himself

I mentioned this in the varsity review, but Judah definitely began to feel a little tight at the end of his match. Judah had been telling himself a (false) story that he wasn't playing well. And it's hard to get past our own minds sometime. But in the last game, Judah fought and got the game to deuce. Before the deuce point, he took several big deep breaths. I don't know if he gave himself a positive message too, but whatever he did, it worked. He went back to playing calm and collected tennis, and won the last two points easily. As a team, this deep breath and recovery of confidence is a skill we all need to master! Many of us have done it well at times, and Judah did it well in this match.

- I really like the way Lucas learned quickly

In Lucas's second match, his opponent had a big forehand. His opponent would use that stroke to attack Lucas, and Lucas was often being drawn way off the court and finding himself stretching for balls that were hard to reach. Early in the match, he was missing these shots wide. Daniel and I talked, and made sure to let him know that on those retrieval shots, you just want to land them back in the center of the court. When he went out for the next game, he was leading 6-5. He was immediately faced with two of those shots, and he stretched and softly plopped them back in the middle of the court. He went on to win each of those points and to take the game, giving himself a 7-5 lead. I really liked the way he took what he learned and put it into practice.

Prayer

God, we could not ask for a much more beautiful evening than we had tonight to play tennis. You have really been blessing northern Indiana with cool and dry evenings, beautiful sunsets and more. Thanks for that. You are a God of creation and beauty, and I love the way that comes through in our tennis as well. Thanks for moments that are enjoyable - please lead us into these moments with a recognition of Your wonder. Thanks!

Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-1, 6-1 - Brennan Chilling (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-1, 6-1 - Easton Feenstra (12)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-2, 6-3 - Ezra Cook (12)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 3-6, 3-6 - Ty Stankovich (12)/Ryker Cisney (12)
#2D - Dominic Ramer/Ethan Claassen - 2-6, 4-6 - Logan Marker (12)/Riley Barhydt (11)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Isaya Magatti - 9-7 - Nolan Tompos (10)

#2SJV - Lucas Bateman - 0-8 - Ethan Tompos (10)

#3SJV - Eli Steiner - 1-8 - Eli Heckaman (10)

#4SJV - Isaya Magatti - 8-0 - Colton Ewers (9)

#5SJV - Lucas Bateman - 8-5 - Bryce Weaver (12)

#6SJV - Eli Steiner - 8-5 - Brinqley Parvu-Timmer (9)

#1DJV - Malachi Yoder/Silas Martin - 3-6 - Cody Bryan (11)/Aiden Boggs (11)

#2DJV - Malachi Yoder/Silas Martin - 6-3 - Jack Johnson (9)/Aiden McEndarfer (10)

#3DJV - Malachi Yoder/Silas Martin - 6-0 - Tyler Moyer (10)/Drew Patterson (10)

#4DJV - Ender Finnigan/Preston Miller - 0-6 - Landon McDonald (11)/Mavox Tompos (11)

#5DJV - Ender Finnigan/Preston Miller - 1-6 - Nerick Sanchez (10)/Jackson Kemp (9)

#6DJV - Ender Finnigan/Preston Miller - 0-6 - Sawyer Love (9)/Sebastain Chapman (10)

What We Really Enjoyed 8: NorthWood

Enjoy Some Highlights! 

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What Happened in the Varsity Match?

Once again, we had an intensely close match that finished with a 3-2 scoreline. On the season, we have now had 5 of our 10 matches that have been decided by a 3-2 score. That means that we are having a lot of fun, because these types of matches are way better than the ones where we blow out our opponents or get blown out by our opponents. But, our team has been feeling the struggle of these matches, rather than embracing their awesomeness :-)

Tonight, I really feel like we embraced the awesomeness of a challenge. In the face of a close match, we played with joy.

And yet, we came out on the short end of the score. That happens when you are playing talented and evenly matched opponents. But there's no reason to be upset, but all the reason to celebrate. We lost, and we still competed with aggression, joy, and we had fun! That's what tennis is really all about.

The matches all started with good intensity. I thought sure that Ian had won his first game, as Ian moved the opponent around with strong forehands and attacking tennis. In fact, I was surprised when I went over to talk with Ian at the first change of sides, because Ian was down 3-0. I thought for sure we were ahead 2-1. This was a theme of Ian's match. Ian played well, but just couldn't seem to get the crucial points on the scoreboard.

The same could be said about #2D. Emerson and Keagan really struck solid shots, put down some attacking volleys and overheads (see some in the reel :-), and controlled their groundstrokes. And yet every time I watched them slide the ball across the scorecard, it was in favor of the Panthers and not the Bruins. The ability to relax and stay confident on big points is about forgetting about the score and thinking about how you want to play each point. We'll keep getting better at this as we improve.

In #1D, we were doing the opposite. Justin and Tristan made an energy and confidence switch that was really allowing them to control the big points. Time and time again they won the deuce points, the 30-40 points, the points that put pressure on their Panther opponents. I was most proud of them when they failed to serve out the first set after having the lead. We regrouped, held Tristan's serve, and then broke the Panthers to end the first set. That enthusiasm and focus continued in the second, as Justin and Tristan played strong, quick tennis to win the Bruins our first team point.

Gideon also displayed a lot of fight in his match. Again, his card came in handy. Early in the match, Gideon was making too many errors early in the point. On his card, I had reminded him to make his opponent hit an extra shot. Late in the first set, Gideon still wasn't timing the shots very well, so we focused on just correcting that timing. Slowly, the longer points began to wear on his opponent. If you watch highlights of Gideon's match, you won't see many unbelievable shots... but you won't see any bad shots either. Solid, the second set was solid. But at the end of that set, the senior Panther #2S focused on staying solid as well. Despite Gideon having a handful of set points, Anderson was able to hit big serves in big moments and fight through the tight moments. Gideon fell in a tiebreak as NorthWood earned their third team point. 

Noah had an amazing match with a very similar player. Both players liked to dictate the match with low groundstrokes. Both players tried to take advantage and draw their opponents to the net. In the first set, Noah let some frustration become tightness, and lost his aggressive edge. In the second set, Noah began to take charge of rallies early. This allowed him to have less tension, as he could always reset the point and begin his attack again. Slowly, Noah took control of the second set and was able to win through in the third.

Noah's third set win gave us our second team point, but it wasn't enough as we lost 3-2. Still, lots of improvement on the courts tonight.

What Happened in the JV Match?

The JV matches have been a joy lately. The ninth graders are improving rapidly, as are the upper grades. There seems to be a really fun spirit around this group as well. They are really soaking in their first experience of high school athletics together.

And this match was full of highlights. Ethan's forehands, Isaya's movement, Adam's net play, Dominic's hustle, Malachi and Silas with great slams. Some of these are captured in the reel and some are described below. All of our singles players played opponents with big serves and big forehands. Ethan was able to use his own weapons to find the weaknesses of his opponent. Ethan forced the Panther #1SJV deep into the court and into his backhand. In a match that was back and forth the whole way, Ethan came from 0-40 down in the final game to hold his serve and finally get some score separation, winning the match 8-5.

At #2SJV, Isaya played an opponent who sometimes offered up big slice and then other times jumped with great topspin. This was a perfect opponent for Isaya to learn about spin and how to counter them. Preparing quickly for a topspin power shot is important, but moving feet in is important against the backspin. Recognizing that quickly is an art for the best players. Isaya is learning that art.

At #3SJV, Dominic popped over after having already played some doubles. Dominic was often on the back foot in this match, being forced back because of the big serve and forehand of his opponent. But Dom hustled and kept points alive. Often, Dom forced his opponent just a little bit off the net. That little bit of distance would cause a shakier forehand or overhead, and often those would end in the net.

Adam and Dominic had earlier competed at #1DJV. These were probably the most powerful and loud opponents we've faced at JV this year. It would have been easy to back down, but Adam and Dominic let their hustle be evident to all, never giving up on an overhead or cornered forehand. Adam did a great job with quick hands at the net. But the pace of the shots was difficult for us to adjust to, we didn't quite soften our hands or judge the angle that the ball would bounce off the racket well enough. Still, it was a good match for the team to face.

Finally, Malachi and Silas also started slowly, falling down 0-5 to start their match. But playing some of their most confident tennis, that got back into it. What I absolutely loved was the way these two flew around the court, being really aggressive in trying to get to the net, finish points and force errors. In the end, they clawed back to 5-7 before finally giving up the last game.

But what a performance it was. These players are learning fast!

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 :-)

Silas and Malachi's Amazing Point

Just watch it. Adam captured it, and it may be the point of the season. The reel already has some 4,000 views on Instagram :-)

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Gid Falls Down and Wins a Point

In his tiebreak, Gideon was giving it all to cover the court and give himself a chance to take it to a third set. So much so that he lost his footing during one of his points. And still won the point... and we got that on video too. Enjoy this one...

#1D Ridiculous Angles

NorthWood is a team that plays with heavy topspin, which allows them to create really extreme angles. In the #1D match, one return one a wide serve from Justin took Justin near the #1S court trying to return it. The only play available was to skim the net and send it back cross court. The angle was extreme and sent the Panther player towards the #2D court. He scooped it up, but was only able to set Tristan up for a slam. These type of energy inducing plays were all over this #1D match!

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.

Strong Support

We don't have the biggest team this season. Bethany has had as many as 24 players on its tennis team in seasons past, this year we are at 14. That is a really great number for practice and improvement, but when it comes to having people around to cheer on the team, it's not so many. Tonight especially, I felt like both teams did an excellent job of moving up and down the courts and letting their teammates feel their appreciation for good points. The JV really helped build up the varsity in the first round of matches on the courts, and then the varsity moved between the different courts to support the JV as they came off. We love to see it, it makes the tennis so much more enjoyable.

Let's Take a Moment of Intention

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

Lord, help us take the joy of tonight and move it forward into future matches and practices and days moving through the hallways at school. We have such a gift in this short and sweet tennis season. Let us spend those days loving the simple satisfaction of chasing a moving tennis ball and smacking it across the net. Thanks! Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 - Caleb Vincent (10)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 3-6, 6-7 (3) - Nic Anderson (12)

#3S - Ian McHugh - 0-6, 0-6 - Caleb Yoder (12)

#1D - Tristan Mast/Justin Hochstedler - 7-5, 6-3 - Zach Hochstetler (12)/Ty Stankovich (12)

#2D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 1-6, 1-6 - Wes Newcomver (12)/Brennan Chilberg (11)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Ethan Claassen - 8-5 - Sam Holden (12)

#2SJV - Isaya Magatti - 3-8 - Ezra Cook (11)

#3SJV - Dominic Ramer - 3-8 - Ryker Cisney (11)

#1DJV - Adam Siemens Rhodes/Dominic Ramer - 3-8 - Shawn Miller (12)/Easton Feenstra (11)

#2DJV - Silas Martin/Malachi Yoder - 5-8 - Drew Patterson (10)/Tyler Moyer (9)

Match Report #12 - NorthWood

Instagram Highlight Reel 

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Varsity

Tonight was a really good night of responding to adversity for the Bruin varsity tennis team. The players showed tonight that they can really come back with belief, even when things have gotten difficult or aren't going smoothly. That's a hallmark of great players, which I believe we are becoming with each match.

The first piece of adversity was a bit self-inflicted. We keep trying to find lineups that balance or strengths and weaknesses. And so, more than any other season, we've played different lineups in so many matches. This means many of our doubles players keep having to play with new partners. In fact, in our 12 matches we've played 9 different doubles lineups! Many of them have performed well, and tonight we put that difficulty into play again, switching Ian into #1D. But Ian and Breece played with confidence, starting out well and showing that a new lineup, new doubles partner... nothing would stop their effort.

There were all different forms of difficulty tonight. At #3S, Gideon went down early in each set. Whether it was nerves or being a bit unfocused, he quickly got it back together. He responded with a really steady game. His groundstrokes kept him in the points well, and he was able to get forward to the net and force errors as well. Gideon was able to be our first off the court, with a 6-1, 6-1 win.

More adversity came for Noah at #2S. He also fell behind to start each set, before being able to turn it around. He was playing a player with a very similar style, and so it took him a little bit in each set to figure out how to win points, hit winners, and force errors. In the second set, he actually went down 3-1. This can sometimes bring out a little panic, but he focused on his energy and feet and charged back for the win.

The biggest moments of pressure came in the three remaining matches. Both doubles and #1S were tight matches in scoreline, and tight in each actual set. Most times these positions flipped the scorecards, they were turning one game for the Bruins and one game for the Panthers. All night, we watched the scorecards on the three courts read 3-2, 4-3, or 6-5. The close matches made for important points, and it seemed like we kept winning the most important ones.

The first of these matches to end was #2D. And in this match, Emerson and Tristan actually clinched the team match for us. Both sets for the doubles team seesawed back and forth. NorthWood would pull ahead and then we'd put the pressure on and take a lead again. Both sets had crucial 5-5 games that we were able to win, holding serve to give us the opportunity to break for the set win. Emerson and T both served extremely well, as I kept reminding them that they were good servers! They also showed a great ability to make clutch returns. Keeping the ball low, they were able to also follow it to the net with another great doubles strategy - getting 2 up at the net. With this momentum coming forward, they forced or coaxed the Panthers into errors in key moments. The match clinching point was a thing of beauty, as Tristan forced both Panther players deep with great forehands, and then he and Emerson had the net to themselves. Really proud of how they played smart and aggressive even when dealing with match pressure.

At #1D, Breece and Ian dealt with perhaps the most adversity. A new partnership, they fell behind in the first set, but immediately broke serve to even it up. From there it was back and forth, with their play never really getting to its sharpest. Breece would play well while Ian would struggle, then it would switch. They couldn't accelerate ahead as they couldn't get their best play at the same time.

This cost them the first set, and then they had a dip in energy. That energy dip also meant their quality of play went down. They double faulted, missed returns wide, put volleys in the net. But they didn't stop believing. Down 5-2, they mounted a second set comeback. They found the switch that turned the energy back on. They hit unbelievable serves and didn't think twice putting away overheads. They so turned around the match, they were an unstoppable force. Ian and Breece sent the second set into a tiebreak and there was no doubt that they would win it. They won at their second attempt at a set point, leading into a third set. 

As they were sending it into a third set, Emerson and Tristan were finishing up. This meant all the pressure was off of Breece and Ian to clinch the team match for us. So, they relaxed and played probably their best tennis to start the third set. But NorthWood stayed with it as well, and the Panthers refusal to quit brought the nerves back for the Bruins as well. It stayed nip and tuck 'til the end. Both teams fought off nerves and played big points. In the final game, Breece and Ian had multiple chances to bring it back to 5-5, but they couldn't quite get it. In the end, they dropped the third set in a very close match.

Which left us just Cameron's match to finish. Cameron has been dealing with difficulties as well. He's been flipping back and forth from doubles to singles and back and again. Even in practice we've been working on both things. After such an awesome doubles win over Westview, it took a bit for him to gain his confidence again in singles. And yet, even without full confidence in his weapons, Cam was able to win points in the big moments. When he was down in the first set, he forced a tiebreak and won it. When he lost the second set, he took an early lead in the third. When he lost the lead in the third, he finally became aggressive. He crushed some serves, forced some errors, found his short ball aggression. With that, Cameron was able to win the last three games of this intense, almost 2 and a half hour match. And we walked off the courts, despite the cramps from such a long match, knowing we can always respond. 

JV Recap

Unfortunately, this was another one of these matches where because there was action on 10 courts, I didn't get to see it all. So I don't have a great description of the JV match. I did get to watch Gabo finish off his victory at #1SJV! Leading in the match, he did an admirable job to get to the final point. Sometimes, finishing off a match can be difficult. But he kept his feet flashing and the ball in play. Keeping the ball in the court always gives you a chance, and Gabo took that today.

In many of the other matches, I got to see moments of great play. We have to keep believing in those moments all throughout the match, moving to them, believing them. That's how we'll get better. I got to see Dominic really moving into his shots, hitting great returns and serving under pressure. I got to see Elliot controlling his backhand, staying on his toes. I saw Adam moving extremely well at the net and staying active, Keagan having such pure strikes on the ball. I got to see Justin serving well, trying to move forward. All these give us the opportunity of growth!

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 :-)

Tristan Chases Down the Lob!

Ending practice the other day, I noticed that we are usually pretty bad at running down lobs. So we did a quick little drill to focus on that. In the match tonight, I got to see Tristan use that. He was up at the net with Emerson and a lob went up. Tristan sprinted back to get to the lob, and gave himself plenty of time to turn and hit a forehand. His retrieval caught the on-rushing Panther player by surprise, and he chipped the ball back to Tristan. Now regathered, Tristan ripped a forehand down the line for a passing shot winner. His hustle on retrieval set him up to win the point!

Gabo's and Adam's Aggression!

In playing doubles, it's always important to have the net player stay alert and aggressive. They create such a threat when they show that they are willing to take chances and get volleys. Gabo and Adam was just such threats in his match with Dominic and Elliot. We were leaping and leaning and dancing across the net. In these matches, the games that we won often came on errors made by our opponents while we were attacking the net. An active net person doesn't just win points with their own volleys, they win points by forcing errors from their opponents. I saw Gabo and Adam doing that tonight!

Emerson Gets Back Up!

In the third set of his doubles match, Emerson was trying to stay aggressive at putting things away at the net. The Panthers had big forehands, and in one point, Emerson began to sneak cross court to try to steal a putaway. NorthWood hit a big forehand, low over the net, and Emerson crouched and bent to volley it back over the net. He lost his footing and slipped down as the ball landed in, near the baseline in the forehand corner. Emerson quickly scrambled to his feet as his opponent prepared another forehand winner down the line, but Emerson reacted quickly to put the volley away! A true example of our resilience in the face of adversity, he got knocked down but got right up again!

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.

Surrounding Cameron

Cameron has played 5 hours and 30 minutes of high quality tennis this week. After his 3 hour doubles match with Westview at #1D, he played 2 and half hours tonight at #1S. Constantly playing at the highest level, and having to bring your best level to match it, takes it out of a person. Cameron was cramping and sore, but his teammates were ready to carry him. The guys met him at the door of the court, celebrating his long win tonight. They bumped chest and gave high fives and let him know they were proud of him and glad for him. It's fun to share these memories with our seniors - to be so proud of the work they are doing. I love to see the whole team gathered around!

Moment of Intention

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

Lord, so many things in Your kingdom are about coming back. The disciples lose faith but then come back to You. The prodigal son runs away and comes back home. There is such hope in that. Help us to not turn away. To come back. To turn toward each other like we did tonight. To turn toward You. Thanks so much!

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 - Caleb Yoder (10)
#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-3, 6-2 - Caleb Vincent (9)
#3S - Gideon Miller - 6-1, 6-1 - Ty Stankovich (10)
#1D - Breece Erickson/Ian McHugh - 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6 - Nic Anderson (11)/Logan Perry (12)
#2D - Tristan Mast/Emerson - 7-5, 7-5 - Wes Newcomer (11)/Joe Hahn (12)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Gabo Brenneman Ochoa - 8-6 - Brennan Chilberg (10)

#2SJV - Elliot Hertzler Gascho - 3-8 - Sam Holden (11)

#1DJV - Justin Hochstedler/Keagan Meyer - 3-8 - Zachary Hochstetler (11)/Easton Feenstra (10)

#2DJV - Justin Hochstedler/Keagan Meyer - 5-8 - Ryker Cisney (10)/Ezra Cook (10)

#3DJV - Adam Siemens Rhodes/Dominic Ramer - 2-8 - Trent Beer (12)/Alex Yoder (12)

#4DJV - Elliot Hertzler Gascho/Adam Siemens Rhodes - 4-8 - Shawn Miller (11)/Wyatt Hammond (11)

#5DJV - Gabo Brenneman Ochoa/Dominic Ramer - 7-9 - Logan Marker (10)/Colin Moyer (9)

Match Report #10: NorthWood

Instagram Reel 

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Varsity Recap

This match was so exciting. We've continued to build and build throughout the year, each match showing new skills and new fight. This was a match that I knew would be close going in, but one that we might have a chance to win. Before the match, I let the guys know this, saying that tonight we'd be in close matches, and sometimes it wouldn't be going well. When that happened, I wanted everyone to continue to believe - because I believed they could do it. And I wanted each of them to continue to get back in it with their energy and their feet! In each match of the varsity tonight, we got to witness that mental toughness, that moment of re-energizing. We got to build that belief, and we got to enjoy getting better again. 

It's probably best to describe this team match just by describing each individual match. I'll go in the order that these matches finished, from the one to finish first to the one that finished last. 

So #2S was the first match to finish. This match was a hard one for me to read. The points were long, as both players had consistent games. But because of this, it was hard for me to tell who was winning a majority of those points. But Noah kept flipping the scorecards in his direction, and pretty soon it was 5-0. He hadn't yet met his adversity. He continued to cruise into the second set, up 3-0, when all of the sudden he dropped to straight games. And then you could see him begin to get tight. He stood more still, he moved more slowly, the bite went out of his shots. This was his moment to believe. The match stayed tight from there on out, but Noah was able to pull away with angled net shots, deep lobs, and solid serving. He banked the first Bruin victory of the night - 6-0, 6-3.

The next match off the court was one of the most astonishing. It was #1S, where Cameron came out playing tight and his opponent came out swinging freely. That combination boiled over into frustration for Cameron, as it seemed nothing would go his way. He quickly found himself down 0-5. At the changeover, we talked about how he was playing the score and not playing each point. I encouraged him to just play each point, and then play the next. 

And everything flipped. Cameron was now playing loosely, and his opponent was playing tight trying to finish out the set. Cameron was able to win his first game, and then won a second before changing sides. He kept the momentum going by winning a tight third game. Then a fourth. Then the fifth in a row to tie the set at 5-5. Now Cameron was pumped and his opponent definitely struggling to find the court. Cameron ended the set on fire, winning 7 straight games to come back and win the first set. He kept the ball rolling in the second set, getting up 3-0. At this point, the roles reversed again, as Cam tightened up with the finish line in sight. And while it got close, he didn't stop fighting. The match ended with both players playing well and making each other work for each point, but Cam pulled out an amazing, fist-pumping victory - 7-5, 6-4.

And then we had a long wait before anything else came off the courts, because even though we had a 2-0 team lead with those victories, the third point was anything but certain. All three of the remaining matches went three sets. 

#2D of Jacob and Breece looked like they might finish in two sets. In the first set, the guys had played wonderful tennis. Breece was volleying well and Jacob was hitting his spots. Each guy really seemed to be in their flow. They also had such positive energy. They rolled out a a big lead, Breece covering the net and Jacob sweeping up anything behind him. Then in the second set, it stayed more nip and tuck, but we were always slightly ahead. The Panthers looked like they had settled down, but we still had a lead. But at 4-3, we got too tentative as NorthWood attacked. We lost 3 straight games and instead of a third team point, we were headed to a third set. 

Jacob and Breece regrouped, got new tennis balls and headed back with focus. Energetic feet, energetic teamwork. And right from the get-go, they executed. A service game from Breece put them up 1-0. Then a hard fought break of serve to take the 2-0 lead. Jacob served a good, long game to make it 3-0. Another long break game to go up 4-0. Breece served out of some break points to make it 5-0 and the guys were pumped. A final break of serve to end a 6-0 third set. It was amazing to see these guys really keep fighting, defending the big points and really making some great volleys. As their match ended, we had our third team point for the victory, but still two third sets to finish up.

At #1D, we had a comeback on! Austin and Matthew had hung in a tight first set, down 3-4 on the change of sides and playing with good momentum. But then, they stopped being aggressive and confident, dropping two games. But buoyed by great crowd support, they started the second out strong, sprinting out to a big lead while really playing some great tennis. What impressed me most in their play over this set is how they were playing out the doubles adage - "Aggressive shots to simple shots." They ripped forehands, moved at the net, finished overheads, stayed on their toes. Moving into a third set, they kept that same kind of momentum, putting pressure on by serving so well too. Holding the 5-4 advantage, they needed a break to win the match. They got it on a fantastic point where Austin made some reflex volleys at the net and then poked a forehand volley between the two NorthWood players for the victory. A senior and family filled crowd really cheered loudly as the Bruins won another match.

Which left just Ethan playing a long #3S match. What really impressed me in this match was Ethan's resilience. There were parts of this match where Ethan wasn't playing all that well. He would drop two games in a row, he would push ball long or wide, or his opponent would take advantage of Ethan's court positioning. But Ethan always responded in this match. Even after losing a close first set, he came back with a great, long opening game to the second set and built a small lead, 2-0. That lead really seemed to fill Ethan with confidence, and he continued to build. One game thing I noticed in this match was the way that Ethan served. He was able to get a lot of "free" points by forcing return errors from his opponent. Which was great, because these two played loooooooonnnnnnggggg games. I don't think I've seen so many games go to deuce. Over and over, they'd end up in deuce games. But tonight, Ethan had the consistency and the weapon to pull enough of them out. He ended up the 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 winner on the evening!

And so, we'd ended up with a close match, but a 5-0 team victory. It was a really fun, high level match. It was a super fun night because of the HS tailgate event that brought a bunch of fans out to watch. And it was fun as we built on what we've been doing with our tennis. We will continue to build it up!

JV Recap

While I had to leave before the JV match ended, I was so happy that I got to see a little bit of each JV match. There were so many good ones tonight!

I love watching Jacob and Josiah play. I really wish for them that they'd get one of these tiebreaks. They will at some point, because they are playing such good points. It was really fun to watch them control the net and really play to the best of their skills - Jacob hitting good forehands, Josiah's with touch shots at the net. Unfortunately, the match didn't end with their win.

At #2D, Adam and Ian kept trading games. For one, they would dominate the net and the flow of play. In the next one, NorthWood would dominate the net. It was a reminder that really being active at the net and hitting it away from the other team's net person are staples of good doubles play. In the end, Ian's forehands and Adam's volleys won the day. It's awesome to watch the quick hands and feet they have when scrambling through points.

In the first singles match, Keagan was playing beautifully. His groundstrokes were fabulous, and when he could get in rallies, he often found himself winning them. Unfortunately, early in the match his arm started to hurt. It kept affecting him so that he couldn't hit his normal serve. This threw his game off a little, but that first game where he was feeling good was so full of promise!

The other matches were ones I didn't get to see as much of, but I know that at the end, it was either going to be a tie or a loss for the JV based on the result of Xayvion's close match. From what I gather from texting with Daniel, the team gathered around and cheered Xayvion to a close win. These are moments I really enjoy, and am sad that I had to miss. But again, it seems like the JV is really starting to pick up their game as well.

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 :-)

So many moments of joy! I was trying to take notes on my phone of all the awesome moments before I forgot them, but it was so hard. There were too many! I'm going to list the ones that I saw, and fill in the details as soon as I can...

Noah's match point

So much of Noah's tennis ability comes from being able to be consistent. But he really plays his best when he adds quick movement and hustle to that. In a close last game, Noah's opponent hit a ball deep to Noah's backhand. Noah sprinted over and scooped it up, but his opponent had approached the net. He hit a little drop volley, and Noah took off at full run to get the ball. He reached it and scooped it up, landing it in for the winning shot!

Cameron's "screaming" winners

In the midst of Cameron's 10 game streak, he had two points in a row that really stood out. On both points, he played points that enabled him to move up to short balls. On both points, he whipped forehand shots that wrong-footed his opponent, leaving him unable to turn around and cover the court. Both points therefore ended in winners, and Cameron letting out a shout of victory. But after the second amazing winner, Cameron screamed so loud that he literally lost his voice for a bit. So, yeah, he was pretty pumped.

Austin's reflex volleys

Austin had one point where he was under fire. The NorthWood net players were firing volleys right at him. Dodging and flicking his wrist, Austin was able to send two volleys back into the court, the last one actually finding some open space. As his opponent ran to pick it up, Austin positioned himself in the center of the net and slammed down the next shot for a winner. A quick transition from defense to offense!

Josiah's amazing volley point

Near the beginning of his match, Josiah and Jacob played an amazing point. It began with Jacob's great serve, and a return that was low over the net. Josiah hit a wonderful touch volley, which the Panthers scooped up low to him again. Josiah shifted and made another great touch volley. At a full stretch, the NorthWood opponent lifted it up again. Josiah was able to strike this ball deeper to the still back returner. The returner tried a passing shot, but Josiah cut it off at a great angle. Lunging, the ball was lofted to Josiah's overhead, which he put right through the middle. It was a great example of continuing to expect the ball to come back and finishing with simplicity!

Keagan's forehand rally

In the first game of Keagan's match, I saw a point that just warmed my soul. It was Keagan trading forehands with his opponent, but I loved it so much because it was just like our Cross Court Battle drill. Keagan had the upper hand the whole time, forcing his opponent deeper as Keagan struck beautiful forehands. And Keagan just kept going cross court, which was smart. The moment that his opponent tried to change the direction of the point, the ball went long and Keagan won the well constructed cross court battle!

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.

True Excitement

We had a number of players win their matches tonight. And when we win our individual matches, it's easy to get excited for ourselves. But we turned that individual excitement into team desire tonight. As guys won (or lost), they quickly became invested in other matches, hoping and cheering for our teammates to get a victory. It was like we were wanting to share that feeling of victory with one another. And that is really satisfying to see as a coach. While I had to leave before the final match, it was so encouraging to get a text from Coach Daniel saying that even the last match on court had everybody gathered around, cheering like crazy for a victory for Xayvion. I love that true excitement for one another!

Moment of Intention

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

God, I pray that You continue to encourage us to encourage one another. Help us be people who love You and love others. In that way, I also pray that we are a team that loves our opponents. On a night where we are excited, it can be easy to forget about the other team. We know that You are working in the lives of all people, and know all situations. We want everyone to experience Your love and grace. So, we pray that for the teams that we face this year. May we represent You well, competing with joy, not animosity. May we continue to build that joyful attitude, and may we show that to each team that we play. Thanks God. In Jesus name, amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 7-5, 6-4 - Nic Anderson (10)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-3 - Isaac Roberts (12)

#3S - Ethan Pairitz - 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 - Wes Steiner (12)

#1D - Austin Shenk/Matthew Dyck - 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 - Brady Chupp (12)/Charles Anderson (12)

#2D - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 - Logan Perry (11)/Karson Kirby (12)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Keagan Meyer - 1-8 - Wyatt Hammond (10)

#2SJV - Xayvion Maust - 8-6 - Wyatt Petrie (12)

#1DJV - Jacob Shank/Josiah Schlabach - 8-9 (5) - Joe Hahn (11)/Wes Newcomer (10)

#2DJV - Adam Siemens-Rhodes/Ian McHugh - 8-6 - Trent Beer (11)/Skee Mishler (11)

#3DJV - Emerson Landis/Jacoby Reinhardt - 8-3 - Brennan Chilberg (9)/Ezra Cook (9)

#4DJV - Tristan Mast/Justin Hochstedler - 3-8 - Alex Yoder (11)/Caleb Yoder (10)

NorthWood - Match Report

Varsity Recap

These matches are really heartbreaking for me. This season, we have now lost 5 matches. 4 of those 5 losses have been by 3-2 score lines. And while that makes for exciting matches, memorable points, and lots of tension... I'd also like to win one :-)

So, how'd we get to 3-2 in this one. Well, Braden again came out playing extremely well. The number of times that he had game points to get on the scoreboard was remarkable, considering that he didn't win a game in the match. But in this match Braden served well, defended well, rallied well, moved his opponent, stayed in points... but he couldn't get the breakthrough.

It was a little funny actually, because even though he lost without winning a game, Braden was actually the third match to finish. The other two singles matches finished before him. Josh played one of the best matches of the season. Everything that he did seemed to have the right touch. Josh is improving quickly as the season goes along and that's really fun to see. In this match, he did not lose a game. And he had some points where he just dug in and refused to lose. I love that Josh is embracing his style of tennis, and finding joy in what it provides.

Theo didn't have the best match today. From the first game where he double faulted twice, I could sense that something was off with Theo's game. His opponent took advantage of that, and was also really talented. It seemed that no matter what type of shot Theo hit in this match, his opponent was able to put the ball in the exact spot that he wanted. It left Theo scrambling quite a bit in the match, and not being the one in control of the points. 

Which left it all to the doubles. And what matches these guys played! In both doubles positions, we dropped the first set with less than stellar play. At #2D, we just started slowly, trying to do too much, and too early in the point. At #1D, we actually played a pretty good first set, but we definitely made mistakes at big points. Too many double faults and too many times where we were really choosing difficult shots to try to make. We needed to simplify.

Both positions responded to that challenge well. Aaron and Austin got into the rhythm that they've found several times this season, where they are aggressive with their feet but simple with their placement. They really controlled their second set and it went quickly, soon into a third and deciding set. While they were starting their third set, #1D got a 5-3 lead in their second set. Again, we were focused on doing simple things, like getting the ball lower instead of overpowering our opponents. This led to simple putaways. After a missed chance to serve out the second set, Tyson and Joseph broke serve and went into a deciding set as well.

Aaron and Austin's third set got nervy, but I was especially proud of them because they kept up their feet. They shuffled forward to balls, thus giving themselves the best chances to hit simple shots. In the end, their relentless pressure of good shots caused their opponents to break down a bit. The few more errors combined with a few more simple finishing volleys. And #2D won, making the team score 2-2.

So, it all came down to #1D and their third set. It did not start out well for the Bruins. From the first game where we got broke, we found ourselves in an 0-4 hole to start the set. Again, as it so often is, it was too complicated and too many double faults. Rather than getting our feet into the right spots to make the simple rally shots and get in position, we were leaning and blasting and hoping that one amazing shot would do the trick. It didn't. But we responded so well. Down 0-4, Tyson and Joseph adjusted again, deciding to play "1-2" tennis. Instead of relying on one blazing shot, they planned to hit this shot good, and then the next one good, and then the next one good - and in that way keep piling on the pressure. It worked. We won 3 straight to get to 3-4, and then after dropping the next, we won 3 more to lead 6-5. 

But as so often happens, having the lead suddenly worked on our nerves. Our feet went into quicksand and we found ourselves again trying to make difficult, Superman shots from difficult positions. That's just what happens when we get nervous (see the U.S. Open's mens final for an example :-) We couldn't get the break of serve to take the third set, and so into a tiebreaker it went. 

Tiebreaks are typically won by the team that can stay smart and aggressive. And that's exactly what NorthWood did. They got up early, and we hit some tentative double faults. Then we hit an overly aggressive double fault. Then they hit a big passing shot. And in the end, our last shot fell in the net and it was a bummer. 

The most difficult thing in tennis is to stay in a consistent, smart, aggressive mindset - to stay attentive to each point with your feet and with your choices. In these matches, we'll need to develop the habit of "aggressive shots to simple spots." Then we'll grab some epic victories :-)

JV Recap

The JV played excellent tennis today. Every time that I had a free second, I tried to see the scores and the strokes of the guys. Unfortunately, because the varsity match went right down to the wire, I didn't get to see as much as I wanted to. 

Highlights though were Cameron's continued run of great form. I can't wait to see him continue improving. Also, Ian and Adam got two wins on the night, which was awesome for them! Jacob Leininger joined in the two win category as well, finding his groundstroke rhythm in his singles match and then getting a doubles victory as well. 

The spirit of the JV was just very confident in this match. Even those who didn't win felt like they had played really well. Justin got to play his first singles match, and moved well and hit well, almost coming out with a win. Matthew played a long match, and couldn't quite finish it with a win, but continues to grow in consistency. Josiah and Kameron continue to have great fun together, energetic and full of hustle. And Obed continues to get our most cheers, as he improves and wins more and more games each time that he plays. I love the positive attitude, and the commitment to getting better that our JV guys are showing this year. 

Moments of Joy

Okay, time to fess up. I was so nervous, that I didn't write these beautiful points down. Maybe this time, you should comment on what the most joyful moment was in your match. Put them in the comments below!

Moments Together

I love the long match where we all end up watching one final match together. But what I loved most were the compliments that I heard whispered through the crowd as we watched Joseph and Tyson. Guys were impressed at how they handled pressure points, how they served, and how they stayed positive. Guys were noticing the good positioning and the good belief that they had. And even as it didn't turn out the way we wanted, guys were full of positive compliments for the #1D who had worked so hard. While we want to win, I love it when we show love more. Thanks guys!

Prayer

Lord, thanks for a beautiful night and wonderful people to share it with. In the end, the varsity match left me disappointed. Refill us with joy. Let us move with confidence in nervous situations, let us rejoice, because You are near. We may not always win, but we are noticed and important. Thanks for being with us whatever we feel. Thanks for affirming us no matter what we do. Thanks for encouraging us. We thank You, in Jesus name!

Scores

Varsity: 2-3

#1S - Braden Bohn - 0-6, 0-6 - Ben Vincent (12)

#2S - Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 1-6, 1-6 - Brady Chupp (11)

#3S - Josh Cartwright - 6-0, 6-0 - Isaac Roberts (11)

#1D - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Tyson Miller - 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (3) - Treyton Martin (12)/Gage Gongwer (11)

#2D - Aaron Shenk/Austin Shenk - 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 - Brad Demitruk (12)/Chaz Yoder (11)

Junior Varsity: 7-5

#1SJV - Cameron Heinisch - 8-3 - Karson Kirby (11)

#2SJV - Matthew Dyck - 7-9 - Wes Steiner (11)

#3SJV - Jacob Leininger - 8-5 - Logan Perry (10)

#4SJV - Justin Hochstedler - 6-8 - Joe Hahn (10)

#5SJV - Obed Lopez - 3-8 - Alex Yoder (10)
#6SJV - Josiah Schlabach - 8-4 - Wyatt Petrie (11)

#1DJV - Breece Erickson/Ethan Pairitz - 6-8 - Skip McCoy (12)/Charles Anderson (11)

#2DJV - Kameron Branum/Josiah Schlabach - 2-8 - Jaxon Miller (11)/Nic Anderson (9)

#3DJV - Jacob Shank/Tristan Mast - 8-4 - Skee Mishler (10)/Will Geyer (10)

#4DJV - Ian McHugh/Adam Siemens-Rhodes - 8-3 - Kane Bellman (10)/Trent Beer (9)

#5DJV - Ian McHugh/Adam Siemens-Rhodes - 8-4 - Andre Hostetler (10)/Shawn Miller (9)

#6DJV - Kameron Branum/Jacob Leininger - 8-3 - Wyatt Hammond (9)/Sam Holden (9)

NorthWood Match Report - 2019

Scores

V: NorthWood 5, Bethany Christian 0
JV: NorthWood JV 5, Bethany Christian JV 4

Photos
Click here for photos from the match.

Varsity Recap

For the second time this week, we went up against a team that is highly ranked in our district. For the second time this week, we put up a good fight but couldn't quite finish. That was very much the theme of the night. We would put ourselves in good positions, but then weren't quite able to put away the final ball to win the point or finish the game.

At every single position tonight, we kept the games close. For example, at #1D Joseph and Nathan had a game point in each game of the first set, but lost the set 6-4. That could have very easily gone the other way. Braden pushed almost every game of his second set to deuce. Caleb fought out long points, as did Josh at #3S. And Will and Tyson had the closest match of the night, always looking like they were on the verge of a major comeback.

But we couldn't quite finish it off. We'd have a 15-40 lead and hit a volley in the net and then return into the net. We'd be up an "Ad" multiple times in a game but hit groundstrokes into the net. In some matches, our opponents would play these big points really well, pulling off topspin lobs or down the line approaches that we couldn't reach.

Great teams step it up in the big points. NorthWood did that on Friday. I think we're heading in that direction.

This finishing theme all comes down to competence and confidence. We have been working hard in practice to create the competence, and hopefully that is beginning to click for you guys. That hard work should translate into confidence. But whether you are actually putting in the hard work is down to the team. Will you practice with attention, intention and energy? Will you put it in for the whole practice?

Junior Varsity Recap
Ridiculous improvement. That's what I see from our JV right now. And I have to keep pointing it out because it doesn't always show through in our results. Tonight, we would have won the match if none of their players would have played a second round. Same thing was true for Tuesday against Westview. And Fremont earlier in the year.

But having these matches against top players also pays dividends. Jacob Leininger is starting to realize that he can hit with the #2SJV players, and needs to work a bit more on preparation, movement, and placement to win more points. Breece is starting to realize his serve is dominant even against #1DJV players. And Jim and Xudong are starting to pick up wins over higher positioned people as well.

Just like the varsity, it's time for the JV to develop confidence. Knowing how to move and how to swing and forgetting about the score. Playing fun and aggressive tennis, the way we continue to learn how.

You are accepted.

Before this match even began, I was tired. I had spent the previous two days at Camp Friedenswald with sixth and seventh graders, staying up too late and listening to twelve year olds "spill the tea." But I also knew you, and knew you would provide me the energy to coach and help you through the match. I love that piece of our team, that I feel like I know who each of you are, and knowing that makes me excited to be with you and help you compete, even when I'm dead tired :-)

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

1. Braden's Best Play
Braden was certainly playing one of the best players he'll face all season tonight. NorthWood's #2S won their conference last year, and returns to his same position this year. But Braden didn't have any quit in him tonight. The score may not look like much, but Braden played outstanding tennis. I hope this type of aggressive tennis continues for Braden, because it will launch him into a great end of the season.

2. Cameron's Strategic Adjustments
Early in Cameron #1SJV match, it became obvious what his opponent wanted to do. He wanted to get to the net quickly and shorten rallies. And the rallies were short, but the games were long as Cameron hit some lobs in, some out, some passing shots for winners, some went wide, etc. So Cameron and I quick talked about keeping the ball deeper in the court, and not allowing his opponent to approach as easily. The points went longer, but Cameron won far more of the points. Then his opponent adjusted as well, bringing Cameron forward on short slices. So Cam and I talked about eliminating that threat by sprinting when we saw the slice. Suddenly, Cam had taken away two of his opponents weapons. And from 4-3 down, Cameron came away with a wonderful 7-5 victory.

3. Breece's Serves
Breece has always had great potential as a server. He's tall, he's played baseball (which helps a ton!) and he knows how to hit it hard. But he's had difficulty being consistent. In this match, he won a ton of points as he began to take steps toward consistency. He boomed big serves through the #2DJV match and made things difficult on his opponents. Its these improvements that give me continue hope of program strength.

You have achieved.

We came out tough tonight. That is an achievement.
We pushed every game toward deuce. That is an achievement.
We put ourselves in winning positions with our movement. That is an achievement.

Prayer
God, this week was good. It was good weather to play tennis. It was good focus in practice. It was good improvement from the players. It was not always the result we hope for, but help us to keep hoping. As we put our faith in getting better, in the process, help us to realize that is what life is about. That is what faith is about. It is about living every day with you, hoping that we live a little bit better with our neighbors than the day before. That is inspiring to me, that each day, I am invited into Your love. May we joyous receive the invitation, and extend it as well. Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Caleb Shenk - 1-6, 2-6 - Wes Troyer (12)
#2S - Braden Bohn - 0-6, 2-6 - Ben Vincent (11)
#3S - Josh Cartwright - 0-6, 1-6 - Chase Horner (12)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 4-6, 2-6 - Jack Wysong (12)/Landon Holland (12)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 3-6, 2-6 - Bryce Harner (12)/Treyton Martin (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Cameron Heinisch - 7-5 - Nate Clickovich (12)
#2SJV - Matthew Dyck - 6-2 - Skip McCoy (11)
#3SJV - Jim Lyu - 6-3 - Chaz Yoder (10)
#4SJV - Xudong Sun - 6-2 - Riley Linville (11)
#5SJV - Jacob Leininger - 0-6 - Skip McCoy (11)
#6SJV - Josiah Schlabach - 1-6 - Gage Gongwer (10)
#1DJV - Theo Siemens-Rhodes/Austin Shenk - 5-7 - Brady Chupp (10)/Gage Gongwer (10)
#2DJV - Chris Craw/Breece Erickson - 6-7 (3) - Brad Demitruk (11)/Logan Perry (9)
#3DJV - Kameron Branum/Jacob Shank - 3-6 - Wes Steiner (10)/Charles Anderson (10)