I really like the way... Sectional Final v. Fairfield

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Recap
It was a beautiful Friday night as the Bruins competed for the Sectional title against the Fairfield Falcons. Fairfield entered the evening with an 18-2 record, and had beaten the Bruins 3-2 earlier in the season.

The two positions that we really needed to win to have a chance tonight were the #2 and #3 singles positions. Gideon and Judah had won in tight matches earlier in the season. Tonight, Judah pulled ahead early, continuing the fantastic tennis he's played here at the end of the season. Taking the first set, he raced out to a lead in the second as well.

Gideon's match started on serve, Gideon trailing early 2-1. Then, like the Sectional Semi-Final, Gideon ripped off 5 straight games to take the set. He really was steady in these games, not making mistakes and finding a great rhythm. The second set started on serve again, but Gideon made the breakthrough, taking a 4-1 lead.

Both Judah and Gideon were able to close out their matches and give the Bruins two needed points on the night.

Unfortunately, the other three matches didn't go our way. #1D and #2D came out with great focus and energy in their matches. They took the leads in the early games and had game points to get on the board. But they couldn't quite convert and fell into early 3-0 holes.

But there was plenty of fight in the Bruins. Malachi and Ethan came back, pushing toward the net and putting pressure on their opponents groundstrokes. Emerson and Keagan ripped forehands from the baseline, sometimes right through their opponents at the net.

But all credit to the Falcons, they responded each time. They played some of the most error free and solid tennis the Bruins have faced this season. They took the first sets and the confidence that came with that at both doubles spots.

Fairfield built solid leads in the second set as well, but the Bruins made a final push. Both doubles teams played their best tennis in these second sets, pushing and trying to make the matches go on. But again, things fell off and the Bruins lost both doubles after putting up a great effort.

And it was another stellar effort from Noah against his undefeated opponent at #1S. Noah tried every strategy in the book, high shots, low shots, slice, power, coming to the net, moonballing... and the Falcon #1 dealt with them all. In the end, the variety and skill of Noah's game was on display. He can be so proud of all that he's gained and showed for the Bruins. Yet it wasn't enough to find the third point.

And so the Bruin season comes to an end. I can't put into words how incredibly proud I am of this team and its accomplishments. For now, I'll just end by saying I love how this team played in a way that was positive, electric, and full of belief. Thanks for a great season!

Love you 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 JV supported us

Even before the match they were lending their energy. We were the only school throughout the week that brought their whole JV with us, and our guys were engaged and helpful. They gave us energy with every good point. They got to hear and see exactly what Sectional is like, so they are ready for their chance next year. I can't wait to see them step up.

- I really like the way we played

Despite the scores, we played really well tonight. We pushed our opponents, we made them come up with great tennis and great shots. They just... did. But I don't regret the way we were playing. We stayed positive. Even when we were down big, every point seemed to give us new hope and new energy. I loved that.

- I really liked the way we ended together

The seasons really starts together at tennis camp, where we hang out, play games, and eat together. Tonight, at Dominic's, we ended the same way. Playing Madden and ping-pong. Eating pizza. Just spending time together. It's a reminder that we really do this sports thing because of the people. And I'm thankful for this group of people!

Prayer
God, thanks for this season. It was unbelievable. Many blessings and memories formed together. Thanks for the way You were with us, in the good and the bad. We are grateful, and worship You.

Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 0-6, 1-6 - Garrett Stoltzfus (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-2, 6-2 - Drew Beachey (10)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-2, 6-1 - Conner LeCount (11)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 2-6, 0-6 - Brant Garber (11)/Andrew Mathews (11)
#2D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 0-6, 1-6 - Cameron Cripe (11)/Grady Garber (11)

I really like the way... Sectional Semi-Final v. Bremen

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Recap
In the first round of Sectional, the Bruins took on the Bremen Lions. Fans gathered to see if the Bruins could turn around a 3-2 loss to the Lions from earlier in the season. 

And the Bruins came out on fire. All five positions took leads early in the first sets. Noah played close games where he wasn't quite finding his best game, but was often winning the big points. Noah's opponent was really swinging away at his shots tonight, hitting much bigger serves and attacking groundstrokes than the last time we faced the Lions. His attacking style forced some errors, but Noah was able to find the right shot at the big moments. Though the match wasn't moving quickly, Noah build a 4-1 lead and was able to close out the first set.

Gideon was in a great place, serving well and being patient, making his opponent hit multiple volleys to win points. His opponent was always trying to put pressure on, either by making the points long and consistent or by driving a low ball and attacking the net. Today, Gideon was keeping cool and making the Bremen player dig out tough low volleys if he attacked. That was setting Gideon up with mid-court balls to make the passing shots. After trailing 2-1 on serve, Gid ran off a series of 8 straight excellent games to take the first set and stretch out to a 3-0 lead in the second. It was great tennis, on the front foot and in control of points without overhitting.

Judah was also playing well. His style of staying on his toes and never giving in was paying dividends. His Lion opponent had beautiful groundstrokes, with plenty of power. But Judah was a pro at finding the right shots to draw errors. He hit his forehand cross court to drive into the left-handed player's backhand. He found a variety of shots to move the Bremen #3 around the court. Judah played with great tempo and confidence, winning the first set and moving ahead in the second.

At the doubles, Emerson and Keagan were sharp, the perfect balance of placement and pace. The groundstrokes in this early part of the match were so beautiful, driving the Lions deep back in the court. We were also sniping off points at the net. What I loved early in the match is that Emerson and Keagan were really winning the big points, putting the games into deuce and then getting the Ad. It was nip and tuck close, but we were staying in a positive mindset. 

And Malachi and Ethan were forcing errors as they drove forward in the court. These two did a great job serving and being a presence at the net. It was something else to see Ethan flying around the back of the court, and then Malachi back and forth at the net. It was a great first set for the Bruins, converting on their energy and putting it into footwork and form. Their pointed and intentional tennis pushed their opponents back, and many Lion shots ended up in net or drifted long. 

So, the Bruins ended up winning first sets at 4 of the 5 positions. Gideon continued his great play on the day, and was the first to serve out his match and win the first team point for the Bruins. It was a great win for Gideon, turning around a spot that we had lost when we faced the Lions at the Bremen Invitational. 

#1D had lost a really close first set, down to just the difference of one break of serve. Their opponents had continually gotten more consistent throughout the first set. This continued in the second. Without errors from their opponents, more was required of the #1D's shot and net attacking. They've shown this ability throughout the year, in matches like Northridge and Jimtown. But tonight, the attacking balls seemed to clip the tape or sail a bit wide. The Lions took the #1D spot.

But Noah followed with a victory, fending off an opponent who was playing inspired with some patient points. Noah continues to be the champion of our program, winning in ways that get the job done. Tonight, his forehand really helped him, and he provided the second point for the Bruins.

The final point of the Bruin victory was provided by Judah, who held off nerves and an amazing set from his opponent to seal the Semi-Final win. In the second, Judah led 5-2 when his opponent just decided to lock-in and not hit any balls out. Trying to finish out the match was a challenge, but Judah served a great game, and played an excellent match point, hitting so well and watching an opponent backhand fly past the baseline for the win.

#2D had journeyed into a third set at this point, which they didn't end up winning. They had continued to have moments of great aggression, taking a 2-1 lead in the final set. But some errors began to pile up and their opponents had tightened the screws on their own games. Malachi and Ethan needed to force some errors but found themselves a bit too much on the back foot. They cheered as Judah provided the point to move the Bruins on to the Sectional Final, and they'll be ready to attack that match.

So the Bruins had a 3-2 victory and are into the Sectional final. So proud of the calm confidence we showed tonight. It was a great way to start off a Sectional.

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 JV supported us

I could hear them throughout the match. Calling out, getting the varsity guys to echo back. Giving energy to the places that we needed energy. In every match, we need the encouragement and support. Those outside the fence play such a crucial role in getting the team over the finish line. I loved the way our JV were positive and electric, and filled us with belief tonight.

- I really like the way we started the match

We talked before the match about coming out calm and confident. We did exactly that. I could really feel the belief in that early part of the match. Every court was decisive in their movement and groundstrokes. I believe that is what confidence really brings, a simplicity that allows us to have fun with what tennis is really about: swinging away at that moving target and enjoying ourselves as we face that challenge. I loved the way we did that!

- I really like the way we continue to be

I'll say it over and over. I like this team, this group of people. From the seniors to the 9th graders, this is a fun group to hang out with. Thanks for being there together today!

Prayer
God, we are grateful again for another beautiful day of tennis. Grateful for another day with our team. Grateful for the people you are moving us to be. Ultimately, we want to pursue trust in You over everything else. We know that we might not always succeed, but we believe that the desire to please You does please You. We thank You for the attitudes You enable us to have, and we pray for moments of joy that we can share with one another. We pray that we show Your loving and supportive care to each other as well. Thanks for all that You are, for Your way in the world.

Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-2, 6-3 - Brock Ginter (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-2, 6-2 - Chase Devine (10)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-4 - Corbin VanVuren (11)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 3-6, 1-6 - Max Barnes (11)/Maddux Hickman (11)
#2D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-3, 2-6, 2-6 - Micah Porter (11)/Blake Grove (12)

Sectional: Goshen Match Report - 2019

Scores

Goshen 3, Bethany Christian 2

Varsity Recap

I am so proud of you. I am SO proud of you.

Last night, we lost. But we played our hearts out. Every single position, up and down the line, played with courage, joy, confidence and energy. And when that happens, nothing more can be asked. Just tip the cap to your opponent, because Goshen played great last night too. And pick our heads up because we laid it all out there, and we can be proud of that.

I'm proud of #2D, Will and Tyson. At the beginning of the season, these guys suffered some mental setbacks. They wanted to play higher in the lineup. They had been hoping for singles. They had been preparing for different partners. And they struggled to find their rhythm. Even in that, they've won big matches for us as a team. They sealed the win against Concord, and against Elkhart Central, both with big three set wins. But with their match against St. Joe at the Portage Invitational, they became a different team. Instead of just being good at #2D, they became dominant.

They were very dominant tonight in a match against Goshen. In the first set, it was obvious that both teams were very pumped up, but we were simply better. We stroked the ball around the court, we used our volleys well, and we served extremely well. Will and Tyson built a 5-0 lead and won the set 6-1. In the second set, Goshen changed strategy at the beginning and did it well, beginning to lob and force us to hit lots of overheads. The RedHawks built a 3-0 lead, but from there Will and Tyson roared back, winning 6 of the next 7 games to take the match. There was so much good movement, confident cross court hitting and more. I wish I'd get to see these guys continue their dominant tennis, but I'm so proud of how they closed out their season.

I'm proud of #1D, Nathan and Joseph. This is a match that Nathan and Joseph really wanted to win. Last time we played Goshen, they fell in a first set tiebreak, then breezed 6-1 in the second set, then won a nail-biting third set in a tiebreak. They wanted to make this one easier, because they've worked so hard at becoming better throughout the season.

And they did that tonight. Wow! What confidence they played with. Time after time, Goshen put us in difficult spots, driving groundstrokes deep or lobbing around us. And time after time, Nathan and Joseph came up with the shots to stay in the points. I loved watching them just play with instinct and belief. In both set, #1D opened up sizable leads at 4-1, and then finished off the sets with very little drama. It was great seeing them so tuned it, and great that they will continue in the Individual Doubles Tourney.

I'm proud of Caleb. During the regular season matchup with Ryan Harmelink, Caleb came out with a whimper. He didn't have any belief in his strokes then, but he has built them into formidable weapons now. And he came out full of belief tonight. In the first set, Caleb was clearly in control of the match. He was forcing mishits, he was finishing volleys, he was winning free points off his serve. He was even hitting winners. I was so proud of how he took what we learned throughout the season and brought it confidently to his match. He won the first set 6-1.

Starting the second set, I could tell that Caleb was thinking about it now. Instead of acting on instinct, he was thinking about what he should do. It's very hard to come out of that. He continued to play well, but he was missing that final ball, that finishing one. Without that, it is almost impossible to beat Harmelink. The Goshen #1 has a game that is built on forcing his opponent to hit the finishing ball. He is such a good player, and Caleb didn't have the sharpness as before. What never left was the effort, and Caleb pushed through right until the end. Unfortunately Caleb fell short in three sets. But I was so proud of his effort, improvement, and example.

I'm proud of Braden. He too kept coming back and coming back. He fell behind early to Goshen's #2S, Carlos Lichty. Down 5-3, he fought back to tie the match at 5-5. Then he fell behind again at 6-5, then again in the tiebreak. But each time, Braden made a comeback. He dug in and refused to give up. When Lichty was pounding forehands, Braden found ways to lift up some lobs. When Lichty was pounding overheads, Braden smashed some passing shots. He kept coming back, but he could never get out in front in the first set. And as a result, after fighting off two set points, he fell at the third try.

In the second set, Lichty went into "the Zone." He ran through a stretch of games where he couldn't miss. This really got to Braden, as he could only throw up his hands at a couple of shots. But he rallied. Down 5-0, Braden got to work on just trying to play each point. He won two straight games and had a chance at a third. But he came up just short. Still, his 6-7, 2-6 victory was a closer match than earlier in the season. I'm so proud of Braden.

I'm proud of Josh. What a fighter. How big an improvement Josh made. What great spirit Josh had. He came out and just played his tennis. He moved around the court, he got the ball back, he returned every ball, he lobbed. He played fantastic. Conversely, his opponent was definitely nervous in the big Sectional moment, and Josh's energy was a bit overwhelming. Josh played amazing and deservedly won the first set.

In the second set, Goshen #3S, Wyatt Fisher, made a smart adjustment to be more consistent with his shots. At the same time, Josh's energy dipped and Josh made many more mistakes. The second set went quickly to the RedHawks. We found ourselves in a third and final set, and by the time it was getting started, we could see that it would be the deciding one in the team match. Josh dealt with that pressure well. He didn't make stupid mistakes, he played the shots that he needed to, and he gave it every drop of sweat that he had. But Fisher ended up playing better. He had more weapons for the big points, he covered Josh's lobs really well, and he played through his nerves. Both players did their best. But Goshen won. And I was still so proud of Josh.

When the team season is over, I tend to have a crisis moment. I look back at all the time and effort and mental strain and practices planned and tears dealt with and jokes and strategy sessions and times that I woke up in the middle of the night worried about whether we were getting it and I wonder...

Was it worth it?

It was obvious to tell it was worth it tonight. The team spilled onto the court to greet Josh, smooshing him in the middle of a 20 person group hug. I could look every player in the eye and know that they were there for Josh. No anger, just disappointment. To go through an experience like this season, with all of you, and watch you grow...

It's all worth it.

Thanks guys.

You are accepted.

Before this match even began, I knew who you are. I have seen you practice. I have seen you argue. I have seen what makes you upset, what makes you cheer, and what makes you laugh. I have shared all of that with you over the course of this season. I knew how we would react to adversity. I knew which position it would come down to. I knew, because I love you guys. And before the match, during the match, and after the match... that is still true. It is the same way with God. God knows all about us, failures, character flaws, wounds and weaknesses, strengths

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

1. Caleb's 1st Set Ending Forehand
Favorite shot of the night for me? Hands down, it was Caleb's forehand to end the first set. Caleb controlled that first set, and I wanted him to finish it off. As it ended, his opponent dropped a ball short in the court, toward Caleb's backhand side. This is what we had been working on all week, and Caleb slid around it and pummeled a forehand approach down the line. His opponent just watched as it bounded into the fence for a clean winner and sealed the first set for Caleb.

2. Nathan's Insane Point
Umm, there was one point in Nathan's match that I'm not even sure how to describe. It started as an important point, 30-30 on his serve. And he got driven back in the court behind the baseline. He picked up two or three shots from there and kept them away from the net man, but then had to chase down a lob on the opposite side of the court. He barely both there, putting up a lob of his own and began to slide back into position. His lob got semi-overheaded, and he zoomed over behind Joseph to pick it up. The RedHawk at the net volleyed it back toward Nathan, and he sidestepped to hit a backhand, that he guided right down the line for a winner. It was such a cool point, and showed just how well we play when we stay on our toes and play with instinct.

3. Josh's Final Point
Josh's match was a really good reflection of tonight for our team. He got up early in the match, playing really good tennis. His level made his opponent have to rise up and play. His opponent picked up his level of play, and Josh kept working hard to adjust. In the final point of the match, Josh played outstanding. He lobbed over his onrushing opponent. His opponent came back to the net and hit and overhead smash. Josh got it back. Another smash. Josh got it back. Another slam. Josh got it back. 6 in a row, Josh returned. He never gave in, never dropped his head and just let the Goshen player have it. But in the end, he couldn't return the seventh overhead. This effort was outstanding, and it was reflected in each position tonight. But Goshen played their best to beat us, and that's okay. It was still joyful to watch us give that amazing effort!

You have achieved.
You played with so much courage. That is an achievement.
You brought attention, intention and energy to the beginnings of your match. That is an achievement.
You played the shots we've worked on throughout practice. That is an achievement.
You won points, games, sets, matches. That is an achievement.
You sweat all over those courts. That is an achievement.
You came together with your brothers. That is an achievement.
You started the season together, you ended the team season together. That is an achievement.

Prayer
God, You have been generous to us this season. I want to end the team season looking joyfully at all that we have been blessed with. We had close matches, tight victories, joyful practices, great teammates, days that were so beautiful I wanted to Instagram the empty courts. There were ways that our skills develop, there was so much hustle and heart and belief... thank You. May we see how these things point us toward You. You are the source of our life, may we live in gratitude. In Jesus name. Amen.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Caleb Shenk - 6-1, 1-6, 0-6 - Ryan Harmelink (12)
#2S - Braden Bohn - 6-7 (7), 2-6 - Carlos Lichty (11)
#3S - Josh Cartwright - 6-3, 1-6, 2-6 - Wyatt Fisher (12)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 6-2, 6-2 - Brenton Pham (11)/Carter Schmucker (10)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 6-1, 6-4  - Cormac Koop Liechty (11)/Moses Sawatsky (9)

Climbing Report 17: Sectional vs. Fairfield

Match Report
The end of the season is always hard to write about, because it always means the end of somebody's career. Unless the team is all underclassmen, the Sectional typically means somebody won't play high school tennis again.

But this year was an odd year for us. Though we lost 4-1, nobody is done. Our #1D seniors move on, and our underclassmen get ready for next year. So, in a lot of ways, it felt like a continuation of our climbing theme for the season. The juniors, sophomores, and freshmen keep climbing into the next season... while the seniors climb on to the Individual Sectional.

The match itself was well played but nervy. It took most of our positions a while to relax into the match. As you might guess, the exception to that was our #1D, Dustin and Jonathon. They came out ready to play and after starting the match evenly and on serve, they broke serve at 3-2 and continued to cruise from there. Really, they played a match that any doubles team could be proud of. They rallied well from the baseline and were certainly the team in control of the net. I'm really excited about the way these two have learned to play doubles, especially after thinking all summer that Jonathon would be our #1S player.

One thing that highlighted their match was their energy. Early and often they were talking and encouraging each other. Early and often they were celebrating their big points with exclamations of "Let's go!" The interesting thing is that is not a normal part of Jonathon's personality, but he has learned to have that energy to help him as the season has progressed. That energy just continued to swell as the match went on, and from the 2-2 tie Dustin and Jonathon won 10 of the next 12 games to win 6-3, 6-1.

At all our other positions, we came out playing too nervous. And the first set scores mostly reflected that. #1S and #2S were both 6-0. At #2S and #2D we found ourselves in 5-2 holes before we began to dig out of that. It wasn't that we were playing badly, it was that we were simply tentative with our shots and subdued on our energy.

But at all of the positions, we settled into the match and began to find our shots. At #2S and #2D, we made a push to come back in the first set but ended up losing. But we started the second sets with energy and confidence. In both of these positions, we took second set leads.

At #1S and #3S, we mounted comebacks - but we couldn't get over the hump. While our second sets showed good tennis, we were playing good opponents as well. So we lost those two positions and were down 2-1 in the team match.

So we needed both Jacob at #2S and Jonah and Nathan at #2D. And for a while, it looked like we were going to go three sets in those matches. Jacob was keeping his nose in front in the 2nd set, really doing a great job with his groundstrokes and touch volleys to keep his opponent on the defensive. He held a 4-3 lead in the second set and had several points to push that lead to 5-4 before falling to 4-5.

At #2D, we took the 5-4 lead and had 2 set points to force a third set. Nathan and Jonah were playing exciting tennis, but we couldn't quite seal the final shot. Just like Jacob's match, Fairfield's #2D took two games to take a 6-5 lead.

At both #2 positions, we faced the end of the match and our nerves came back. Jacob flinched a forehand long and Jonah skied a lob. Tense second points led to our shots landing just out. Tight muscles in the face of the end made us miss shots by just a bit. In the end, we lost both matches.

We had showed grit in making our way back into the match. We see our #1D advance. We finish our team season. But we still have our eyes upward.

Climbing Up (A Prayer)
Lord, You have given us a lot of goodness during this season. We have tried to pursue You. We have tried to live out of Your grace. We have tried to love each other. We have moved as close to You as we can. We don't want to let that go. We are still messes of emotions, fears, joys and more. Continue to unravel us and make Your love fill our hearts! Thanks!

Scores
#1S - Liam Bradford - 0-6, 2-6 - Aaron Streit (11)
#2S - Jacob Woolace - 4-6, 4-6 - Eric Gaby (
#3S - Braden Bohn - 0-6, 2-6 - Dylan Kaufman (12)
#1D - Dustin Miller/Jonathon Yousey - 6-3, 6-1 - Andrew Mamone (12)/Tanner Nunemaker (11)
#2D - Jonah Farran/Nathan Oostland - 3-6, 5-7 - Jarin Bontrager (12)/Ben Toole (11)

Sectional Draw 2017

From the tennis pairings show...

Sectional Draw

Here, it is. Thursday, at Goshen and against Goshen. Let's do this, together!

Prayers at Season's End

Match Description
I've been awhile coming back to wrap up the season - almost a month. But here's the end of the season review, what happened in the last two weeks.

The team season came to an end in the first round of the Sectional, we drew Goshen, who eventually won the Regional and advanced to the Semi-State. So it was not a bad loss. We knew that at the time. In fact, there were a lot of great highlights to the match.

First of all, Brandon and Simon at #1D played a very close match with a Goshen #1D team that was 25-1 and now getting ready to play in the State finals. Both sets started off back and forth and had one momentum turning game that we couldn't get. In the first set, we couldn't quite hold Simon's serve on his second attempt, and the momentum of that break propelled the Redskin pair to their first set victory. In the second set, Brandon and Simon had 6 or 7 break points when tied at 3-3. They were unable to convert, and the second set also went to Logan Troyer and Luke Rush.

In another great match, Ethan Lapp played some of his best tennis of the season in pushing Evan Beck to 3 sets. After losing the first set 6-1, Ethan gained confidence and began attacking more with his groundstrokes. His placement and depth started to rattle Goshen's #2S player, who began to make more errors. Ethan built a 5-2 lead and finally finished off the set at 6-4. In the final set, it again appeared to be Ethan who had the advantage. In fact, Ethan built a 5-4 lead but was never able to quite pull away. At the end, Evan Beck began to be very aggressive and found a form he hadn't had before his back was against the wall. His power made Ethan more tentative, and Ethan didn't get another game in the match.

However, the team match had been decided before this. Both #3S and #2D had lost matches pretty badly, and the #1D match had decided the match. However, the Bruins did win one position in the match. Byeong Min Lim had come through with a great victory at #1S, playing with poise and precision.

Goshen's #1, Hudson Kay, had played a close match with Byeong in the regular season. In the Sectional, it was not close. Byeong pulled ahead in the first set winning the first 3 games. Hudson couldn't seem to control the ball and Byeong was working him back and forth across the court. Byeong was playing in such a confident way that I wasn't worried the whole time. As the match went on, Byeong seemed to gain confidence. His serve continued to cause problems for Hudson, and Byeong won the second set easily.

At match's end, the team season was over. But Byeong would still get to play another match. It was a good season, we ended with a record of 13-7. All 7 of those losses were good losses, to either team's that were ranked in the district or to a team that won a Sectional at season's end. Probably the only disappointing thing about the season was that we didn't win one of these matches. We had so many chances. But in the end, it was a great year with a great bunch of guys.

Goshen Scores
#1S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-2, 6-1 - Hudson Kay (12)
#2S - Ethan Lapp - 1-6, 6-4, 5-7 - Evan Beck (12)
#3S - Jacob Gonsalves - 0-6, 1-6 - Hugh Birky (11)
#1D - Simon Hurst/Brandon Nguyen - 2-6, 4-6 - Luke Rush (12)/Logan Troyer (11)
#2D - Lane Miller/Jackson King - 1-6, 1-6 - Giovanni Aguayo (12)/Jacob Grewe (11)

Prayers
Lord, I am so thankful for the brothers I have spent this season with. Help us continue to grow. No matter where we head, into another season, into another sport, into our studies... keep helping us love one another and You.

Sectional Recap, Part 2

I haven't really been writing match recaps this year, choosing instead to write letters about things that I felt stood out or needed to be said about the match. But it future years, I figure I'd love to have a space that describes exactly what happened this past weekend, so I decided I'd write this out. The letters mean more... so read those here if you haven't. But if you want the match story, read on.

Saturday, Sectional Final v. Goshen

After a long night against Jimtown, we came back Saturday morning feeling fairly refreshed. It was a morning we had been waiting for most of the season. It was chance to even our record against Goshen, who had given us one of our two losses. It was a chance to win a Sectional. It was a chance to play tennis.

We gathered at 9:00 for some prayer and pep talk, then picked up the pre-tournament donuts for the coaches and we were off to the Racquet Club. Once again we had 2 courts to begin, so #1S and #1D were set to play first. They warmed up on the one court we were allotted with Byeong while Sol, Ryan, and Ethan hit volleys beside the court. I walked around humming songs to myself. I think we felt nervous, but good.

The first two matches to get started went in opposite directions, and not the way I had been thinking. #1D, Hans and Simon, our rocks through most of the season, starting off nervous and over-thinking every swing. Meanwhile, Goshen's team was swinging freely and cracking incredible shots. Quickly we found ourselves down 2-5 in a match I thought we had to win if we had a shot of winning this Sectional.

But at #1S, Jesse was the one who was attacking and playing on the nerves of Goshen's #1. Jesse had his deep shots keeping Hudson Kay on the baseline and then was attacking the short balls with abandon. He gathered a 5-2 lead and was playing excellent. I knew we needed one of these matches, so it looked okay.

Then it got really awesome. First of all, Byeong came on the courts, warmed up and then played amazing tennis. He swung freely, attacked from the baseline, hit the ball hard and forced Goshen's #2S player, Evan Beck, into some uncharacteristic errors. Byeong was able to relax and play the way that he wanted to. It was truly an awesome set, and it was quick, as Byeong captured the first set 6-1.

In line with that awesomeness, #1D began a comeback. Seth told them they were thinking too much, and I reminded them to smile and the comeback was on. Hans was whipping forehands all over the court, Simon was finishing overheads and volleys at the net. They won a game, then another, then tied it at 5, then went ahead 6-5, and finally finished the set with a 7-5 win. While this was happening, Jesse had finished his first set. So at the three positions that were on the court, we had won every first set.

I began to feel more relaxed. Especially as #1D continued to cruise through their second set. They had completely flipped the momentum and the aggression. They were controlling the points, they were putting the Redskins on their heels, they were taking away the middle of the net. They took a 4-1 lead, then began to think too much. Goshen took 2 games with some re-enlivened play. But Hans and Simon finished the match in the next two. Bruins 1, Redskins 0.

Byeong and Jesse's matches had flipped in the second set. Jesse was finding less chances to take the net and rallying out long points at the baseline, with Hudson Kay winning just a few more than Jesse. But it was enough to give Hudson a lead in the second set. Meanwhile, Evan Beck had found his game at #2S and was giving Byeong all he could handle. Byeong was still winning his serve, but couldn't break through on Evan's. This gave Evan a 4-3 lead headed into the crucial 8th game at #2S.

And while it would take Jesse until the third set to turn things around, Byeong got it turned around right there. He moved his feet and moved Evan all around the court. After breaking Evan to make it 5-4, Byeong served out the match with relative ease. Bruins 2, Redskins 0.

#2D got started and Jesse continued his third set. But for Jesse, the pattern didn't change. He was still losing just a few too many points in the long baseline rallies. His serve was holding up, but he too was having trouble breaking. Down 5-2 in the third, I encouraged him to just go for it. Turn up the aggression. Attack the net. Whatever could change the pattern.

At #2D, Goshen came out blazing. Their tall left-handed player, Peter Vukovich, slammed through the first game with massive serves. His partner, Zach Ganger, absolutely blasted passing shots right around our stunned net players, Ethan and Ryan. Despite trying to rally past some tight nerves, we found ourselves almost shut out of the first set, losing it 6-1.

So, it looked like the whole match would come down to Sol Brenneman v. Luke Rush, taking the court at #3S. And that match started out close but promising. Sol looked to be on his game, serving well and not allowing Rush to get to the net. Sol was attacking from the beginning, looking to take the match to Rush. It was tight, but Sol held a close lead through most of the first set.

#2D didn't look like it was getting any better, as Goshen rushed ahead to a 3-0 lead in the 2nd set. But Jesse's match had completely turned on his decision to get more aggressive. From 5-2 down, Jesse fought through several close games to tie the match back up at 5-5. He couldn't get the game to go up 6-5, but forced a tiebreak right after that. 7 more points and we'd be Sectional champions. And Jesse won the first 2. I was so excited. I wanted so bad for Jesse to be the one to bring the Sectional to us. Unfortunately, that's not how things worked out. Hudson won 3 of the next 4 points, and they switched sides tied at 3. Then Hudson won the next three for a 6-3 lead. Jesse made it 6-4, but then watched a forehand sail long to lose the match 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (4).

So, it all came down to Sol's match. As we turned to look down there, Sol won the first set, finishing it off at 6-3. His aggression, attacking and energy could be felt across all of the courts. It was awesome. But did it all come down to him?

Not necessarily, as #2D had suddenly made an amazing turnaround. Down 6-1, 3-0, having lost 9 of the first 10 games, I told them something simple: "You'll be mad at yourself if you don't try to have fun." I don't know if that did anything, but boy did their effort spin completely around. Ethan started to be the aggressor from the baseline, rather than the Redskin players. Ryan took dominant control of the net. And they began to return serve even better. A 3-0 deficit turned into a 4-3 lead! As Goshen got frustrated it was clear that we would win the set. We did indeed, and were onto a third. One more set, either from Sol or #2D, and we were the Sectional champion.

And to be honest, Sol made it somewhat anti-climatic. He continued to put pressure on his opponent, sweeping balls into the crosscourt corner, into the backhand, finishing with volleys and slams. Many times Rush just looked on as Sol put the ball past him. Leading 5-1, Sol had a couple opportunities to finish the match by breaking Rush's serve. As #2D waited to start a third set, to see if it was even necessary, Sol lost the game to go to 5-2, his serve.

#2D started and lost the first game. But it soon didn't matter. Sol hit his serves his spin and power, and Rush made a few tense errors. On match point, Sol came forward to a short ball and spun it deep into the backhand corner. Attacking the net, Sol watched with excitement as the ball bounced short, just in front of the net on his opponents side. Bruins 3, Redskins 1.

Our fans behind the big window cheered and threw up their hands in silent applause. I clapped loudly and turned and gave a signature Sol double fist pump to them and our team that was out there watching. I jogged over to Sol and gave him a hug, and then jogged over to #2D to give them a hug as well. The IHSAA, who was running the Sectional, requested that we stop their match since the team score had been decided and they didn't want to pay for the court time anymore. We decided to play a 10 point tiebreak to finish it, which we lost. But even though the final score was 3-2, we had still become Sectional Champions.

Our team came out onto the court with cheers and hugs for Sol, for each other. I was extremely proud watching the team unity, as JV players cheered and hugged and clapped each other on the back and truly felt like a part of the excitement. We took pictures, sang Sarasponda, and smiled a lot. It was an incredible win for the Bruins. To be the team standing at the end of this Sectional was saying something. It will be a memory that we will all treasure, along with the many others we've built with our brothers.

Sectional Tidbits

Here's some information from around the web about Bethany Christian's 2014 Sectional Championship:

Elkhart Truth - Bethany Stuns Goshen for Second Ever Sectional Title

Goshen News - Bruins Capture Tennis Sectional Championship

Regional Brackets - Bethany plays East Noble, 5:00 PM on Tuesday, at Concord High School

Blog Articles -
1. Jimtown Semi-Final Recap
2. Letters from Jimtown Sectional Match
3. Goshen Final Recap
4. Letters from Goshen Sectional Match

Bruins Sing Sarasponda to Celebrate

Letters from Sectional, Round 2

BETHANY CHRISTIAN BRUINS - 2014 GOSHEN SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS

Dear Team,
Thank you! That was an unbelievable morning and afternoon of tennis. And I've been so honored to coach you this season. Can't wait for it to continue Monday night. I want to tell you that it took incredible courage, nerves, and belief to do what you did this morning. To turn a 5-0 loss into a win is something most teams never get to say that they've done. It will make this year unforgettable for you.

And above all, the way that you made the brotherhood proud, supporting one another. The first question the newspaper reporter asked me was how we had such a great team spirit. It's always because you've bought into loving one another.

Great job, congratulations! Now, one by one . . .

Dear Hans and Simon,
Boy, did you guys ever set the tone for the match! Down 2-5 in your first set, Seth had the simple observation that it looked like you were thinking too much and not just playing. And so you went and just played aggressive and awesome from there on out. Winning 5 games in a row to capture the first set! Awesome. Epic (to use Simon's words).

And I hadn't told everyone this before this morning, but with the win, Hans Miller now has the most wins for any varsity player in Bethany Christian history (52)! What a way to do it. And smiling the whole time! So proud!

Dear Byeong,
Way to gather yourself under pressure. Against an opponent that you'd lost easily to last time, you came out playing some of your best tennis of the season. I was happy to see you hitting your shots and moving your feet. Then you got a little tentative in the second set and couldn't break serve. When you switched at 4-3, I told you to simply relax and play the way that you wanted to play. You turned the tables quickly and found yourself with a 5-4 lead, serving for the set. You held your nerve incredibly, playing one good point after another. I loved watching your composure and belief as you battled through your match to give us the 2-0 lead.

Dear Jesse,
Of everyone, I might be most proud of how you played today. You came out strong, winning the first set. You were attacking, consistent and just going for it. I loved it. In the second, Hudson began to make less errors and find more spots to be aggressive. In the third set, it looked like you were down and out, losing 5-2 and not being able to find any answers. But you were able to play aggressively, win three straight games and stave off the end of the match. You pushed it to a tiebreaker, where I thought you played very well. In the end, you came up just short of providing our clinching point, but the way you played that match (both mentally and physically) showed just how much you've grown from the first Goshen match. Great match!

Dear Ryan and Ethan,
So, we were up 2-1 when you took the courts and you knew we might need you to win. And you played ridiculously tentatively in the first set. But in the second set, down 3-0, you figured out that you just needed to have fun. To turn it around. I remember my exact words when you crossed over at 3-0, "You're going to be mad at yourselves if you don't just play for fun." I didn't know how you'd respond but I thought that it was true. You responded with excellent play. Ethan, you crushed your groundstrokes and put the pressure on them. Ryan, you volleyed amazingly well and also put them in many difficult positions. Awesome! I'm sorry you didn't get to play a full third set and dropped the super tiebreaker. I think you'd have had a good chance, but you can blame that on . . .

Dear Sol,
Incredible. Early in the season you lost three straight three set matches, and in every one of those you had held a lead. It was simply because you didn't stay aggressive. So throughout the rest of the season, you've honed your game to stay aggressive under pressure and get ready to play today's opponent for the Sectional title. And today, your preparation paid off. You came out and played brilliantly, from your serves to your attacks to your finishing overheads. Again, it was so much fun to watch. I had tears in my eyes as you finished out the Sectional title for us, knowing that you've put in a lot of mental work to get yourself there. Way to go! I was privileged to watch it.

Dear Parents and Fans,
You have no idea how encouraging you were. Playing at a venue like the racquet club where you cannot hear the fans on your big shots is kind of crazy. But looking out and seeing our cheering block with hands in the air, waving in silent applause was unbelievable. I'm sure you helped keep everyone light and ready before they played their matches too. I appreciate all of you, from the JV guys who came along to each parent and grandparent so much! Thanks!

Dear God,
Thanks. Not necessarily for the Sectional title, but for continuing to develop and grow us as people. We've come a long way as men since the beginning of the season. That is the Holy Spirit's work in us and nothing else. I thank You that we are secure in Your love. No matter what happens, we are Your sons. Because of that, we sing Your praises. Nothing on the court, in fact nothing at all, compares to the peace and the affirmation we can have when we receive Your love. Thank You.

Moments of Sheer and Savage Beauty
Of course, it was the moment that we clinched the Sectional Title! While all the matches had their beautiful moments, this match ended on Sol's service game when he ripped a topspun forehand high into his opponent's backhand corner. The ball bounded just in front of the line and left the Redskin player stretching for the ball to his backhand. He didn't get enough on the attempted shot and it fell just in front of the net, in front of Sol's hands that were pumping in victory. I clapped and smiled and felt so grateful for the way that we had played. I turned to the crowd outside the window and pumped my fists as they waved their hands in silent applause. Truly a great moment!

SCORES

#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (4) - Hudson Kay (11)
#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-1, 6-4 - Evan Beck (11)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 6-3, 6-2 - Luke Rush (11)
#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 7-5, 6-3 - Logan Troyer (10)/Zach Troyer (12)
#2D - Ryan Duckworth/Ethan Lapp - 1-6, 6-4, (5-10) - Peter Vukovich (12)/Zach Ganger (12)

Sectional Recap, Part 1

I haven't really been writing match recaps this year, choosing instead to write letters about things that I felt stood out or needed to be said about the match. But it future years, I figure I'd love to have a space that describes exactly what happened this past weekend, so I decided I'd write this out. The letters mean more... so read those here if you haven't. But if you want the match story, read on.

Friday, Sectional Semi-Final v. Jimtown

As we entered into this match, we knew that we had only 2 losses on the season, and this Jimtown team had been one of them. We were confident that we could turn the score around, but I knew something that I never told my team: The Jimmies had become an even stronger team since we had last played them. First of all, they had returned a senior to their lineup who had not played the first time. Brock Johnson had been placed at #1D and made that team much stronger. Also, that meant that one of their #1D players slid down to #2D, and that made that team stronger. And #2D was a position we lost the first time. So I was nervous.

Under rare sunny skies and in cool temperatures, we took the courts at Goshen Middle School. It looked as if we'd have clear skies until 8:00 at night, so despite a rainy week we started the matches outside. Immediately it was clear that we were well prepared to play. At every position, we took early leads. In fact, at several positions we took big early leads. #1S, #1D, and #2D all raced out to early 4-1 leads. Sol and Byeong looked a bit tentative in their matches, but both had leads as well. Soon, we were on the brink of taking first sets at the three positions where we had big leads. #2D took the first set, and just before #1D followed the cold rain began to fall.

It rained hard and short, but it soaked the courts. It would be an hour or two before they'd dry, if there was no rain, and then we'd be dealing with darkness. So we decided to head to the Eastlake Elkhart Racquet Club to finish the match indoors. We were leading all 5 matches, so I wished we could have just kept playing. Stopping and moving gave Jimtown the opportunity to refocus.

And when we got to the racquet club we were only allotted 2 courts. That meant that the pressure would be ramped up. A loss might feel bigger because the next player or team would know that it had already happened. But we were in a comfortable position at least, leading all the matches.

The first matches to be put on court were #1D and #1S. #1D were two points away from winning the first set, and when the match restarted, they won the 2 points in quick order and started out the second set with a win as well. Jesse at #1S was up 5-1 and lost the first game indoors, but then settled in and won the next to take the set 6-1.

At the very least, that meant that he'd stay on the court for awhile, which was good for team mentality. #1D finished up their work quickly in the second set, with Simon especially sparkling on his serves. They guaranteed the first point for us while Jesse played on in a tight second set.

#2D took the court next, up a set but down a game in their second set. They went back and forth and back and forth just like Jesse, but always seemed to be up a game on the changeovers. They broke serve early in the set, and held on to that break all the way to a 6-4 second set win. The set was remarkable for its aggression, as both Jimtown and Bethany attacked the net and served with power. In fact, at one point Ryan Duckworth hit an overhead so hard it bounced in and then hit the ceiling of the racquet club!

This gave us a 2-0, and Jesse was still finishing his #1S match. He had hung close in a tight second set, but ending up dropping that set. So he has headed to a third and deciding set, and we needed one more point. Byeong Min took the second court at #2S, leading 4-2 in his first set. As #1S entered the third set, Byeong stroked the ball confidently around the court to secure a 6-2 first set win. In the regular season, Jimtown freshman Holden Price had run down everything that Byeong hit. In this Sectional match, Byeong was finishing well from the net and had that extra level of consistency. He began to build a slight lead in the second set as well.

In the meantime, Jesse's #1S match finished with him falling 6-2 in the final set. It was a great effort at turning around an early loss, but unfortunately the result was the same. Sol Brenneman took the court for the final match of the night, a #3S match he was leading 4-3. Quickly, in about 9 points, he won the first set and surged ahead in the second. It looked to be a race between him and Byeong as to who would finish and secure our third point. But then, Sol lost a little focus and his opponent really picked up his play. With Sol leading 4-2, the Jimtown opponent Michael Gray smashed forehands and served and tied things back at 4-4 in the second set.

Luckily, Byeong Min finished his match off at about this time. We had a 3-1 lead and had won the match! We decided to let Sol finish off his match, and he won the next two games to win 6-4. The move indoors hadn't hurt us, and we'd played well under the indoor pressure to win the match 4-1. This was a turnaround from the 3-2 loss we'd suffered in the first match of the season. And we moved on to the Sectional Final against Goshen.

Letters from Sectional, Round 1

Dear Team,
Really proud of the way you all responded tonight. We knew that it was an important night, and you came out with fire. Despite resting one extra day, you were ready to play. As the match got started outdoors, we took the lead at every position. I was really pleased to see the belief that you started your matches with.

And then the unpredictability. Even though we thought we had clear skies until 8:00 PM, the rain dumped on us and it was time to move the matches indoors. And when we got there we had to go on just 2 positions at a time. But what a way to handle the pressure. #1D finished their match to give us our first match. Jesse took his first set and fought deep into his second set. Meanwhile, #2D came out and finished off a tight second set with aggression. Jesse fell a bit short in the third set but Byeong came out and picked us up, winning the Bruins third point and sending us into the final. Sol capped things off by finishing his tight match, and giving us a 4-1 victory.

It was a really great night of good tennis. There were lots of good points played. It was a late night of tennis, not finishing up until about 8:30.

But now, we simply focus on the next point.

Dear God,
It was a good night. You've helped these young men mature throughout the season. Really, we want to play the way that You would be proud of. And truly, it's nice to know that no matter what happens, our joy still comes from You. Continue to grow us. Continue to be near to us. May we rejoice in You! Let us rejoice! Let our calm be evident because You are near. May we not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, let us present our requests to You. And may Your peace, God, which transcends understanding guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

Moments of Sheer and Savage Beauty
At the beginning of the season, we said that really tennis is best played (and life is best lived) when the sheer and the savage join together. Here at the tournament time of the season, I've decided to no longer separate them, but put them in their proper place: together. These are the moments of sheer and savage beauty.

In Ryan and Ethan's match at #2D, once we'd moved indoors, Ethan served a beautiful hard slider to the forehand of the Jimtown player. He popped the ball up to Ryan and Ryan let loose on an overhead. He slammed it so hard it hit the court and then bounded upwards into the ceiling, which is quite a feat. Sheer and savage!

In the #1D, tonight I thought that Simon's serves were sheer and savage. I also thought the overhead that Simon hit were savage. And Hans had his fair share of sheer and savage volleys through the middle.

In Byeong's match, everything looked good. He moved his feet and got back at a scrambling, talented freshman who had taken him out in the first match. Match point was a great example, Byeong ran his opponent deep into the court, and then hit a simple angled volley with no pace to end the point.

Jesse's serves. Oh my, tonight, Jesse's serves were a thing of beauty. Especially as he served out the first set with those super serves. He was on with those strokes tonight!

And Sol's match point as well. Up 5-4, 40-30, he hit a scissor kick overhead deep into the court with pace and power. It couldn't be handled and it was the last point before we play in the Sectional championship.

Sheer and savage beauty tonight Bruins. Great job!

SCORES

#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 6-2, 4-6, 1-6 - Mikey Pawlak (12)

#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-2, 6-2 - Holden Price (9)

#3S - Sol Brenneman - 6-3, 6-4 - Michael Gray (9)

#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 6-3, 6-2 - Brock Johnson (12)/Ben Janowski (11)

#2D - Ryan Duckworth/Ethan Lapp - 6-1, 6-4 - Hunter Price (11)/Isaac Pope (11)

Sectional Draw

Wednesday, October 1 at 4:30

- Goshen v. NorthWood

Thursday, October 2 at 4:30

- Bethany Christian v. Jimtown

- Goshen/NorthWood winner v. Fairfield

Friday, October 3 at 4:30

- Sectional Championship

If there is rain any scheduled day, the complete schedule moves back one day. If needed, there may be more than one match played on Saturday. 

This is the best time of the year!

Chapter 21 - vs. Fairfield

It's hard, every year, to say goodbye to the team's season. It is terrible if you play tentative and poor tennis and then lose. Those types of losses stick with you for years. I remember losing Sectional matches when our best players weren't there, when we played awful and scared, when we never had the faith that we could win. Those are tortuous, because they always leave you wondering, "What if..."

No "what-if's" this year however. The Bruins put on a great display of playing their best tennis at the best time. And Fairfield was just better than us this year. 

Not that we didn't try. Abe, Jesse, and Sol worked all week on developing a strategy that might change the end result against 3 singles players who dominated us in our first meeting of the year. All three guys had lost without winning more than 2 games against their counterparts. We changed our schemes, changed our focus, and worked hard at implementing it. 

It worked, all of the guys had better matches than the first time around. Abe simply ran into a great player, and Jesse's match was much closer than the score indicates, but Jesse couldn't get the important points in this one. The deuces all fell his opponent's way. Sol however pushed and pried and found some cracks in his opponent's game on this day. In both sets, Sol had worked his way to 3-2 advantages, in fact holding a 4-3 lead in the second. But Marcus, a senior with 3 years worth of varsity experience, relaxed and hit out on the ball, and Sol got tight and with that little switch each set turned to the Falcons.

Our doubles, however, got the victories they had been hoping for when we last played the Falcons. At #2 doubles, Landon and Parth played a bit tight in the first set, but in the second set they simply relaxed and realized that tennis was fun. Then they played some of their best tennis of the season, easily winning the second and third sets and sending Parth off with a win!

#1 doubles, well, they followed their same pattern from the last match. They started quickly and won the first set easily, then lost quickly in the second. They picked their energy back up and took a third set lead, only to see it slip away and be in danger of losing it completely. But in the big moments, they were able to relax and be decisive. They got a few breaks along the way, including on match point when Joel's volley hit the net, barely crawled over and fell at the foot of the net, on the Fairfield side. It wasn't the best way to end the match, but Joel and Hans got the victory and will continue on in the #1 doubles competition.

After the match, we sat around eating and having a generally good time with one another. There was a sense of effort, a sense that we did our best. That's a good way to end the season. No questions, just effort, just our brothers eating together.

Thanks guys, for the season.

Varsity
#1S - Abe Thorne - 1-6, 2-6 - Austin Christner (12)
#2S - Jesse Amstutz - 2-6, 1-6 - Adam Yoder (11)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 3-6, 4-6 - Marcus Rhodes (12)
#1D - Joel Gerig/Hans Miller - 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 - Landon Nunemaker (11)/Nathan Azzarito (11)
#2D - Parth Patel/Landon Weldy - 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 - Samuel Clayton (12)/Isaac Miller (9)

Sectional Draw

Click on the image to see a bigger view.

We begin Sectional play on Thursday, October 3 against Fairfield. The match will be played at Goshen Middle School and is scheduled to begin at 4:30.

#20 - The End is Not the End

I absolutely detest writing these final match reports. In fact, if you look back through the seasons, you'll see that there are many years where I don't even bother reporting on the final match. We invest so much of ourselves trying to get to a place of success, and whenever we fall short, whether its at Sectional, Regional, or even the State finals, there is the pain of knowing that this team, as it is formed right now, will no longer be together.

So, here's the final match report, although it pains me to write it...

We came into the match against Jimtown knowing that we were the underdogs. To win would be an upset. They were 12-4 on the season. We were 13-6. They were conference champions. They had beaten us earlier in the season. They had 7 seniors comprising their varsity. We were going to have to battle.

But in this role, we were confident. We knew that we had a chance. There were several positions from our 3-2 loss that were close losses, and we had hope that we could turn them around.

To be honest, the match didn't get off to a good start for us. All of the positions, including Nathan Brendle who had only lost one match all year, were trailing at the beginning. All except for Ike Lehman, who took a lead at #3 singles. And the match was really tight. Calls were close and tempers were high.

One thing I have to praise today was the mental strength of our team. Despite the early deficits, despite the close line calls, despite having to call a line judge and having one called against us, we never really looked rattled. Nervous, yes. Rattled or mental intimidated, never.

First to rally through his match was Nathan at #1 singles. Down 4-3, he relaxed, stayed more patient and made fewer errors. He had been concerned about the team as a whole (as a good leader is) and had not been completely tuned into his match. He had looked a little tight (as happens at Sectional) and had been pushing a bit through his forehands. But when he got that focus and stroke going, he dominated his match. He was able to win 9 of the last 10 games for his win at #1 singles, guaranteeing that no matter what happened to us as a team, his season would not be over.

After a tight first set, #2 doubles got it turned around to start the second set. Quickly getting a 3-0 lead behind aggressive net play from Joel and excellent forehands from Hans, their bread and butter all season, they extended the lead to 4-1 and had several chances to get it to 5-1 or 5-2. Unfortunately, it what became a little bit of a Bruin pattern for the night, they couldn't convert the chances to extend the lead. Jimtown's confidence turned around and they picked up their play, combined with some help from the net cord, and on Hans' serve we faced match points. First, we had two chances to close to 5-5, but didn't get those to go our way. Then Joel hit a spectacular volley to deny Jimtown's first match point. But we couldn't deny the second, and the Jimmies had a point on us. Hans and Joel fought very hard in the second set, but much like our first match of the season against Northridge, we couldn't seem to convert the big points.

At #1 doubles, Himal and Parth knew they'd be fighting an uphill battle most of the night. They were facing the NSC Conference Champions in seniors Brett Aller and Cole Peterson. They were facing players who had both seen time at #1 singles in their careers. And Parth and Himal responded by playing their best tennis of the season. I've never seen Parth and Himal's returns be as crisp as they were tonight, or seen them play as much of an attacking net game. They kept the first set close, trailing only 2-3 after the first set of games. But, again following the patterns of the year, they couldn't keep up the play and lost the first set. Then they kept the second set close, until the end where the Jimmies pulled away. I was very proud of their play today, their hope and faith, but the loss put us down 2-1.

Abe Thorne had switched to #2 singles five matches from the end of this season. The switch had seemed to work against him, as he had been playing with a lot of confidence at #3 singles, and had been riding a 13 match winning streak there. The switch to #2 singles had then provided a 3 match losing streak, which he only broke in the last match of the Wabash Invite last Saturday. Going into this Sectional match, I was very nervous. He would be playing a senior with a lot of confidence, as Jake Ward had won the NSC Conference Championship at #2 singles on Monday night.

And in the first set, my fears seemed to be well founded. Abe couldn't get his feet moving, couldn't attack, couldn't get his serve going. He fell behind 5-2 and looked to be headed to a short match. In truth, any hopes we might have in the match hung on either him or #2 doubles, and both had started out down. Not helping matters were what seemed to be very close or very questionable calls against Abe at crucial points in the match. With it being Sectional, Abe didn't want to risk the calls being the difference in the match, and he didn't want to be worrying about whether they were right or wrong. So he called for a line judge, then lost the next point to lose the first set.

But the second set was a completely different story. Abe broke serve to begin the set, then held quickly with big serves for a 2-0 lead. Then it was 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, then 6-0 to send it to a third set. Throughout the second, Ward had been frustrated and hitting a lot of errors. In between sets I told Abe that this wouldn't continue, that he'd have to win the third with good tennis. He began the third with a great game. We've been working on Abe's rally shots and feet and they looked impeccable to begin the third set. Soon it was 4-0 in the second! Ward settled down at this point too, and he and Abe split the next 2 games. Fortunately for the Bruins, that was enough to give Abe a 6-2 third set win!

Which meant that the team match came down to what happened in the third set of Ike Lehman and Dan Gongwer's #3 singles match. Ike, despite his big lead in the first set, had to survive a super tight tiebreak in which he fought off one set point to win 9-7 in the breaker. In the second set, it had continued to be close, but Ike couldn't pull out the final points needed to close out the match.

So to a third set, where in the Sectional, it's usually the player who is more aggressive and energetic about imposing their style on the game wins. Ike fought through the first game, having several points to get off to a 1-0 lead, but instead fell in deuce. He then fought back to take the 2nd game and tie it at 1-1. But Gongwer was playing impressive tennis, the best I've seen him play in our limited matches against them the past two years. In fact, his level was probably better than when he played against Nate at #1 singles last year in the Sectional. Ike continued to battle, falling down 3-1 but then bringing it back to 3-2. Soon, he began to battle cramps in his calf as well. With the score 3-2, Gongwer played two excellent aggressive games. This put him up 5-2 on serve with a chance to win it for the Jimmies.

But boy, did Ike ever dig in to battle. First Gongwer, took a lead in the game, giving himself 4 different chances to close out the match. But each time, Ike was able to find a way to win the point. At deuce multiple times, Ike finally gave himself a chance to pull a game back when he crushed an overhead. Unfortunately, at the same time, he cramped and fell down on the court. Gongwer returned the overhead, but from laying on the ground Ike was able to see the ball fall out. Ike recovered from his cramp, then won the next point to pull back to 5-3.

But that was as close as it would get. On Ike's serve in the next game, he had a chance to make it 5-4, but couldn't convert. Then in the deuce, Gongwer dropped balls short in front of Ike that he just couldn't get up to in order to keep the match alive. Throwing himself at the last short ball, Ike's lunge floated long and Jimtown won.

Heartbroken is a good word to describe the end. As I've said in seasons before, you form a bond with each team in a special way. At the end, you know that this group will never be the same again. But it's not the end. It's never the end. You've got tons of love to remember. You've got a Bear warmup shirt :-) You've got your swag :-)

And Nathan gets to keep playing. So, really, it's not the end yet for Bruin Tennis 2012.

I'm proud of the team, and you'll have to check out the other post that I'll make today for more on that.

Let's always continue to win at love.

Scores
#1S - Nathan Brendle - 6-4, 6-1 - Austin Ward (12)
#2S - Abe Thorne - 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 - Jake Ward (12)
#3S - Ike Lehman - 7-6 (7), 3-6, 3-6 - Dan Gongwer (12)
#1D - Himal King/Parth Patel - 2-6, 3-6 - Brett Aller (12)/Cole Peterson (12)
#2D - Joel Gerig/Hans Miller - 2-6, 4-6 - Michael Hobbs (12)/Augie Farwig (12)