Bemidji – Brooks Johnson does not care to know where he is on the field as long as he plays tennis.
The boys tennis team from Bemidji High School high school has already jumped through alignment this season. He played singles. He played in double n ° 2 on Tuesday against East Grand Forks. Friday, during the 7-0 victory of the Lumberjacks on the lakes of Detroit over the BHS tennis courts, he joined the junior Peter Mathews with double n ° 1.
The duo won in two sets, beating Max Mermbil and Max Spponkowski with scores of 6-1 and 6-3.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
“Brooks just wants to play tennis,” said head coach Kyle Fodness. “If you put it in this court, or to this court, or in the parking lot, as long as it has a tennis racket and a net and someone on the other side, it is quite happy. And it is the right optimistic attitude you want.”
This attitude is obvious to anyone present. Johnson can be heard screaming of support through the court and even through the median competition in simple.
“I really try to spread just the influence of being super loudly on the courts,” said Johnson. “I think it’s super important, calling not only people on your side, as if I play doubles not only to talk to the guys of the double, but also to the guys on singles. I do my best to cry to everyone, simply assuring myself that we have a positivity everywhere on the field.”
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
The elderly assuming this role of vocal leadership are a tradition for the program at this stage. Johnson hopes that the next generation will pick up the following coat when he left, just as he did when it was his turn to enter this position.
“You see Brooks picking up this for the old elders when he was younger,” said Fodness. “It’s just a really cool tradition, tradition never ranks the thing, where if you continue this channel, then you always have it to these guys who come before.”
In addition to his attitude, Johnson’s stable game lent him to be Bemidji’s guy. When associated with a teammate like Mathews, who has an almost unshakable service when he shoots all cylinders, the two players benefit from it.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Fody applies this complementary approach through double pairings. The senior Max Louvar and Freshman Chase Fairchild were twinning in double n ° 2 against the Lakers, at the head of Reece Winter and Damarion Moss by scores of 6-3 and 6-0.
At n ° 3 in double, Bemidji deployed the first year student Ethan Frank and a second year student Joe Bignall. The two beat beautiful Carlson and Tristan Bristlin in two sets, winning 6-2 and 6-4.
“Sometimes you may like to match two players who are really good in something and then they can do this thing very well,” said Fodness. “And sometimes, I think it can be better to have a little mix where they can very well complement each other. … (they) all present different complementary things and it’s rather fun. Then they learn from each other, and that’s really one thing.”
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Doubles are not the only part of the range that has seen some changes. Only four games of the season, the jacks also released a few different combinations on singles. The four individual players took care of the business against the lakes of Detroit.
An unchanged position, however, was Owen Lapppinga in simple n ° 1. The recruit won a victory in two sets against Nick Buboltz of the Lakers, won by scores of 6-1 and 6-0.
BHS also impressed in simple n ° 2, while Dom Arndt won a victory in two sets (6-1, 6-0) on Jude Huglum.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
“Dom is so thoughtful on the ground,” said Fodness. “What a lucky thing for us that we had to make him join our team. … He is a good simple player, and he has been playing tennis for a year and changed. He has made a huge improvement, and one of the reasons is that he is so thoughtful. It is just an athletic brain. You play hockey, you play other sports, and it can take strategies so quickly.”
First-year student Josh Arel won the n ° 3 in single, defeating Aiden Askelson in two 6-1 sets. In simple n ° 4, the first-year student Blake Friese defeated James Lachappelle in two sets (6-1, 6-0).
With the dominant victory under the Lakers, Bemidji has improved at 4-0 this season. The FOD attributes the strong start with the ability of the loggers to adapt early in the season, although it does not have many practices under their belt.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
“I think the boys have done a very good job to make adjustments in the match and things,” said Fodness, “being willing to try strategies that they might not use as the first strategy at the beginning of the year with which they may be comfortable, but which may help them a little later in the year when you build your potential and your ceiling.
The good start of this year is not a surprise for Johnson, who throws his goal for his senior season.
“I want to push to the state,” said Johnson. “I think this team can go into the state. We have a lot of young guys. I think it would be a great experience. Many of these first -year and eighth year students and second year students, if we can show them the state, I think we can certainly create a good team not only this year, but even after this year. ”
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Bemidji 7, Detroit Lakes 0
Simple
N ° 1: Lapppinga (BHS) def. Buboltz 6-1, 6-0
N ° 2: Arndt (BHS) Def. Huglum 6-1, 6-0
N ° 3: Arel (BHS) Def. Askelson 6-1, 6-1
N ° 4: Friese (BHS) Def. Lachapelle 6-1, 6-0
Double
N ° 1: Mathews / Johnson (BHS) def. MERMIL / SPLONKOWSKI 6-1, 6-3
N ° 2: Louvar / Fairchild (BHS) of. Winter / foam 6-3, 6-0
N ° 3: Frank / Bigall (BHS) Def. Carlson / Bristlin 6-2, 6-4
