Although juniors Sammy Yin and Chris Shang showed up for the boys varsity tennis team on Friday, FHC was not able to capitalize on such stellar play. The team faced off against Groves, a cross-state powerhouse, and fell short 5-3 in addition to coming up short to Seaholm 6-2. Despite this, the Rangers bounced back to a large extent the following day to take home first place in the Grosse Pointe North Invite. Such a rebound put the team’s colossal fight and will on display.

“The team showed a tremendous amount of resiliency and determination by winning the GPN Invite,” head coach Dan Bolhouse said post-match. “I was very proud of the team for showing up and playing excellent tennis after two tough matches on Friday.”

During the highly-touted invitational, the boys showcased their mental toughness by climbing to the top of the rankings. With help from Sammy and Chris, FHC’s top two singles flights dominated for the entire day. Working in conjunction with the team’s first and third doubles teams, the Rangers showed that they are ready to compete with any opponent that stands in their way. 

The success from seniors Walker Sjolin and Cully Herbert at first doubles seemed to reflect on their fellow teammates. At third doubles, senior Devin Holcomb and sophomore Philip Murdock fed off of such success and triumphed amongst their respective flight. Overall, these patches of victory for the Rangers were more than enough to secure first place.

There is no doubt that FHC possesses the tools to make a run in the looming postseason. However, a trifecta of top-notch opponents has battle-tested the Rangers in a way that cannot be underestimated. 

“Going against more competitive teams allows us to become mentally prepared for important matches to come, such as states,” Sammy Yin claimed. “We learn to cope with tough situations that stretch our mental capabilities, which allows us to form a stronger mindset.”

As FHC prepares for the Midland Dow Classic on Wednesday, September 15th, this mental capacity must be put to use. Participating against highly-ranked opponents requires full attention to detail and a “next-play” mentality. 

“We always talk about focusing on the next point,” coach Bolhouse said. “We can’t dwell on the previous point since we can’t change what happened.”