ROCKFORD ATHLETICS I HOME OF THE RAMS

The Rockford Rams stepped into another challenging stretch of OK Red tennis this week, facing two quality opponents in West Ottawa and Grand Haven. The two matches provided a perfect snapshot of what this Rockford team is all about: compete, learn, adjust and respond. The Rams opened the stretch against West Ottawa, falling 6-3 in a match that was much more competitive than the final score might suggest. Rockford took three of the four singles flights, but West Ottawa answered by sweeping all five doubles flights to secure the team victory. At the top of the singles lineup, senior Alex Moore battled through a three-set match against West Ottawa's Soren Traver. Alex took the opening set 6-2 before Traver answered with a 6-3 second set. With the match on the line, Moore settled back in and finished strong, taking the third set 6-1. At #2 singles, junior Broderik Gee continued his strong play with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Jack Zernicke. Gee controlled the opening set and then stayed composed through a much tighter second set to close out another important singles point. Senior Noah Clark also picked up a straight-set victory at #4 singles, defeating Vini Dias Fernandes Dantas 6-3, 6-2. The lone singles loss came at #3, where West Ottawa's Isaac Watkin defeated Rockford freshman Gavin Wurm 6-2, 6-1. While the singles courts belonged to the Rams, West Ottawa found its edge in doubles. Jayden Fudge and Ryan Stark pushed Lincoln Taylor and Dawson Linn in a competitive #1 doubles match before falling 7-5, 6-3. Brady Gauthier and Bridger Wildern battled back after dropping the opening set at #2 doubles, taking the second set 6-4 before West Ottawa closed out the match 6-0 in the third. Seth Bearly and Stephen Chien, Chase Dzibowicz and Wenji Lastfogel, and Julian Scott and Ethan Lund also competed hard, but West Ottawa completed the doubles sweep. The loss provided plenty for the Rams to take into the next match and they responded. Rockford came back against Grand Haven with a completely different level of energy and execution, earning a convincing 7-2 victory. The Rams split the four singles matches but dominated the doubles courts, sweeping all five flights and dropping just 13 games across those five matches. At #2 singles, Gee continued his impressive stretch with another dominant performance, blanking Grand Haven's Tyler Sparks 6-0, 6-2. At #3 singles, Wurm provided one of the day's biggest moments. After dropping the opening set 0-6 to Reyer Thornell Timmer, Wurm refused to let the match get away. He battled through the second set, winning a dramatic tiebreaker 8-6 to force a deciding set. Wurm then completed the comeback by taking the third set 6-2. That kind of match is exactly what this team needs to experience. You don't learn resilience when everything is going your way. You learn it when you're down a set, when momentum is against you, and when you have to find a way to win the next point. Gavin did exactly that. At #1 singles, Moore again found himself in a three-set battle. After dropping the opening set 6-3, Alex responded by taking the second set 6-1 and pushing the match all the way to the final games before Grand Haven's Kyle Friggens edged him 7-5 in the third. At #4 singles, Grand Haven's Jack Wilgenburg defeated Clark 6-4, 6-4. Then came the doubles courts and the Rams went to work. Fudge and Stark set the tone at #1 doubles with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Owen Spoelman and Parker Cramblet. At #2 doubles, Brady Gauthier and Bridger Wildern were nearly flawless, rolling to a 6-0, 6-1 win. Seth Bearly and Stephen Chien followed with a 6-3, 6-3 victory at #3 doubles. At #4 doubles, Chase Dzibowicz and Wenji Lastfogel earned a 6-2, 6-3 win, while Julian Scott and Ethan Lund finished the sweep at #5 doubles with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 performance. The two matches tell an important story about where this Rockford team is right now. The Rams are learning what it takes to compete at the varsity level against some of the best teams in the area. There will be matches where things don't go exactly as planned. There will be moments when momentum shifts. There will be sets that get away. But the expectation doesn't change. We compete. We control what we can control. We make adjustments. And then we respond. The West Ottawa match gave the Rams a chance to see where they needed to get better. The Grand Haven match gave them an opportunity to put that lesson into action. The most encouraging part wasn't simply the 7-2 score. It was the way the Rams played with energy, confidence and purpose. From Wurm's three-set comeback to the doubles team's relentless execution, Rockford showed what happens when everyone locks in and takes care of their job.