PLYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

It was a packed night of action for Plymouth Athletics on Wednesday, August 20, as Boys Tennis, Boys Soccer, and Volleyball all turned in strong performances across multiple levels of competition. ⸻ Boys Tennis Varsity: Plymouth 3, John Glenn 2 The Pilgrim Varsity Boys Tennis squad made the trip to Walkerton and earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory over host John Glenn. Senior Nick Manzuk and sophomore Liam Hanyzewski played sharp tennis at the top singles spots, each winning in straight sets (6-1, 6-1) to give Plymouth an early 2-0 advantage. The Falcons closed the gap with a win at 2D, but the Pilgrims secured the match when the 1D team of senior Owen Walleske and sophomore Benson Prater held firm under pressure, taking a tight first set 7-5 before closing out the second 6-3. Freshman Caleb Edmiston battled valiantly in the 3S position, winning the first set but ultimately falling in a three-set marathon. Still, his competitive showing capped off a night where the Pilgrims showed promise in key spots. “We’re a young and inexperienced team, but there’s a lot to like about how we competed tonight,” said Coach. “Nick and Liam were solid in singles, and Owen and Benson stepped up in doubles. Caleb will learn from tonight’s match and only get stronger. This is a good win, but we have plenty of room to grow.” Plymouth improves to 2-0 overall and now heads to Wawasee for their first NLC test. ⸻ Boys Tennis JV: Plymouth 2, John Glenn 1 The JV Pilgrims also picked up a win on the road, outlasting John Glenn 2-1. At 1S, junior Brogan Mahoney fought through a grueling three-setter but fell just short. However, the doubles duo of sophomore Carter Breeding and freshman Cole Cain carried the day, winning both of their matches. The pair came from behind in their second contest, rallying from a 5-6 deficit to win 8-6 and clinch the team victory. “Brogan, Carter, and Cole are all brand new to the sport and improving daily,” Coach noted. “It was fun to see Carter and Cole battle back late in their match. This group is working hard and it’s paying off.” ⸻ Boys Soccer Varsity: Plymouth 3, Argos 1 The Pilgrims bounced back from Monday’s tie with Bremen in commanding fashion, defeating Argos 3-1. Senior Angel Mencias found the back of the net twice, while junior Klynt Verhaghe added a goal of his own. Assists came from Giancarlo Arriaga and Chris Rosas, as Plymouth dominated possession from start to finish. Argos managed just one shot on goal, which snuck in, but the Pilgrims’ defense once again impressed. “We controlled the game from start to finish,” Coach said. “Our defense was stellar again, but we need to be sharper finishing chances. If we clean that up, we’ll put a lot more goals on the board.” The win lifts Plymouth to 1-0-1 overall. ⸻ JV Volleyball: Plymouth 2, Tippecanoe Valley 1 In JV Volleyball action, Plymouth battled Tippecanoe Valley to three sets and came out on top 25-19, 19-25, 15-4. Birkley Cooper led the attack with 4 kills, while Trenity Ringer chipped in 3 kills and a team-high 13 digs. Cordelia added 2 kills and 11 digs, and Claire Rosas set the tone with 12 assists and 14 digs. The JV Pilgrims move to 2-1 overall with the victory. ⸻ Varsity Volleyball: Plymouth 3, Tippecanoe Valley 0 The Varsity squad rebounded in a big way, sweeping Valley in straight sets 25-18, 25-17, 25-19. Jersey Hunter was dominant with 11 kills and 13 digs, while Eva Sheedy provided 7 kills and 9 digs. Setter Olivia Ringer orchestrated the offense with 20 assists, while also adding 3 aces and 13 digs defensively. Kristin Manges tallied 4 service aces, and Sophia Stein contributed 2 blocks at the net. “This was a great win for our program, especially coming off a tough loss,” said the coaching staff. “Our leaders stepped up and got the job done. And we have to give a huge shoutout to our student section—it was one of the BEST we’ve ever had. Your energy was electric!” Plymouth now sits at 2-1 overall, carrying momentum into the rest of a busy opening week. ⸻ Freshman Volleyball: Plymouth Falls to Tippecanoe Valley The Freshman Pilgrims put up a strong fight but came up short, falling to Valley 15-25, 21-25. After a slow start in set one, the team rallied and nearly forced a third set before Valley closed it out late. Despite the loss, the group showed growth and will look to build on the performance when they face South Bend St. Joe on Thursday. ⸻ 📅 Next Up: • Boys Tennis – Varsity/JV at Wawasee, Thursday, Aug. 21, 5:00 PM • Boys Soccer – Next matchup TBD • Volleyball – Freshman, JV, and Varsity at South Bend St. Joe, Thursday, Aug. 21