38 | DECEMBER 14 • 2023 
J
N

T

eams from the largest high schools 
in the state play Division 1 boys 
tennis. For the second straight year, 
Bloomfield Hills was the best of all of them.
The Blackhawks won their second 
straight Division 1 state championship at 
the state tournament held this fall, winning 
six of the eight flights.
Seven of the 12 players in Bloomfield 
Hills’ lineup at the state tournament are 
Jewish. 
Sophomore Jonah Chernett played No. 
1 singles. He made it to the semifinals in 
his flight, battling the top singles players in 
Division 1.
Freshman Zev Spiegel played No. 4 sin-
gles. He also got to the flight semifinals, 
losing to the eventual state champion.
Bloomfield Hills won all four doubles 
flights. There were Jewish players on three 
of the four doubles duos. 
Seniors Merrick Chernett and Aaron 
Rose played No. 1 doubles. Senior Ryan 
Rose played No. 2 doubles. Senior Ethan 
Endelman and junior Asher Langwell 
played No. 4 doubles.
The Chernett brothers said they and their 

teammates relished having a target on their 
backs all season. 
“We expected it. For everyone we played, 
it was the biggest match of the season for 
them and we were going to get the best ver-
sion of themselves,
” Merrick said.
“We coped with that pressure by staying 
humble. Not being cocky. We wanted to be 
silent assassins.
”
Jonah agreed.
“We had to be focused in every match 
because people were coming after us. We 
were the best team in the state,
” he said. 
“But that was fine. All of us on our team 
love competition. We don’t want to play 
walk-over matches. That’s no fun, and you 
don’t learn from those matches.
”
Jonah wanted to win the state champi-
onship at No. 1 singles. He’s one of the top 
players in the country in his age group.
“I didn’t get the result I wanted at the 
state tournament, but that was OK,
” he said. 
“
All that matters is our team won the state 
championship.
”
Jonah also played No. 1 singles in the 
state tournament when he was a freshman, 
and he made it to the quarterfinals.

Merrick ended his four-year career on 
the Bloomfield Hills boys tennis team with 
back-to-back state championships at No. 1 
doubles. He made it to the quarterfinals at 
No. 1 doubles in his sophomore season.
He had a different doubles partner in 
each of those seasons.
“When I started playing for Bloomfield 
Hills, I had only played singles,
” he said. 
“I switched from singles to doubles in my 
freshman year because of an injury, and I 
ended up loving playing doubles.
“Tennis can be a lonely sport, but with 
doubles, you always have a teammate to 
talk to during a match and pick you up and 
encourage you, if needed, “ he said.
And you have a teammate who shares a 
burning desire to make amends for a bad 
day.
During his junior year, Merrick’s dou-
bles partner was Pierce Shaya. They were 
soundly defeated by a team from Troy 6-2, 
6-2 during the regular season, ruining their 
undefeated record, and it left a bitter taste in 
their mouths.
They went into the state tournament 
determined to make amends and they 
achieved their goal, beating the team from 
Troy for the state title.
They finished the season with a 26-1 
record.
For both Chernett brothers, the best 
part of being on the Bloomfield Hills boys 
tennis team is the relationships they have 
created with all their teammates, Jews and 
non-Jews.
“We’re all great friends,
” Jonah said.
Merrick will be heading off to college 
next fall. He may play club tennis. What 
is for certain is he plans to continue 
competing in ultra-endurance marathon 
races.
The other two Jewish players on the 
Bloomfield Hills boys tennis roster — Noah 
Kaplan and Meyer Saperstein — were 
alternates. 

Send sports news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

A Love for Tennis

SPORTS

State champion Bloomfield Hills High School boys 
tennis team had seven Jewish players in its lineup. 

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Meet the Jewish players on the two-
time state champion Bloomfield Hills 
High School boys tennis team. In the 
front row (from left) are Ryan Rose, 
Noah Kaplan and Zev Spiegel. In the 
top row (from left) are Aaron Rose, 
Asher Langwell, Meyer Saperstein, 
Merrick Chernett, Jonah Chernett and 
Ethan Endelman.

STACY CHERNETT

