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