Posted: 4/16/03

Tennis aims for 11th straight Final Four

Berk Brown
Sports Editor

When you think of coaches who guide their team to the Final Four year after year, basketball names like Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, Roy Williams of Kansas and Dean Smith of North Carolina come to mind.

When it comes to the Section 7AA Final Four playoffs, though, itís Greg Patchin and his Forest Lake boys tennis team which has a very impressive run going.

For 10 consecutive years, the Rangers have advanced to at least the semifinals of the section tournament, and the long-time Forest Lake coach doesnít see any reason why his team canít increase that number to 11 in 2003.

ìOur goal is always to get to the Final Four,î Patchin said. ìOn paper, it looks like we will have a chance to do it again.î

If the Rangers are able to make another run at a section title, they will do it with a squad which features as many as nine seniors in the 10 line-up positions.

Contrastingly, the only spot not held down by a senior is at the top where freshman Luke Odegaard resides at No. 1 singles.

In his third year of varsity action already, Odegaard moves up to the top spot after playing a mix of two and three singles as an eighth-grader a year ago.

While Odegaard has been among the best in his age division for several years, the move to the top spot means he will often battle against players three years older than him.

Plus, the Suburban East Conference is loaded again this year with some of the top players in the state, meaning Odegaard is in for a battle every time he takes to the court.

Itís a battle heís ready for, though, Patchin said.

ìLuke has a tough row to hoe. There are a lot of good number one players out there,î Patchin said. ìHeís really good for 15. But, thereís a big difference between 15 and 18 year old boys.
ìI think Luke is ready to play at that level. I think he has a chance to win six or seven (matches), and that would be good. Heís going in with his eyes open.

ìOne thing about Luke, heís mentally a pretty tough kid. I think he looks at it as an opportunity. You get better by playing better kids.î

Most of the rest of the line-up will be senior dominated for the Rangers, as well as balanced.
Patchin called his number two through nine spots, ìinterchangeable,î and said the teamís depth will be what wins many matches.

So far this year, with the Rangers 3-1, a pair of seniors have rotated between No. 2 and 3 singles.

Alec Framke and German foreign exchange student Andy Grauel have played in those two positions this year.

Grauel has played a lot of tennis in Germany, Patchin said, although most of it has been indoors. Grauel has displayed a lot of natural ability, but has struggled somewhat with the ever-changing Minnesota weather conditions.

Grauel also has played some at No. 2 doubles early this season and is a combined 3-1 through four matches.

Framke may not wow you with natural tennis ability, Patchin said, but the Forest Lake senior will out-work you for every point.

ìHe just doesnít quit and thatís a good skill for a singles player,î Patchin said. ìIf (the score is) 5-1 or 1-5, he plays every point hard.î

Framke is 3-1 so far on the season. Tyler Gage brings experience to whatever spot he plays. Heís played at both No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles this year while Jeff Randall has played No. 4 singles in every match thus far for the Rangers.

Seniors Max Conrad and Tyler Anderson enter the season as the No. 1 doubles team for the Rangers while Nick Frantzen has played with Gage and Grauel at No. 2 doubles.

At No. 3 doubles, Patchin has used seniors Adam Ramsey and Brian Folkman as well as junior Jessup Schiks.

Other players who could see some varsity action this year are seniors Mike Gavanda and Andres Ceriz ñÝa foreign exchange student from Ecuador ñÝand sophomore Jeff Carlson.

In all, Patchin said, many of his seniors are in the same proximity, talent-wise, which will give the Rangers some flexibility when setting their line-up during the season.

ìWe have many pieces to the puzzle. We can move people around,î Patchin said. ìWhen we win matches, I think (the depth is) where it will be from.î

Wins will be hard to come by in conference play. Patchin sees the top spot in the SEC being a ìreal dog fightî between Mounds View and White Bear Lake.

Hastings will have a strong singles line-up, while Stillwater is always a talented team and Roseville has most everybody back, Patchin said.

Regardless how the season shakes out, Patchin said he knows his team will be competitive simply because of the quality of people they are.

ìI canít say enough about them. Theyíre good students and good kids,î he said. ìWe have experience at nine of the 10 spots. Itís just a question of how they will do.î

Before the season started, Patchin said a good indication of how the Rangers would fare this season would come in matches against Chisago Lakes and North Branch.

ìIf we get those two, weíll be fine,î Patchin said. ìI think Coon Rapids and Blaine should be close.î

Forest Lake beat Chisago Lakes 5-2, North Branch 5-2 and Coon Raids 4-3 while falling 4-3 to Blaine.

Based upon that example of Patchinís fortune-telling ability, you tend to believe him when he says it looks like this team could be his 11th in a row to reach the Section 7AA Final Four.

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