Posted: 4/13/05
Boys tennis is experienced but underskilled
|
|
 |
Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
After failing to make it to the final four in the section tournament in 13 years, the Forest Lake High School boys tennis team has set a season goal to return to the final four.
Rangers head coach Greg Patchin says the goal for the season is possible since the team has 10 letter winners back from last yearís team.
Returning from last yearís team is top singles player junior Luke Odegaard, senior Chris Sobieck, junior Dan Cromwell, junior Jeff Kohler, senior Tom Kling, senior Matt Peterson, senior Mike Feist, junior Ted Steiner, sophomore Rob Gavanda and freshman Sam Steiner.
ìIt all starts with Luke (Odegaard),î Patchin said. ìHeís our dominant player as a four year letter winner, two time All-Conference player and placed third in section 7 last year for us. Heís going to win a lot of points.î
With Odegaard as the clear number one singles player, Patchin sees Sobieck at number two, Cromwell at number three and Kohler at number four.
ìSobieck should be good at number two,î Patchin said. ìAt three and four we have two juniors who compete well. The big question mark is at doubles because we donít have a dominant doubles team.î
With eight players vying for the six doubles spots, Patchin sees seniors Kling and Peterson as one pair and ninth grader Sam Steiner and sophomore Gavanda as the second pair, beyond that Patchin says the spots are wide open for the taking.
Patchin also has 53 other tennis players that are in the program from grades seven-12. Patchin says he hopes to develop some of the younger players into competition form.
Competition
Competing in the Suburban East Conference, Patchin sees no easy match on the schedule.
ìOur schedule is filled full of tough teams,î Patchin said. ìIn our conference alone we have the state champion Mounds View, White Bear Lake is ranked number four or five in the conference, just like any sport, is tough.î
Patchin sees Mounds View as the team to beat in the conference with White Bear Lake, Stillwater and Roseville not far behind them.
ìI think this team has potential,î Patchin said. ìWe should be pretty good at the end of the year.î
Come section time, Patchin is confident the Rangers can make their way back to the final four.
ìMaking the final four kind of authenticates our program,î Patchin said.
The Rangers opened their season Tuesday against North Branch, played at Blaine Wednesday at 4 p.m. and return home today, Thursday, to host Chisago Lakes at 4 p.m.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605