Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

So hereís a good gig if you can get it: Play tennis for a few days, end up winning the 18-And-Under Section Junior Team Championship, and earn a 4-day and 3-night trip to San Diego.

It sounds like a reality show on the Tennis Channel, but that basically sums up the end of July for Paige and Quinne Patchin. The sisters were part of the Hibbing Rangers tennis team, who eked out a 20-19 victory over Sioux Falls in the total-games-won-format at the Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis.

By taking the section title, the 7-member team that is comprised of the Patchinís, three players from Hibbing, and one each from Duluth and Grand Rapids, get to play against the best in the country in southern California from October 27 - 30.

Competing on a team such as this is a brand new experience for the Patchin sisters, so even getting this far has been a pleasant surprise. Especially when you consider that one half of the Patchin duo was reluctant to participate in the first place.

But with a USTA Northern Section championship on her resume, and a great group of teammates, it seems Quinne has warmed up to the idea of representing Hibbing.

ìActually, I didnít want to play in this tournament,î she admits.

And now?

ìWeíre so excited about going down there with our team. Our team is a lot of fun.î

The rest of the Hibbing Rangers are probably just as excited to have the Forest Lake High School senior and sophomore on the squad. If not for the efforts of Paige and Quinne, the team might have been staying home in October.

Quinne and her doubles partner held serve to pick up an essential game, while Paige was involved with the nerve-wracking comeback in mixed doubles that resulted in the one game differential.

ìI didnít know that it was coming down to like we needed to win that game to win,î Paige says. ìOtherwise I would have been a lot more nervous.î

She and Max Busch won 6-1, so anything less would have tipped the final in Sioux Fallsí favor.

Now Paige and Quinne will wait for the fall where theyíll enjoy another new endeavor.

ìWe donít know what to expect,î Quinne says of playing at the national championship, while her older sister shares what they hope to accomplish during their time in San Diego.

ìI just want to go out, and have fun, and get a lot of matches in,î Paige says.

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