Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

As the saying goes, records were made to be broken. You just donít expect them to drop so quickly.

It was only last spring when Luke Odegaard was being hailed for his tennis accomplishments, as he went on to set the Forest Lake record for career victories. He easily passed the mark of 81 that was held by Ted Erickson, and eventually settled on 99 for his high school total.

Now here we are, with only a summer separating Odegaardís recent achievements, but already talking about how Paige Patchin will eclipse his record, and then some ó entering their Aug. 31 match against Hastings, Patchinís record stood at 95-40.

Granted her coach and father, Greg Patchin, might be a little biased, but he speaks the truth when he says: ìShe will be the standard bearer for Forest Lake tennis, in general.î

To reach such lofty totals, Patchin had to get swinging early, and she started her Ranger days as a seventh grader. Since then itís been a long, steady march to triple digit victories.

ìSheís done things that no other tennis player has done,î coach Patchin says. ìUnless she gets injured, she will be the only person, male or female, to be six-time all conference.î

Six years. That goes back a ways. Before her streak started, we were just getting used to a new century, the New England Patriots had yet to win a Super Bowl, and the cost of gas was about $1.70.

ìI didnít want to just make varsity,ì Paige says. ìI knew if I made it I wanted to establish myself.î

With last season being the second consecutive year in which Paige made it to the state tournament, letís consider her established. Now she would like to see the entire squad make the trip.

ìI want our team to make it to state this year,î she says. ìWe have a good chance, and a Forest Lake team has never had a team go to state. This is the best team weíve ever had. By far.î

Turning the page on Forest Lake tennis, there is more to the 2006 Rangers than one incredible record breaker. They are good enough to be mentioned by the Star Tribune as a team to watch, and after five matches they are looking formidable.

They took second in the Herzog Invitational on Aug. 18, and tied Centennial for first the following Monday.

The girls looked to be in excellent form when they faced Chisago Lakes on Thursday, Aug. 24, and Coon Rapids on Monday; winning 7-0 and 6-1, respectively. Those kinds of results make the future look bright.

ìIím cautiously optimistic,î coach Patchin says. ìYou would think weíre going to be a good team somewhere down the line. We are deep. We are very deep.î

That depth is displayed in the No. 3 doubles, where Blair Patchin and Sami Holien started the season undefeated.

Coach Patchin can also rely on his No. 1 doubles team, comprised of Madalyn Raasch and Alexa Nelson.

When he goes on to praise Lauren Gravelle, Hilary Hazzard, Quinne Patchin, Cassie Carpenter, Kathy Crudo, Brianna Odegaard and Audrey Hamner, it becomes apparent why Forest Lake has found its way on to the tennis map.

So with the Rangers having a team to watch out for, a chart-topping singles player, and a roster full of young talent, it looks like weíve reached ìSomewhere down the line.î

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