Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

As the Forest Lake tennis continues to search for its true identity this season, the boys were also looking for their first win as a team.

That victory would come on Monday afternoon, but not before the Rangers dropped their first three matches.

Friday, April 13 was the third consecutive loss, when Coon Rapids knocked off Greg Patchin’s squad, 5-2.

Dusty Boyer earned a 7-6, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles, and Derek Vogel and Spencer Conrad took No. 2 doubles (4-6, 6-2, 7-6) for Forest Lake’s two wins.

On Thursday, April 12, the Rangers headed south for a match against an experienced Hastings squad, where the Raiders won, 5-2. While the No. 1 and No. 2 singles went in Forest Lake’s favor, it was in doubles where Hastings pulled away.

Boyer stepped up as the Rangers No. 1 solo artist, and knocked off senior David Duffy, 6-4, 6-0.

Junior Sam Steiner came through with a repetitive 6-4, 6-4 victory in the No. 2 position, but after that it was all Hastings.

Juniors Josh Magistad and Conrad lost in the No. 3 and No. 4 singles, with matching 2-6, 2-6 scores.

In doubles, the No. 1 pairing of seniors Calvin Kerkhoff and Robert Gavanda hung around in the first set, but were defeated, 5-7. The second set was not as close as Hastings cruised to a 6-0 finish.

The No. 2 team of sophomore Paul Hill and senior Matt Hentges didn’t fare any better with scores of 0-6, 1-6, and junior Ben Mullen and sophomore Sean Garry went down, 0-6, 0-6.

“Their doubles were excellent,” Patchin pointed out. “Hastings is a deep team. We are not hitting on all cylinders.”

Going into a season-opening match against Blaine, the tennis team knew they could be in for a long afternoon.

The weather forecast for Tuesday, April 10 was an ugly one, but before the wet snow arrived, the Rangers had to deal with the likes of junior Paul Swanson. The Bengals’ No. 1 singles player was third in the state last year and he has plenty of help behind him.

“Blaine is tough,” Patchin noted after the 1-6 defeat. “We showed our inexperience.”

Two Rangers who managed the wind and the competition were Gavanda and Kerkhoff. They won at No. 1 doubles 6-3, 6-4, but the remaining matches that counted all went to Blaine.

Senior Andy Nelson picked up a 7-6, 6-1 victory at No. 5 singles, but only the top four are factored in to the team totals.

Swanson controlled Boyer, 6-1, 6-0, and then Steiner, Magistad and Conrad all fell in the No. 2 - No. 4 positions.

“I was happy with our effort and nobody gave up,” Patchin shared.

The No. 2 doubles of senior Vogel and Sven Schauerhammer lost 2-6, 1-6, and the No. 3 team of Mullen and Garry missed out after a great start by the final score of 6-3, 3-6, 4-6.

MONDAY'S MATCH

Chisago Lakes brought a veteran line-up to Forest Lake on April 16, but the Rangers were the better team with a 5-2 win.

Boyer and Steiner picked up victories in No. 1 and No. 2 singles, and Forest Lake’s doubles swept the opposition.

Gavanda/Kerkhoff came back for a three-set win; Conrad and Vogel paired up for another victory, and Garry and Hill won at No. 3 doubles.

“Good to notch that first win, but we continue to lose too many tie-breakers and close sets,” Patchin said. “Inexperience will do that.”

Top of Page