Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

Ultimately, the end resembled the beginning for the Forest Lake tennis team, but there’s plenty of reasons to look forward to next year.

The 2007 season opened with a 1-6 loss to a veteran Blaine program, and concluded with a 0-6 defeat to a talented group from Grand Rapids-Greenway in the Section 7AA tournament. The contest between Dusty Boyer of the Rangers and Joe Stejskal at No. 1 singles was suspended, but the remaining matches all went in favor of Grand Rapids (more on Boyer later).

“We ran into an experienced and athletic group of tennis players,” Forest Lake’s head coach Greg Patchin said. “They were just better.”

Between the spring’s bookend losses, the Rangers put together a quality finish to the year by dominating the south subsection. The boys rebounded from a 1-9 start to close with an overall record of 7-11, but the 11th loss was rather thorough.

In No. 1 doubles, Cal Kerkhoff and Rob Gavanda fell to Matt Alstad and Ryan Gibeau in straight sets, 5-7, 3-6.

It was Derek Vogel and Pat Stiner losing at No. 2 doubles by the score of 0-6, 5-7, while Paul Hill and Ben Mullen were knocked out by Cody Strom and Chase Johnson at No. 3 doubles, 1-6, 1-6.

The No. 1 singles match was called a draw, and then Grand Rapids-Greenway swept through the remaining Rangers.

Sammy Steiner was dropped by Kevin Walker, 1-6, 1-6 at No. 2 singles; J.R. Mackey took the No. 3 singles over Spencer Conrad in straight sets, 2-6, 0-6, while Josh Magistad had a great second set against Kris Bjerk, but finally lost, 4-6, 6-1, 5-7.

“If our returning letter winners play a lot this summer, I think we can do better next year when the section is here,” Patchin said.

Back to the young and supremely-skilled Dusty Boyer (pictured below), his first varsity season continues on, as he earned a trip to this week’s state tournament by taking second place in the section.

“Quite probably he will be the only 7th grader competing in the 16 draw of the state’s top players,” Patchin noted. “His shot making was a thing of beauty, and in the end it was the strength and power of a senior that did him in.”

On Thursday, June 7, Boyer faced senior Dan Kim of St. Thomas Academy, who made it to the second round of last year’s state tourney.

In the other matches of the individual portion of sections, the doubles teams of Kerkhoff/Gavanda and Steiner/Conrad didn’t turn out as well, with the northern schools dominating all four doubles tournaments.

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