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Sometimes athletic teams are young, even by high school standards. Sometimes teams are inexperienced. Usually, if the team is young or inexperienced, wins are hard to come by. Youth combined with inexperience nearly always translates into numbers on the wrong side of the win/loss combination.

North Branch head coach Tom McLaughlin’s tennis team has overdosed on both (youth and inexperience) this season. The result has been an “0-fer” year on the courts, so far.

NB at Spring Lake Park

“Cold, windy and no one was close,” was how McLaughlin described the results of the April 24 meet at SLP. The Panthers rolled to a 7-0 win over the visiting Vikings.

Luke Chandler’s play at third singles was the closest thing to a highlight for NB, according to the coach. Chandler led in the first set, “but didn’t adjust to changes his opponent made,” McLaughlin said.

Chisago Lakes at North Branch

Tuesday, April 25, the Vikings lost a home meet to the Wildcats 1-6. “Blake Anderson won an exciting three set match over Luke Spehar. He won the first set in a tiebreaker that seemed to last forever,” McLaughlin commented. “He lost the second set, but came back to win the third set in the most-fun-to -watch match that we’ve been a part of this year.”

Chisago Lakes dominated the other singles and doubles matches as no other Viking managed to win more than one game. All the other matches were over before Anderson and Spehar had finished their first set.

North Branch at Fridley

The Tigers took advantage of ideal weather conditions at their home courts to beat the Vikings 7-0 April 27.

“Dan Mork and Aaron Good, at first doubles, looked better,” said the coach, “and Tyler Cosgrove and Brandon Sonnenfeld played hard at third doubles.”

St. Louis Park at North Branch

Tuesday, May 2 the Vikings went down to the Orioles 7-0.

“Dan Mork and Aaron Good won two games, total and that was the best we did,” said McLaughlin.

Irondale at North Branch

The Vikings put up a better fight, but still lost 7-0 to the Knights at North Branch May 4.

“The second doubles team, Ken Koski and Brandt Rasmussen, lost 2-6, 3-6 and played aggressively throughout the match. No one else was able to manage more than two games,” was the coach’s summary.

Andover Tournament

May 6

Andover 7, North Branch 0

“Again, second doubles played well before losing 4-6, 3-6,” said McLaughlin. “ Blake Anderson, at first singles, played better, but lost 1-6, 2-6.”

St. Francis 5, North Branch 2

The Vikings’ two points against the Saints came at second singles (Aaron Good) and second doubles (Travis Heilig and Brandt Rasmussen).

Good’s win came after losing the first set 2-6. He came back to take a close second set 7-5 and the third 7-6. The third set win came in a 10-8 tiebreaker.

“His net play is improving as his ability to hit better approach shots and make better decisions has improved,” McLaughlin commented about Good.

Heilig and Rasmussen won 6-2, 6-3. “Avery Swanson played a very tough first set, before falling 4-6, 1-6,” the coach added. “The third doubles team of Tyler Cosgrove and Jordan Karcher also played well before losing 5-7, 6-7, (5-7). Tyler, in particular, has improved steadily and never gotten down during the season.”

North Branch at Princeton

The Vikings took the points at first and second singles, but Princeton swept the rest of the meet in a 5-2 win May 8.

Blake Anderson won at first singles 6-3, 6-4 and Ben Forrest, at second singles won 2-6, 6-1, 6-4. “Both Blake and Ben stayed on an even keel and played well. Ben, in particular, seemed to get stronger as the match went on,” said coach McLaughlin.

“Travis Heilig and Brandt Rasmussen at second doubles and Tyler Cosgrove and Avery Swanson at third doubles lost by identical scores of 2-6, 2-6, but played well,” the coach added.

North Branch at Totino-Grace

Tuesday, April 9 the Vikings fell by the all-to-familiar 7-0 score. However, the team put up a good fight extending the Eagles in many of the individual matches.

Ben Forrest lost 3-6, 2-6 at second singles. Dan Mork, playing third singles, lost 2-6, 5-7, and, at fourth singles, Aaron Good lost 3-6, 2-6. “All played well...,” concluded McLaughlin.

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