They had only four days to get ready, but the Coupeville high School doubles team of Aaron Curtin and Ben Etzell still pulled out one win in three matches at the state 1A tennis tournament at West Valley High School in Yakima Friday, May 30.

Boys high school tennis in Washington is played in both the fall and spring seasons, so the finals are held at the end of the year after both seasons are complete.

Coupeville plays tennis is the fall.

The success of the Wolves’ baseball team, ironically, hurt Curtin and Etzell’s chances at state in tennis.

The pair played key roles in baseball, leading the Wolves to a state tournament berth. After the diamond season ended, Curtin, a junior, and Etzell, a senior, had only four days to get back into the tennis groove before heading to their second state tournament in a week.

In the opening round of the double-elimination tournament, Curtin and Etzell lost in what coach Ken Stange called a “doozy” of a match 6-3, 7-6(7-4) to Naches Valley’s Neil Campbell and Jedi Martin.

Curtin and Etzell “rocked in the second match,” Stange said, whipping Daniel Sonnichsen and Fletcher Rickabaugh of Liberty Bell 6-3, 6-1.

That set up a match with Overlake’s Pranav Harikrishnan and Keshav Unmat, each who placed at state in doubles last spring while playing with other partners.

The Owl pair won 6-2, 6-3, earning a spot in the match for fifth place, which they won 6-4, 6-2.

“Considering that they had four days to prepare, once baseball ended, I’m happy with the result,” Stange said.