Last fall, Centralia’s Jacoby Corwin earned a singles alternate spot at state, but he didn’t end up appearing in the tournament.
Corwin is ready to take another crack at qualifying for state this fall, and he gets to do it with a familiar face on the court beside him.
The senior is making the switch back to doubles, and joining him will be his brother, freshman Zander Corwin.
“I’m really looking forward to playing with him,” Zander said, while Jacoby nodded in agreement and smiled.
As brothers do, the Corwin’s have played many sports together growing up, including pickleball, volleyball, and basketball.
They’ve always stood out on the tennis court, and now together, they’re hoping to go far in their lone season of high school tennis together.
“I think we can maybe make it to state,” Zander said. Jacoby concurred, adding “that’s the goal.”
Zander doesn’t anticipate it taking very long for them to find a rhythm together on the court. Dating back to before they were on the high school team, sometimes the two would play together at the high school practice to help out when there weren’t enough players.
Centralia coach Keith Hopkins, who returns for his second stint as the coach after serving the same role from 2011-20, said that reaching the state tournament is a very reachable goal for the Tigers’ top duo.
Hopkins has a bit of history with the Corwin family, as he also coached Jacoby and Zander’s older brothers in the past.
The Corwin’s aren’t the only brother duo on the Tigers this season, as Kadin and Jordan Yeung will be Centralia No. 2 doubles team. Hopkins also has high hopes for the Yeungs, and he also coached their older brother in the past.
“The family tradition continues, and that’s a special thing,” Hopkins said. “I’m anticipating good things.”
The Yeung’s got their first action of the season on Monday, defeating a duo from Northwest Christian (Lacey). Due to low numbers from NW Christian, the Corwins will have to wait until Wednesday, when the Tigers travel to Aberdeen, for their first high school match together.
The Tigers and Wolverines also got a singles match in, as Jonah Lowe lost a tight, three-set match 4-6, 6-1, (9-11).
Hopkins is excited to see how Lowe, the pair of duos, and the rest of the Tigers develop over the course of the fall.
“I’m just amazed, even the difference between Day 1, Week 1, Week 2, the improvement I see is phenomenal,” Hopkins said. “Watching them grow is a really cool thing.”
