BOYS’ DOUBLES TENNIS partners, l-r, Daniel Kendall and Garrett Ward won the region title last month and head to the state tournament next week. The partners are students at Centerville high school, but Ward is from Fairfield. Fairfield resident and Centerville high school junior student Garrett Ward heads to the University Interscholastic League state tennis tournament next week in doubles.

Ward is the son of Johnny and Lori Ward, but attends high school in Centerville where his mother teaches.

His doubles partner is Daniel Kendall.

At the Region III tourney last week in Tyler, the partners won three straight matches to advance to state in Austin.

As the number one seed at region, Ward and Kendall drew a bye in the first round, faced Frankston in the quarterfinals to win 6-0, 6-0, and battled Franklin in the semifinals to claim a 4-6, 6-0, 6-4.

Facing number two seed Woodville, the Centerville partners won the region boys’ finals match in straight sets 6-6, 7-5.

During the 2010 season, the team won tourney titles at Groesbeck, Madisonville and Rice, as well as district and region.

Ward and Kendall face a doubles team from Florence in a first round state match set for 10:15 a.m. Monday at Penick- Alliston Tennis Center. The Class AA boys’ doubles finals are at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday.