LA CROSSE — There was a lot of pressure on West Salem High School senior Kyle Hehli as he made the trip to Madison for his final WIAA individual state tennis tournament at the end of the week.
Sure, he had won a championship before as part of a doubles team with his brother Jack, but friends and family were at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium to see him make some more history after completing his career as a Panther.
When the Hehlis won the Division 2 doubles bracket three years ago, they were the Coulee Region’s first boys doubles champions since 1968. But no one from this area had won a singles title since Prairie du Chien’s Gordon Kieser in 1922 — yes, more than 100 years ago.
So when Hehli beat top-seeded Oliver Milleman of Waukesha Catholic Memorial 6-3, 1-6, 10-7 to win the Division 2 singles bracket on Saturday, he wasn’t quite sure how to react.
“I was freaking out,” said Hehli, the first player in local history to win two state tennis titles. “I threw my racquet, and my mom (Lisa) and (West Salem coach) Julie (Kamla) came on the court and hugged before they started crying.
“Then, I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m a state champion.”
Getting there was a process after fifth- and fourth-place finishes the past two years. Hehli completed a 27-2 season and 113-7 career by defeating a player who handed him a loss in the first match of the season.
He battled back from a disappointing second set and trailed just once in the tiebreak. The payoff for all of that — at least on championship day — was the ability to celebrate it with the community as he attended graduation parties after returning to West Salem.
Hehli battled through two three-set matches on Saturday to prove to himself and anyone else who cared that he could win on his own.
“I had to prove to everyone that (Jack) didn’t carry me,” he said. “Singles is a lot different than doubles. It’s all on you, and you can’t blame anybody but yourself if something goes wrong.”
Some things did go wrong on Saturday, but Hehli was able to overcome them.
He won the first game of the second set before losing focus and losing the next six. But his head was cleared for the third set, which would put the ultimate label on his athletic career as a Panther.
“I’ve been in that situation so many times,”: Hehli said. “It was my last high school moment ever, and I was more excited than I was nervous.”
Milleman (28-2) placed sixth in the Division 2 singles bracket last year and wasn’t pushed to three sets at state until his semifinal victory Saturday morning.
Hehli also needed three sets to win his semifinal match. He lost the first one 7-6
(7) before coming back for 6-4, 10-5 victories over third-seeded East Troy freshman Teddy Busateri (24-4) for the second time this season.
Hehli, who will play tennis at UW-La Crosse for his dad Bill, took control of the first set by breaking Milleman for a 4-3 lead. He then held serve on his way to the 6-3 victory.
Hehli said he took his foot off the gas after winning the first game of the second set.
“He came back with a lot of energy and played very well,” he said of Milleman.
His ability to control the tiebreaker sent his parents, a grandpa, some aunts and cousins and some friends home happy.
But none as happy as Hehli.
“It’s kind of unreal,” he said. “I’m still taking it all in, and I’m so proud of myself and for my family, friends and the West Salem community.”
