Brothers’ Final Season and Championship Victory
In a season that held significant importance, Aiden and Colin Meixl, standout tennis players from Kimberly High School, seized their final opportunity to team up as brothers. With Aiden graduating this year, the siblings knew that their collaboration on the court was limited to this last high school season. They embraced the challenge, culminating in a remarkable achievement: winning the WIAA Division 1 state doubles championship on June 7 at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.
The Meixls, who were the tournament’s top seed, finished their season undefeated, with a decisive 6-3, 6-0 victory against Menomonee Falls’ Michael Balister and Miles Seder in the finals.
Record and Reflection
Their season record of 24-0 not only marks them as champions but also secures their place in history as the first boys’ state tennis champions for Kimberly High School. Aiden reflected on their journey, stating:
“We’ve been playing together for our whole lives… since this was my senior year, we aimed for gold and we achieved that.”
Prior to this season, Aiden had qualified for state singles three times, while Colin had a notable debut last year, winning two singles matches at state. The brothers advanced to the final after triumphing over Brookfield Central’s fourth-seeded duo, Michael Li and Jacob Smith, with scores of 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals. Aiden acknowledged the nerves that come with high-stakes matches, stating:
“We knew if we trusted ourselves and each other, we’d be able to go all the way.”
Meaningful Victory and Looking Ahead
This victory holds special meaning for Colin, who shared:
“It means a lot because it’s his senior year… It’s just super fun playing with him; he’s such a great teammate who pushes me to improve.”
As Aiden prepares to move on, he fondly recalls playing with Colin, acknowledging that he will miss his younger brother’s powerful serve and the synergy they shared on the court.
Notable Performances and Historical Significance
In other notable performances at the state tournament, Carl Hein from Neenah secured sixth place in Division 1 singles, and Wesley Auth of St. Mary Catholic finished fourth in Division 2 singles. This victory not only spotlights the Meixls’ impressive achievement but also highlights a significant moment in the history of tennis in the Appleton area, marking the first doubles champions since Justin Kaiser and Cameron Fiebig from Xavier won in 2011.
This article was originally published on Appleton Post-Crescent: WIAA state boys tennis: Kimberly doubles duo wins Division 1 title.
