March 20, 2026 – Madison, Wi – The Slinger Owls didn’t just win a basketball game Friday afternoon—they flipped a switch, hit the accelerator, and flew into the WIAA D2 State finals following an 83-56 win over McFarland.
After a strong opening stretch, where the Owls led by as many as 11 points, Slinger found itself in a tightening battle before halftime, down by 2 headed into the locker room, 30-29.
Down the stretch the confident Owls committed turnovers, missed shots, and let McFarland chip away at the lead.
Head coach Alex Lavine said the early momentum was promising, but not complete.
“We got off to a really nice start… I think we were up eight or 10,” Lavine said. “Then they applied some pressure… and were able to tighten it up. I thought offensively we didn’t move the ball well enough in the first half. It was kind of stuck, you know, one or two pass shots.”
That first-half stagnation didn’t linger.
Instead, the Owls emerged from the locker room with sharper claws and a faster tempo.
“I’m really proud of the guys for being coachable at halftime and making adjustments,” Lavine said. “We were way better on our post defense… and offensively… the ball moving really fast, I thought we played way faster in the second half. The offensive effort in the second half is probably our best this season.”
Slinger’s transformation began on the defensive end, where a more physical and composed approach changed everything.
Seniors Brett Palm, Colton Mantz, and Bryson Fogle kicked their defensive hustle up a notch and the Kohnen brothers, Jack and Joey, crashed the boards.
“We needed to play more physically but also… just take a deep breath, just play the game,” Lavine said. “We were not necessarily playing the way we normally do.”
The Owls rotated defenders inside, with multiple players stepping up in key stretches.
That defensive intensity turned into transition opportunities—and a flood of points.
Fogle hit a strong 3 pointer in front of the team bench to bring Slinger within one, 32-31 adn then the Owls went to work.
If there’s a heartbeat to this Slinger team, it’s pace—and it finally roared to life after halftime.
“We talked about wearing them down… making them play 94 feet for 36 minutes,” Lavine said. “It’s something that we preach all the time… it’s just a part of our identity.”
The players echoed that philosophy.
“We talk about that all the time in practice,” said Jack Kohnen, who finished the game with 35 points and 10 rebounds. “Every day… it’s a real competition that gets us ready for these games.”
Fogle said, “We got guys who work every day in practice. I think that translates to the game well, and it showed today.”
Slinger’s offensive surge was powered by standout performances, including a 20-point effort from Fogle.
Media question to Fogle: “What was different today that you felt like you did you wake up feeling dangerous or did you just see a match up that you liked on the floor?
“Coach always says to get to the rim, not settle [for] the three-point line,” Fogle said. “I think getting to the rim early helps out… it was a big game and a good day to have a good day.”
Meanwhile, Jack Kohnen delivered a dominant 35-point performance, igniting the team’s second-half surge.
“At halftime, we thought we weren’t executing the right way…,” Jack Kohnen said. “I was the one that kind of started it off… once we got the crowd going a little bit, the team’s all hyped up.
“I knew I had to go out and probably be a little more aggressive, and that ended up working out pretty well today.”
Beyond the stats, players pointed to something less measurable but just as powerful: chemistry.
“Off the court, we’re really tight-knit,” Fogle said. “We get along really well as a team… I think that helps us on the court.”
That unity showed late in the game, when reserves saw action on the state stage.
“It was really cool for us,” Jack Kohnen said. “They’ve been working hard every day… it’s our job to get a lead so we can get them out there.”
The win marks Slinger’s first state tournament victory in program history—a milestone nearly half a century in the making.
“We never talked about it, but it’s significant,” Lavine said. “We probably won’t recognize it that way right now… tomorrow’s a new day. Let’s do tomorrow the right way, too.”
With a state championship now within reach, the Owls will face Whitefish Bay as the Blue Dukes topped West Salem, 64-58.
Slinger is 2-0 vs. Whitefish Bay this season. The first encounter the Owls won 56-55 and later in the season Slinger came home with another win, 58-56.