MADISON, Wis. — The Slinger fan section was extra loud and fired up to see their boys' basketball team win the state semifinal game, advancing the Owls to the championship.
From center court at the Kohl Center in Madison, it looked like the entire village of Slinger showed up to support the team. The team's family, friends, and fans all shared what this historic victory meant to the community with me.
Senior fans sprinted to get seats in the front row for the big game.
"I don’t think I’ve ever run so fast in my life!" Hailey Hesselman said. "I think it’s a huge accomplishment—especially for the players, the seniors!"
Despite the pressure of the state tournament, Hesselman noted the team's composure on the court.
Watch: Slinger fans and proud family members celebrate as the boys basketball team wins state semifinal game
"I think they’re probably nervous, but also they have this calm cool confidence about them," she said. "A lot of the boys have been in high stakes have been in high stakes situations before. Having an older team, I think that’s really huge. I think they’re feeling good!"
"All of us are friends and family! We just love it," Aleah Sakac said. "We love Slinger!"
It is an emotional experience for family members of the team, some of whom remember the last time the Owls played at state in 1977. Mark Levine, whose nephew is the head coach, was thrilled by the victory.
"I’m probably one of the biggest fans!" he said. "I mean, I’m just fired up!"
Parents of the athletes couldn't contain their joy after the final buzzer.
"Super exciting! It’s electric in the building," Chris Pressley said. "I’m just so super proud."
Pressley's son is a freshman on the team. He said their family is looking forward to the championship game and three more years of top-notch WIAA Division 2 basketball.
"When you talk about it takes a village in terms of raising your kids," he said. "It warms your heart to see everyone [here]."
Next up for Slinger is the championship game versus White Fish Bay on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. in Madison.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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