D5 Title Game: Cochrane-Fountain City wins 1st crown

If ever a team earned a state championship -- the first in the history of the school no less -- it was Cochrane-Fountain City. The Pirates used stellar, physical defense to throw Sheboygan Lutheran off balance for much of the game and then held off several Crusaders' runs in the second half to register a 60-54 win in the WIAA Division 5 championship game Saturday at the Kohl Center in Madison. Sheboygan Lutheran's potent offense averaged 79.2 points per game during the season, and then the Crusaders put up 80 points in Friday's semifinal victory over Abundant Life Christian. But the physical play of the entire Cochrane-Fountain City squad and the shot making of senior [player_tooltip player_id='2624236' first='Cameron' last='Lipinski'], the steals and layups of senior [player_tooltip player_id='2390104' first='Porter' last='Ehrat'] and the ball handling and passing of senior [player_tooltip player_id='2813594' first='Reed' last='Schmidtknecht'] were difficult to overcome for the Crusaders, who end the season with a 25-5 record under coach Nick Verhagen. No player exemplified the physical play of Cochrane-Fountain City more than sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2709983' first='Aidan' last='Lisowski'], burly 6-foot-1 muscle man who fought and battled in the paint with Sheboygan Lutheran sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2382133' first='Marion' last='Boyland'] the entire game. Boyland had scored 23 points Friday against Abundant Life Christian, but he was held to just six points by Liowski and Co. on Saturday. [player_tooltip player_id='2224503' first='Brennen' last='Hackbarth'], Sheboygan Lutheran's talented 6-foot-4 junior forward, picked up the slack with 26 points, but it just wasn't enough to overcome the Pirates, who got 18 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals that led to layups from Ehrat. Lipinski added 17 points and three huge three-point baskets at crucial times in the contest. Cochrane-Fountain led 34-28 at intermission as Lipinski swished a three-point basket as the first half horn sounded. The Pirates led throughout the second half, but Sheboygan Lutheran did cut it to 54-53 on a three-point basket from senior [player_tooltip player_id='2549586' first='Andrew' last='Krueger'] with just over three minutes left. However, that was the last basket Sheboygan Lutheran made in the game as Cochrane-Fountain City did an excellent job of spreading the court and working the clock. The Pirates made just enough foul shots in the final minute of the game to notch its 28th win 30 games this season. BOXSCORE Cochrane-Fountain City (34-26 =60) Lipinski 17, Schmidtknecht 8, Lisowski 3, Ehrat 18, Barum 6, Popp 4, Bambenek 4. Three-point field goals: Lipinski 3, Schmidtknecht 2, Popp 1. FT: 10-18. Fouled out: None. Record: 28-2. Sheboygan Lutheran (28-26 = 54) Hackbarth 26, Krueger 6, Thomas 2, Boyland 6, Leonhard 7, O. Leibham 7, Michael 0. Three-point field goals: Krueger 2, Leonhard 1. FT: 11-17. Fouled out: None. Record: 25-5.

If ever a team earned a state championship -- the first in the history of the school no less -- it was Cochrane-Fountain City.

The Pirates used stellar, physical defense to throw Sheboygan Lutheran off balance for much of the game and then held off several Crusaders' runs in the second half to register a 60-54 win in the WIAA Division 5 championship game Saturday at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Sheboygan Lutheran's potent offense averaged 79.2 points per game during the season, and then the Crusaders put up 80 points in Friday's semifinal victory over Abundant Life Christian.

But the physical play of the entire Cochrane-Fountain City squad and the shot making of senior Cameron Lipinski Cameron Lipinski 6'3" | SF Cochrane-Fountain City | 2025 State WI , the steals and layups of senior Porter Ehrat Porter Ehrat 6'1" | SF Cochrane Fountain City | 2025 WI and the ball handling and passing of senior Reed Schmidtknecht Reed Schmidtknecht 5'11" | PG Cochrane-Fountain City | 2025 WI were difficult to overcome for the Crusaders, who end the season with a 25-5 record under coach Nick Verhagen.

No player exemplified the physical play of Cochrane-Fountain City more than sophomore Aidan Lisowski Aidan Lisowski 6'2" | PG/PF Cochrane-Fountain City | 2027 WI , burly 6-foot-1 muscle man who fought and battled in the paint with Sheboygan Lutheran sophomore Marion Boyland Marion Boyland 6'6" | SF/PF Sheboygan Lutheran | 2027 State WI the entire game.

Boyland had scored 23 points Friday against Abundant Life Christian, but he was held to just six points by Liowski and Co. on Saturday.

Brennen Hackbarth Brennen Hackbarth 6'5" | SF Sheboygan Lutheran | 2026 State WI , Sheboygan Lutheran's talented 6-foot-4 junior forward, picked up the slack with 26 points, but it just wasn't enough to overcome the Pirates, who got 18 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals that led to layups from Ehrat. Lipinski added 17 points and three huge three-point baskets at crucial times in the contest.

Cochrane-Fountain led 34-28 at intermission as Lipinski swished a three-point basket as the first half horn sounded.

The Pirates led throughout the second half, but Sheboygan Lutheran did cut it to 54-53 on a three-point basket from senior Andrew Krueger Andrew Krueger 5'11" | CG Sheboygan Lutheran | 2025 State WI with just over three minutes left.

However, that was the last basket Sheboygan Lutheran made in the game as Cochrane-Fountain City did an excellent job of spreading the court and working the clock. The Pirates made just enough foul shots in the final minute of the game to notch its 28th win 30 games this season.

BOXSCORE

Cochrane-Fountain City (34-26 =60)
Lipinski 17, Schmidtknecht 8, Lisowski 3, Ehrat 18, Barum 6, Popp 4, Bambenek 4. Three-point field goals: Lipinski 3, Schmidtknecht 2, Popp 1. FT: 10-18. Fouled out: None. Record: 28-2.
Sheboygan Lutheran (28-26 = 54)
Hackbarth 26, Krueger 6, Thomas 2, Boyland 6, Leonhard 7, O. Leibham 7, Michael 0. Three-point field goals: Krueger 2, Leonhard 1. FT: 11-17. Fouled out: None. Record: 25-5.