IHSA football state championship recap: Lena-Winslow beats Carrollton for fifth 1A title

The Lena-Winslow Panthers beat Carrollton Hawks 38-25 in the championship game of the Illinois High School Association Class 1A football playoffs at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb.

Le-Win (12-2), of the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference (NUIC), remained perfect in five state championship games, adding the 2021 crown to titles in 2019, '17, '13 and '10.

Lena-Winslow running back Marey Roby finished with 241 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Carollton (12-2), the champion of the Western Illinois Valley (South), was aiming for its first title but fell short as its previous title appearance in 2014.

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12:45 — Lena-Winslow wins it

The Panthers ran out the clock and begin to celebrate the state championship.

Le-Win 38, Carrollton 25 | FINAL

12:35 p.m. – Carrollton stuffed at 10

Le-Win's all-state linebacker Brody Mahon breaks up a pass in the end zone and Carrollton gives it up on downs, with the Panthers leading 38-25 with 2:13 left to play. That pretty much seals it.

Le-Win 38, Carrollton 25 | 2 fourth quarter

12:26 p.m. – Le-Win chews up fourth-quarter clock

Le-Win chews up a bunch of the fourth-quarter clock before punting, leading 38-25 with 4:54 left in the 1A state-title game.

Le-Win 38, Carrollton 25 | 4:45 fourth quarter

'Big, strong, fast': Dominant offensive line leads Lena-Winslow to football state title

12:09 p.m. – Benson keeper TD boosts lead

Le-Win QB Luke Benson plowed in from one yard out to cap off a 13-play, 62-yard drive and boost the lead to 38-25 with 10:39 left in the game. Gage Dunker had two key runs late in the drive.

Le-Win 38, Carrollton 25, 10:39 fourth quarter

12:04 p.m. – Third quarter breezes by

Le-Win clung to its 30-25 lead at the end of the third quarter, but are in Carrollton territory, driving to build on its lead. RB Marey Roby is up to 223 yards rushing and three TDs.

Le-Win 30, Carrollton 25 | End of third quarter

11:55 a.m. – Le-Win punts, Carrollton cuts lead to one score

After Le-Win punted on its first possession of the second half, Carrollton converted a fourth- and a third-down while driving down to cut the lead to 30-25.

Marey Roby has 212 yards on 16 carries with three TDs up to this point, but Carrollton QB Grant Pohlman dove in for his second rushing score and the Hawks are back within one TD.

Le-Win 30, Carrollton 25 | 4:51 third quarter

11:22 a.m. – Marey Roby lighting it up

Roby goes over 200 yards rushing in the first half with a 47-yard touchdown run with 49 seconds left in the first half, and then hauls in an over-the-shoulder interception for Lena-Winslow, which leads 30-19 at halftime.

Le-Win 30, Carrollton 19 | Halftime

11:11 a.m. – Pohlman answers Roby, Le-Win clings to 22-19 lead

After Marey Roby's second TD of the game, Carrollton struck fast again with Grant Pohlman's second TD pass of the day. Le-Win clung to a 22-19 lead with 1:54 left in the first half, looking to strike again.

Le-Win 22, Carrollton 19 | 1:54 second quarter

11:06 a.m. – Roby gone again, Le-Win leads 22-13

After going over 100 yards rushing with his last TD, Marey Roby opened things up with a 45-yard TD run with 2:16 left in the first half.

Le-Win 22, Carrollton 13 | 2:18 second quarter

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10:54 a.m. – Carrollton answers Roby, TD for TD

After Marey Roby darts 45 yards then dives in for a 2-yard TD, Carrollton QB Grant Pohlman runs 63 yards untouched and Carrollton cut Le-Win's lead to 14-13 with 7:41 left in the second quarter.

Le-Win 14, Carrollton 13 | 7:41 second quarter

10:40 a.m. — Le-Win muffs punt, Carrollton scores

Le-Win's Jake Zeal, who scored the earlier touchdown on a long run, muffs a punt and fumbles over to Carrollton with 11:20 to go in the second quarter. Shortly after, Carrollton QB Eli Flowers connects with Kyle Leonard for an 18-yard TD pass and a 7-6 lead.

Carrollton 7, Le-Win 6 | 9:51 second quarter

10:32 a.m. — Luke Benson throws INT

Just before the first quarter ended, Le-Win QB Luke Benson threw at interception near the goal line to stall a nice Panthers' drive. Le-Win still leads 6-0 at the end of the first.

Le-Win 6, Carrollton 0 | End of first quarter

10:22 a.m. — Le-Win strikes first

Jake Zeal bolted 60 yards for a touchdown as Le-Win snagged a 6-0 lead with 6:21 left in the first quarter over Carrollton. Le-Win had fumbled on its previous possession, but quickly made amends.

Le-Win 6, Carrollton 0 | 6:21 first quarter

10:16 a.m. — Le-Win fumbles on 1st drive

Le-Win was charging down the field but fumbled on the Carrollton-14 with 7:30 left in the first quarter on the Panthers' first attempt on offense.

A 17-yard run by Jake Zeal down to the Carrollton-38 came on just the Panthers' second play of the game, and Marey Roby had a 13-yard carry right after that. But Ethan Fye was hit and the ball popped out, with Carrollton recovering on its own 14-yard-line.

Le-Win 0, Carrollton 0 | 7:30 first quarter

Read more: Lena-Winslow vs. Carrollton game preview

Meet Lena-Winslow's lone all-stater

It’s a huge honor to be named all-state. Especially when you are the only all-stater at annual powerhouse Lena-Winslow.

“I was not expecting that,” said Le-Win senior linebacker/tight end Brody Mahon, who will be given his 1A plaque by the Illinois Football Coaches Association Friday at the state finals. “There’s no better way to be presented the award than to also be playing that day at DeKalb,” Mahon said.

Read more: Get to know Le-Win all-stater Brody Mahon

Le-Win vs. Carrollton pregame news

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Carrollton semifinal: Hawks 'set the tone' early in semifinal victory

Le-Win quarterfinal: Star back's career game leads Lena-Winslow past Fulton and into semifinals

Le-Win second round: Lena-Winslow avenges loss to Forreston and rolls into IHSA football quarterfinals

Top cats: 4 reasons why Lena-Winslow is the No. 1 football team in Illinois Class 1A

More Le-Win: 'We always show up for the big ones': Lena-Winslow primed for semifinal

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: IHSA football championship: Lena-Winslow vs. Carrollton live updates