MOWEAQUA - Carrollton quarterback Grant Pohlman ran for three touchdowns and threw for a fourth to running back Harley Angel, with the Hawks defense shutting down Moweaqua Central A&M's offense at key times as Carrollton defeated the Raiders in the IHSA Class 1A football playoff semifinal 28-14 Saturday afternoon at Moweaqua.
The win advances the 12-1 Hawks to the state championship game, which will be played at 10 a.m. Friday at Huskie Stadium at Northern Illinois University against 11-2 Lena-Winslow. Lena-Winslow was a 28-12 winner over Colfax-Ridgeview-Lexington in the other IHSA Class 1A football semifinal playoff contest.
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Carrollton scored on the opening possession of the game when Pohlman connected with Angel, two of the team's best players all season, on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 8:05 left in the opening quarter to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead after Kyle Leonard's conversion. After an exchange of interceptions, the Raiders tied the game on a one-yard run by quarterback James Paradee to tie the game 7-7 on the first play of the second quarter.
On the next possession, Pohlman ran in from one yard out to give the Hawks the lead back 14-7 with 7:38 left in the first half. A&M then went on a long drive culminated with another one-yard run from Paradee to bring the Raiders level again at 14-14.
Undeterred, Pohlman scored again, this time on a 17-yard run five seconds from halftime, but a missed convert made the score 20-14 Hawks at the interval.
After the Carrollton defense held the Raiders on downs, Pohlman scored his third touchdown of the game from one yard out with 4:32 left in the third to extend the Hawks' lead to 26-14 after a two-point conversion missed. In the fourth quarter, the Hawks defense scored a safety to make the final 28-14, putting Carrollton in the final.
The Carrollton-Lena Winslow game will be live-streamed on the IHSA website via the NFHS Network, but viewers must purchase a subscription to view the game. The Raiders finish the year 9-4.
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