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The 3A state semifinal at Bruna Athletic Field was a dream matchup for Carlinville and North Mac. The two Macoupin County rivals got a chance to finally square off with a berth in the state championship on the line.
The gusty winds and cold temperatures didn’t hold back either fan base from packing North Mac’s athletic complex well before kickoff. The game didn’t disappoint, either. It went down to the final play. Carlinville held on to advance to the state title game with a thrilling 27-21 victory.
Cavies senior running back, Jacob Dixon accounted for all four Carlinville touchdowns, including a 65-yard fumble return for a score that wound up being the biggest play of the game. Dixon also intercepted Grant Graham’s pass to seal a Cavies win.
For North Mac, Griffin Hatalla scored two touchdowns and Graham and Zayne Langellier connected for a passing and receiving touchdown.
It was the Panthers first trip ever to a state semifinal. 2016 goes down as the best season in North Mac history.
