State champs: Dominant defensive effort carries Camp Point Central football team to Class 1A title

NORMAL, Ill. — A historic season deserved a historic ending.

The Camp Point Central football team delivered in the most historic way.

By shutting out three-time defending state champion Lena-Winslow with a 14-0 victory Friday in the Class 1A state championship game at Illinois State University’s Hancock Stadium, Central not only capped a 14-0 season with the first state title in program history, but it won the first championship by team in any sport in school history.

Central did so with arguably one of the most dominant defensive efforts in championship history.

Lena-Winslow, a six-time state champion, hadn’t been shut out in the first half of a game since 2015 and hadn’t been shut out completely since 2007.

Riding the running prowess of all-state fullback Gage Dunker, Lena-Winslow came into the state title game averaging 387.5 yards rushing and 44.9 points per game. Against Central’s uber-quick defense, Lena-Winslow managed just 164 yards rushing and 3.3 yards per carry.

Lena-Winslow had just eight first downs total.

Meanwhile, Central churned out 173 yards rushing and two Elijah Genenbacher touchdowns, the second on an 11-yard run with 2:53 remaining in the game that sealed the victory.

Editor’s note: This story will be updated.