Calhoun’s late TD and extra point snaps Central’s 24-game regular-season win streak

HARDIN, Ill. — Exactly when and where Conner Longnecker broke the plane with the football may be up for debate.

The fact two Western Illinois Valley Conference heavyweights went toe-to-toe for 48 minutes Friday night and the difference between the two is a matter of inches isn’t open to conjecture. This was a slobberknocker of November proportions.

And it ended with the reigning Class 1A state champion Camp Point Central football team seeing its 24-game regular-season win streak snapped as Calhoun scored with 2.4 seconds remaining in regulation and kicked the point after for a 14-13 victory.

On fourth and goal from the 2-yard line with seven seconds remaining, Longnecker took the handoff and plunged left, appearing to fall short of the goal line. Several Central defenders were waving that Longnecker fell short. The official on one sideline did not signal a touchdown, and after a delay, the official from the other sideline held up his arms.

All of the game officials convened and ruled Longnecker had scored, tying the game at 13. The extra point proved to be the final margin of victory.

Central hadn’t lost a regular-season game since Week 4 of the 2021 season when it suffered a 22-20 setback against Brown County.

It didn’t look like that would be the fate at the start. Central returned the opening kickoff to the Calhoun 45-yard line, and Zack Wear scored on the first play with Marco Rodriguez kicking the extra point. Calhoun answered with a touchdown drive, but Central regained the lead early in the second quarter.

Panthers linebacker Elijah Genenbacher intercepted a pass and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown. The missed extra point had Central ahead 13-7.

The Panthers held tough defensively, stopping the Warriors on fourth and goal with 11 minutes to play. Central missed a field goal with 3:38 to play, giving the ball back to Calhoun, which worked its way into scoring position by completing a 31-yard halfback pass with less than two minutes to play.

The Warriors picked up a first down by getting to the 8-yard line, but the Panthers’ defense stiffened. Longnecker picked up 3 yards on first down, a pass fell incomplete on second down, and Longnecker dove for 3 yards on third down. It set up his plunge into a scrum on fourth down.