Byron wins shootout thriller over Tolono Unity for IHSA 3A State Championship

NORMAL, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — A movie writer couldn’t have written a more thrilling football script than what played out in Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium Friday in the IHSA Class 3A State Championship Football Game.The Byron Tigers won a shootout thriller against the Tolono Unity Rockets 56-50. Byron appeared to have the game in-hand leading 56-43 with 6:01 to play. But the Rockets, behind their brilliant All-State quarterback Dane Eisenmenger brought his team back. He threw a six-yard touchdown pass with 2:00 to play cutting Byron’s advantage to 56-50. The Rockets then executed a successful onside kick on a bounding ball.The Rockets had nearly two minutes to work with from the 45-yard line. Eisenmenger, who passed for 541 yards and six touchdowns, moved his offensive downfield. The Rockets got into a first-and-goal situation. They had multiple shots at the end zone just missing due to some great defense by Byron’s secondary and linebackers.A penalty pushed the Rockets back to the 13-yard line. The game came to this. With :16 seconds to play, the Rockets were faced with fourth-and-goal from the 13. Eisenmenger dropped back to pass. He threw to his right toward the endzone. Byron linebacker Caden Considine had drifted over on the coverage, and he broke up the play giving Byron the football and clinching the victory. Considine, he senior leading of this Byron team delivered again.After a victory-formation kneel, the clock expired and the Tigers had the school’s fourth state championship in football.Considine, an All-State senior running back who has had a remarkable playoff run, was brilliant again. He rushed for 367 yards on 30 carries. He scored three touchdowns all while battling some leg cramps. Considine also led the Tigers with 13 tackles.Junior quarterback Andrew Talbert ran for two touchdowns, and he passed for two more. Both touchdown receptions were made by another Byron junior Kole Aken. Dawson Criddle also added a touchdown run for Byron.Byron completes a 14-0 season, just as the three previous Byron state championship teams did.For highlights and postgame reaction from the Tigers, watch the media player above.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.