Coal County Classic rekindles local football rivalry between CM and SM
The newly launched Coal County Classic has officially reignited one of McLean County’s most spirited football rivalries.
Central McLean Cougars and Southern McLean Roughriders met last month for the first time in more than a decade, with the Cougars claiming a 34-26 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the newly re-established series.
The win not only marked an important game for both programs but also symbolized the return of a historic matchup between two communities bound by shared geography and tradition.
According to Central McLean Activities Director and Turtle Lake – Mercer Superintendent Sheila Schlafmann, the last time the two schools faced each other on the gridiron was in 2014.
Since then, the teams have competed in different classifications and regions, making a renewal of the rivalry difficult until recent cooperative agreements brought the opportunity back.