Centralia-Wetmore Football Team

From the end of last season the Centralia-Wetmore Panther football team set their sight on one thing that was returning to the state title game and finishing the unfinished business from last year and that they did capturing the 2-1A State Championship and finishing a perfect 13-0.

The Panthers demolished and dominated foes all throughout the season on their way to perfection and the State title winning their third football state title in school history behind a potent rushing attack and a stonewall defense.

The season started with just a 16-0 win over St. Mary’s and that would prove to be the closest game of the season as the Panthers outscored their opponents 660-67 on the season and 473-6 in the first half of games.

Centralia-Wetmore offense piled up the point to the tune of 50.8 points per game while rushing the ball for 372.5 yards per game including 532 yards in the State title win over LaCrosse. The patent single wing formation lead the Panthers to over 4,500 yards rushing on the season as 12 guys had two varsity carries or more and eight of those guys tallied 16 or more carries on the season. Nine of the guys rushed for a TD, while eight of those guys ran for three or more TD’s on the season.

On the defensive side of the ball the Panthers brought back every starter from last year and the team chemistry showed as the Panthers stymied anything their opponents threw in front of them all season allowing only 5.2 points per game to their opponents and 113.4 total yards per game. Centralia-Wetmore gave up only 67 points on the season with seven shutouts and only two opponents scored double figures on them all season.

The journey through the playoffs started for the Panthers with a 56-8 mauling of the Oskaloosa Bears, then they went on the road and clipped the wings of the Olpe Eagles 36-0 and declawed the Lyndon Tigers 69-21 in the Sub-State matchup moving on to the State title game.

In the State Championship the Panthers ran wild over the LaCrosse Leopards dominating them in a 61-0 win to cap off their season 13-0 and capture a 2-1A State title.