Centralia Panthers Volleyball

Winning and winning at the highest level of competition is something Centralia Panther athletics is accustomed, too and the defending Class 1A-Division I volleyball champs are off to a blistering start to the season, even with the graduation of key players from last year’s team.

The Panthers, the number two team in Class 1A-DI KVA polls, torn through the competition over the weekend as they won the Hiawatha Invitational going 6-0 on the day and won all their matches in straight sets in the process. On top of winning all their matches in straight sets the Panthers only allowed their opponents to score more than 14 points in a set only four times of the 12 sets played by the Panthers. Centralia beat Horton, Troy, Lafayette and Jefferson County North in pool play, then topped Atchison in the Semifinals and beat Immaculata for the Hiawatha Invitational title.

On the season so far the Panthers are off to a 16-1 start and on top of winning the Hiawatha Invite won the Wabaunsee Invitational to start the season. Centralia’s lone loss of the year came in the Wabaunsee Invite to the host Wabaunsee who is ranked seventh in Class 3A in the KVA rankings, but the Panthers came back to beat Wabaunsee in the Championship of the tournament.

Not only was Centralia dominate in their play on the court at the Hiawatha Invite they have been all season so far as they have allowed their opponents to score more than 14 points in a set only 14 times out of 35 sets played (five of those 14 times were by Wabaunsee).

The Panthers continue their prowl this season in the Twin Valley League and look to set their sights on a trip back to Hays.