Sam Steinlage

Some thought the Centralia Panthers football team might take a slight step back after the graduation of key players but that hasn’t been the case and one big reason why the Panthers core of junior on the team have stepped up.

One junior that has increased his role this season standing out on both sides of the ball has been tailback and linebacker, Sam Steinlage. Sam has been a key cog for the Panthers all season making plays on both sides of the ball and he continued to do that this season most recently in the playoff game against Olpe, that the Panthers won 28-0. On offense, Steinlage scored all four TD’s for the Panthers three via the ground attack and the other through the air off a 15 yard reception from junior quarterback, JT Rosine. Defensively, Sam impacted may plays to help the Panthers to their fifth shutout of the year. 

Steinlage all season has made his presence known on the football field with multiple big games this season easily on his way to a 1,000 yard season. Thus far into the season on 144 carries he’s racked up 1,123 yards and 22 TD’s on the ground, as he averages an impressive 7.8 yards per carry and 102.1 yards per game. While the Panthers don’t pass the ball too often Steinlage has caught the most passes of any Centralia player this year with 15 receptions for 209 yards and two more TD’s.

The impact doesn’t stop for Steinlage on offense were he as down plenty of damage to opposing team’s defenses, but he wreaks havoc himself on defense for the Panthers while playing linebacker. He’s the team leading tackler with 232 tackles, 105 of which are solo tackles. While, 232 tackles might sound impressive in its self, here’s the more daunting part showing just how much Steinlage makes in impact on defense for the Panthers, he’s the team’s leading tackler by over 100 tackles. Sam also has two sacks and a pair of interceptions this year, too, one of which he returned 30 yards for a TD.

Steinlage is part of a Centralia defense that has five shutouts this year, only gives up 4.5 points per game and 125.9 yards per game to their opponents this season.

It’s hard to measure Sam’s impact truly on the field with his leadership and intangibles but purely on numbers he’s accounted for 34% of the Panthers offense this season and made plays on roughly 45.6% of the defense snaps for Centralia.

Centralia the defending Class 2-1A state champs are cruising allowing yet again this season with an 11-0 record and are in the sub-state semifinals. Panthers put the state’s longest winning streak in the state, which is 20 straight games, on the line on Friday night at home against 11-0, Lyndon.  (You can hear the game on 92.1 KMZA and online here – click here to listen)

Steinlage and company are looking to continue the winning tradition that is Centralia Panther football for a while longer this season, all the way to another possible state title.