The Centralia Panthers earned a trip to the 1A State Championship game on Friday night thanks to their 22-9 Sub-State win over Rossville.  The victory snapped the Panther’s 8 game losing streak to the Bulldawgs dating back to 2010.

After a Centralia three and out to start the contest, Rossville converted a 3rd and 15 thanks to some crafty elusiveness by senior QB Tayson Horak as he was able to avoid a sack and find Mahki Jackson for a 24 yard gain. Horak added a 33 yard scamper to set up the Bulldawgs with a 1st and goal from the Panther 3. After two short runs, Rossville was faced with a 3rd and goal from the 1, but was backed up to the six due to a false start.  Their 3rd down pass was incomplete which was followed by a missed field goal preventing Centralia from trailing early in the game.

The Panthers took advantage of their stop on defense as the offense marched the ball down the field 80 yards on 9 plays, capped by a Quentin Aldefer 7 yard run to put Centralia up 6-0 early in the 2nd quarter.

Rossville put together a solid drive late in the 1st half, converting a 4th and 1, but had to settle for a 25 yard field goal from Vincent Daniel cutting the deficit to 6-3.

Centralia responded, taking only 1:08 to score with :25 seconds remaining in the first half.  The key play was Panther senior QB Jacob Flentie rolling right on 3rd and 1 to find fellow senior Ben Haverkamp for a 31 yard completion.  Flentie scored on the next play from 13 yards out and Centralia led 14-3 at intermission.

The 3rd quarter was dominated by both defenses as Rossville lost 2 fumbles and Centralia threw an interception, but neither team was able to capitalize on those miscues and the game remained 14-3 heading into the final frame.

In the 4th, Tayson Horak found his cousin, Jack Donovan, for a 61 yard touchdown pass down the sideline which gave the Bulldawgs new life with 7:15 to play.  The two point conversion pass was denied by Centralia sophomore Degan Ronnebaum to make it 14-9.

Centralia made sure there was no Bulldawg 4th quarter comeback for a 2nd straight week as they sealed the game on the legs of Flentie who ran for 46 yards on a critical 3rd and 6 and then finished the drive on a 2 yard plunge to go up two scores, 20-9 with 3:38 to play. The 2 point conversion pass was completed from Flentie to Aldefer to complete the scoring and make the final score 22-9.

Flentie led the Panther offense with another big night, rushing for 142 yards on 26 carries with 2 touchdown runs. His counterpart, Horak, led the way for the Bulldawgs, rushing for 73 yards and passing for 203 yards and a score.

Rossville saw their 8 game winning streak end and finished with a successful 8-4 season in their 1st year at the 1A level.  

Centralia is 11-1 on the season having won 10 in row since a week 2 loss to Mid-Buchanan Missouri. 

Centralia will face 1A defending champ, Conway Springs, for this year’s 1A State Title next Saturday at 5 pm in Hutchinson. You can listen to the game and our pregame coverage beginning at 4:30 pm this Saturday on 92.1 KMZA, www.kmzafm.com, and the FREE MSC Radio App! 

This will be the Panthers 6th State title game appearance overall, all coming since 2009, and their first since 2019. 

Centralia is 4-1 in their State Title games winning all four of their State Championship in odd numbered years (2009, 2011, 2013, 2019).  Their only loss in the Championship Round was to Meade in 2012.