The Centralia Panthers have been one of the best stories in Class 1A in 2022 as Roger Holthaus took over the program this season as head coach. 

Centralia has won 10 straight games and are the lone undefeated team left in 1A and will continue its run Friday night at home against Olpe. 

Centralia is ranked #1 while Olpe is ranked #2. The Eagles are the two-time defending State Champs and this matchup has become quite the playoff rivalry in recent years. These two teams played each other last season in the Semi-Finals in Centralia but it was the Eagles who got the win and went on to win the State Title. 

Olpe will be looking for their third straight State Championship while Centralia is looking for their first State Championship since 2019. The Panthers and Eagles have combined to win seven of the last 15 State Championships at the 1A level. 

The Panthers have been led this season by quarterback Trenton Talley and running back Drew Gibbs. Brock Reinecke and Maveryck Becker have also been important pieces for Centralia throughout the course of the season. 

Centralia's two playoff wins so far were against McLouth (48-8) and Jefferson County North (34-8). The Panthers used a big second half last week to pull away from the Chargers. 

Olpe lost several pieces from their back-to-back Championship teams due to graduation but still find themselves just a couple of games away from another State Championship game appearance. 

The Eagles had no problems with Uniontown in their first playoff win this season (70-8). They used their defense last week to hold off Pleasanton 14-0. They also shutout Pleasanton in their regular season matchup 27-0. Olpe lost their first two games of the season against Hayden and Bishop Ward who are both teams in 3A. 

They enter this game on Friday at Centralia with eight straight wins. 

Since 2010, Centralia and Olpe have played six times with each team winning three. All but one of those meetings were in the quarterfinal round. Last year's meeting was in the Semi-Finals. 

Two of the best programs in Class 1A over the last decade square off once again in the Sectional round of the playoffs on Friday night. 

This game will be broadcasted live on KNZA 103.9 FM with Brandon Tadtman and Trenton Kraxner on the call.