The culture of winning has been manifested in the town of Centralia for quite some time and the trophy cases are the proof. On Saturday another trophy was added as the lady Panthers volleyball team battled to the schools 13th State volleyball title, claiming the 1A-DI State crown for the third time in four years. 

The Panthers entered the State tournament was the number one seed with an unblemished record and got thing rolling in pool play on Friday facing off against Pretty Prairie in the opening match and worked to a 25-18, 25-15 straight set win. Next up was a familiar opponent in the fellow Twin Valley League team the Hanover Wildcats and it was Hanover pouncing on early opportunities putting the Panthers on their heels and handing them their first loss of the season as Centralia fell 22-25, 23-25. With a 1-1 mark in pool play Centralia needed a win in the final pool play contest against LaCrosse to advance into the Semifinals. The Panthers were up to the challenge of the must win scenario and beat LaCrosse in straight sets 25-13, 25-20 to wrap up pool play 2-1 and advance into the Semifinals. 

Standing in front of Centralia in the Semifinals were the Goessel Bluebirds the team that beat the Panthers in the State title match in 2015. This time the matchup was for the right to get to the Championship match and the Panthers looked ready to roll early. Both teams traded blows back and forth but Centralia manage in each set to work in solid runs to develop marginal leads that pushed them to the 25-20, 25-16 straight win over Goessel. The Semifinal victory earned Centralia a date with Hanover for the fourth time this year and this time it was for the 1A-DI State title. 

In the Championship match Centralia pounced on the early opportunities and didn't look back as the Panthers established early control and never let Hanover find a level of consistency as the Centralia took the win 25-13, 25-15 to avenge their only loss of the season and win the 1A-DI State title. 

The 4-1 record at State wrapped up the Panthers season with a 44-1 record and the school's 13th State volleyball and sixth straight year of a top three finish at State. The four wins also pushed Coach Kimbrook Tennal over 700 wins in his coaching career, having now won 701 matches with only 49 losses.