2017 Centralia Girls Sub-State Champions (photo courtesy USD 380 Twitter)

92.1 KMZA Broadcast - Frankfort vs. Centralia (1A-DI Girls Sub-State Championship) - click to listen

The defending Class 1A-Division I State champion Centralia lady Panthers will have a shot to defend that title as they are set to return to the State tournament after beating Frankfort 55-36 in Sub-State Championship on Saturday at home.

Centralia pounced early in the battle of the Cats as the Panthers worked to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before Frankfort finally got on the board and at the end of the first it was 19-8 Centralia lead. The Panthers carried that margin into halftime up 27-16 and bumped the lead up in the second half. Frankfort made pushes getting within seven points late in the third but a 13-7 fourth quarter secured the Panther win.

In the loss Frankfort was led by Emilee Ebert and Kennan Brandt who each scored 10 points and the Wildcats wrapped up the season with a 16-8 record.

The win for Centralia pushed them to 22-1 on the season and marks their 44th win the last 45 games earning the lady Panthers their 17 trip to the State tournament. Cassidy Haufler set the tone early with her post play netting 11 of her 18 points in the first half helping her earn Community National Bank “Player to Bank On” honors on KMZA. Katie Glatczak contributed 16 points for the Panthers, while Morgan Kramer posted 14 points, scoring 10 in the second half and Centralia also finished 19-25 from the line.

Centralia will take the court at the Class 1A-DI State tournament on Wednesday, March 8th in Hays, Kansas at Gross Memorial Coliseum and will play at Quinter (15-8) the #8 seed as the Panthers drew the #1 seed and will play at 3:00pm. (Class 1A-DI Girls State Tournament bracket)