Looking ahead to this season you many have thought, well Centralia will be a good team with plenty of youth but to loss your entire offensive line, starting quarterback and playmakers on defense the Panthers could see some growing pains early on.

Well that wasn't the case once the season started behind a tremendous junior class and good mixture of some seniors, sophomores and others the Panthers started with a bang beating 3A school St. Mary's, 35-16. Head coach, Larry Glatzcak new this team would be a good one but even he didn't except the team to come together that quick and perform that well right at the start of the season.

Panthers have continued to blossom all season with great play all over the field from the rushing attack on offense, the playmaking of the defense and the control constantly of the line of scrimmage game in and game out. After giving up 16 points to St. Mary's in the season opener the Panthers have only given up double digit points once and that was last week in their win over Lyndon, 34-14 to punch their ticket back to the Class 2-1A state championship game.

Centralia has been succeeding with their single wing attack and the legs of their junior quarterback, JT Rosine and junior tailback, Sam Steinlage amassing 3,046 rushing yards between them and scoring 51 rushing TD's on the season. The rushing attack has help lead to the Panthers outscoring their opponents 515 to 64 on the season and 108 to 21 in the playoffs.

The Panther defense may be the biggest story of the season as they have constantly dominated opponents all season with only two games were they gave up double digit point totals with the most points given up in one being 16 in the season opener. Centralia has pitched five shutouts on the season, forced 20 turnovers and shutout down opponents this season.

Running through the playoffs with wins over Jefferson County North (46-7), Olpe (28-0) and Lyndon (34-14) the Panthers are back in the state title game looking to make it back-to-back state titles and wrap up a perfect season. Panthers of course beat LaCrosse last season in the state title game 20-14 in overtime.

Standing in the way this season for the Panthers is a 11-1, Meade Buffaloes team that beat LaCrosse 34-12 to make the state title game. Meade like Centralia runs a single wing attack behind their longtime coach, Scott Moshier. A senior quarterback and tailback tandem leads the way for the Buffaloes as Chris Hardaway and Trevin Wiens have tallied 2,621 yards and 42 rushing TD's. Meade is not foreign to the state title game having won it back in 2010 over Colgan.

This matchup sets to be one similar to Centralia's game against Lyndon as both teams like to run the ball and play physical defense.

On the mind of the Panthers Saturday will be closing out a storybook season with perfection and successfully defending their state title, as they go for back-to-back Class 2-1A state champs and their third state title after all.

Panthers hit the field in Hays with kick at 1:00pm on Saturday and pregame starts on 92.1 KMZA and online here at 12:30pm (click here to listen).