The Centralia girls basketball team has advanced to the 1A-I State Championship game in Dodge City as they defeated 6-seed Burlingame in the Semi-Finals on Friday night 53-45. 

The Bearcats got off to a hot start as they scored the first eight points of the game to force Centralia into an early timeout. 

Bearcats kept the pace up and led the Panthers 18-11 at the end of the first quarter. 

The second and third quarters were dominated by Centralia as they went on a 16-2 and outscored the Bearcats 17-7 in the second quarter to take a 28-25 halftime lead. 

The game really got blown open in the third quarter as the Panthers went on a tear and outscored the Bearcats 19-2 to lead 47-27 going into the fourth quarter. 

Burlingame did not go away quietly as the would come out firing and score the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to get back within 10 with about five minutes to go. 

They would get within eight twice but that is as close as they would get as the Panthers hold off for the win and advance to their 10th State Title game. 

Panthers were led by Oen Deters with 16 points while Abbie Flentie added 13 and Lena Haverkamp pitched in with 10. 

Burlingame was led by Kaylin Noonin with 24 points and eight rebounds while Daelyn Winters added 10 points as the Bearcats end their season at 21-3. It was Burlingame's first ever trip to the State Tournament. 

The 2-seed Panthers improve to 25-0 and will battle 5-seed Pretty Prairie in the State Championship game on Saturday night at 6:15 PM at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City. 

Pretty Prairie defeated Osborne in the quarterfinals and they knocked out top-seed and previously undefeated Hodgeman County in the Semi-Final's earlier in the day 37-32. 

Panthers are seeking their first State Championship since 2016 as head coach Roger Holthaus will be looking for his second during his time as the Panthers head coach. 

The Panthers are also looking for their second undefeated State Title season as they went undefeated and won the Title back in 2000. 

We'll have pregame coverage on Saturday night around 6:00 PM with the game at 6:15 PM on 92.1 KMZA with the State Championship on the line.