Photo Credit : Centralia Schools

Clyde, KS

1A-D1 Sub-State Final

For the second consecutive year, it came down to Twin-Valley league foes Centralia and Clifton-Clyde with the winner punching their ticket to the 1A-Division 1 state tournament. For the second consecutive year, Centralia got it done. 

A season ago Centralia hosted the Sub-State finals where they knocked off Clifton-Clyde by a final of 54-43, however this season it was the Eagles who were hosting. A different year, but the same result. The Panthers dominated from the beginning of this one, jumping out early 7-0 forcing an early Eagles timeout. This was just the start of the night for Centralia as they would lean on Junior guard Hayden Kramer to pave the way to victory. Kramer would guide the Panthers to a dominant first quarter, leading 26-15. In the second, head coach Dusty Thompson saw his group assert their dominance even more so on the defensive side. Clifton-Clyde scored just six points in the second stanza while Centralia poured in 14, led by Kramer and fellow Junior Keelyn Rempe who made a combined five triples to extend their lead to 40-21 at the break. The Panthers shot an astounding 74% from the field, including 80% from inside the three point line and 62% from outside.

Senior Sevy Wertz, who led the state in points per game this season (all classifications), was held to just nine first half points largly to the defensive prowess of Kramer and fellow Junior Malayna Becker. Becker, who comes off the bench, used her length and versatility to frustrate the sharp shooter, not giving her any space on the floor.

In the third frame things started slow for both teams as the first basket of the second half didn't come until 6:40 left in the quarter, but then the offense picked up for both teams. These teams went shot for shot with Centralia extending their lead to 57-36 headed to the final quarter.

In the final quarter the Panthers would extend their lead to as many as twenty-six, however when the final buzzer sounded the score was much closer than that. Wertz wasn't going to go down without a fight, and she proved why she is such a prolific scorer and one of the best in recent memory throughout Northeast Kansas. Wertz scored an impressive fifteen points down the stretch as Centralia would put in their reserves in the final minutes, but the conculsion was never in doubt. The Panthers proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the classification once again, defeating Clifton-Clyde by a final of 69-57. 

This team has all the pieces. We like to call them the twin towers in Junior Josie Haverkamp and Junior Tava Gibbs, and teams have to determine if they try to slow them down and allow the outside shooting to take flight or guard the perimeter and let the towers work. This team is a unit with size down low, phenomenal guard play, defensive minded players like Sophomore Myah Tanking, and do it all work-horses like Senior Cora Thompson and Becker. Keep focused on this team, because when the calendar turns to March they're always a tough out.

Kramer was named the Farmers State Bank of Onaga "Player to Bank on" with her performance on the night.

UP NEXT - Centralia will be the fourth seed in the 1A-Division 1 state tournament next week, taking on fifth seeded Quinter on Wednesday. This will be only the second meeting between these two schools in recent memory, with the only other meeting being in the 2017 state tournament when the Panthers won 67-34. The location and scheduled time for the state quarterfinal game on Wednesday will be announced on Sunday.

Scoring Leaders - 

Centralia - H. Kramer 26, K. Rempe 13, T. Gibbs 12, J. Haverkamp 9, M. Becker 7, C. Thompson 2

Clifton-Clyde - S. Wertz 35, P. Joy 13, C. Baker 3, E. Close 2, E. Wertz 1