It's been 28 years since Valley Heights football topped Centralia, last getting a win in 1988 against the Panthers but that streak ended on Friday night as the Mustangs went on the road and using a strong second half tamed the Panthers 51-36. 

The game looked like it was going to be a track meet early as two touchdowns were scored on the first four plays of the game. Valley Heights got the ball first and the Mustangs behind a big Jordan Yungeberg 59-yard run punched it in the endzone on the next play a six-yard touchdown scamper from Hunter Stevenson making 7-0 with 10:47 left in the first. The Panthers got the ball and visited pay-dirt just 12 seconds later as Isaac Gore busted a 65-yard run for the touchdown but a missed two-point conversion made it 7-6 Valley Heights. Centralia then forced a Mustang fumble as Byrson Johnson knocked the ball loose from Jordan Yungeberg and the Panthers recovered and then a few plays later busted a 45-yard touchdown run by Kamble Haverkamp and with the two-point conversion led 14-7. Valley Heights had an answer as the scoring continued in the first quarter with a 22-yard run by Stevenson tying the game at 14-14 with 3:23 left in the first. 

The lead flipped back to Valley Heights in the second quarter as Trey Martin hit the sideline and busted a 37-yard run for a touchdown making it 21-14, but Centralia had an answer scoring on the next drive with a Haverkamp three-yard run but missed the two-point conversion to make it 21-20 Valley Heights. After the score Centralia went for the onside kick surprising the Mustangs and the Panthers recovered and with the momentum mounted another scoring drive capped by a Isaac Gore three-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion to take a 28-21 lead with 35.1 seconds left in the first half. Valley Heights after a solid return and penalty by Centralia setup on the 50-yard line with enough time for a couple of plays before halftime by Centralia foiled the opportunity as Kobe Rumbo and Nathan Rempe each recorded a sack on back-to-back plays to end the first half with Centralia leading 28-21. 

Centralia got the ball to start the second half but the Valley Heights Mustangs defense made adjustments in the second and started to get some stops. A Logan Woodyard interception of Haverkamp and return set up the Mustangs on the 10-yard line and a few plays later Woodyard scored a one-yard touchdown run but a missed extra point kept the lead in favor of Centralia 28-27 in the third quarter. The Mustangs however weren't done visiting in the endzone in the third as Stevenson scored on a three-yard run as the third quarter ended making it 34-28 Valley Heights. 

A 36-yard touchdown run by Woodyard made it 43-28 after a two-point conversion, but the Panthers didn't go away cutting the lead to seven with 6:01 left in the game as Gore hit a 44-yard run for a touchdown and the two-point try was good. Valley Heights on the next drive answered with Stevenson's fourth rushing touchdown of the evening this time from 28-yards out to make it 51-36 and both teams turned the ball over once more in the final minutes of the game as the Mustangs picked up their seventh straight win. 

Valley Heights in the game ran for 373 yards as a team led by Stevenson who totaled 178 yards on 24 carries with four touchdowns earning Community National Bank "Player to Bank On" honors on KMZA. While, Jordan Yungeberg added 88 yards on six carries and Martin had 84 on four totes. The Mustangs with the improved to 7-1 on the season and 3-0 in District play and clinched a playoff berth. 

Centralia with the loss fell to 1-7 on the year and 0-3 in District play but totaled 360 yards of offense on the night with Gore rushing for 202 yards on 25 carries with three touchdowns, while Haverkamp added two scores on the ground on 18 carries with 95 yards. 

The final week of the regular season presents an opportunity for Valley Heights win the District title and earn a home playoff game as they host Washington County, while Centralia looks to try and finish the season strong with a win as the host Jackson Heights.