Photos courtesy of Larry Glatczak

In what was expected to be two tightly contested affairs turned into two runaways and a Panther sweep as Saturday the Centralia girls and boys each claimed Class 1A Regional Championships at Valley Falls.

Girls Championship: Centralia 60, Burlingame 43

The girl’s game was all Centralia from the opening tap as the Panthers raced out to a big lead and never looked back cruising to a 60-43 regional championship victory.

Centralia wasted no time jumping out in front as six different players scored in the first quarter including five points from senior Kennedy Becker giving the Panthers an 18-5 lead after one.

The Panthers decided if they were to get beat it was going to come from the outside and the Bearcats couldn’t get shots to fall from the outside as Centralia increased their lead to 15 points at the half behind nine points from Becker and seven more from fellow senior Morgan Kramer in the first half.

In the third quarter the Centralia offense slowed down a bit but the Panthers got three 3-pointers in the quarter to still hold a 42-28 lead going into the fourth.

Kramer then took over in the fourth, as she scored 12 of her game-high 24 points in the fourth to finish off the championship victory while Becker ended the game with 11.

The Panthers improved to 16-8 with the win and now await their sub-state assignment which is set to be released sometime Sunday while Burlingame dropped to 15-7.

Centralia: Morgan Kramer – 24, Kennedy Becker – 11, Olivia Kuckelman – 6, Sarah Koch – 6, Avery Mars – 6, Avery Deters – 5, Abbie Flentie – 2.

Burlingame: Daelyn Winters – 16, Megan Giffin – 13, Gracie Simmons – 6, Emmy Punches – 3, Brooke Lewis – 2, Jaden Shaffer – 1.

Boys Championship: Centralia 64, Valley Falls 45

The boy’s championship game was close for a half before Centralia hit a couple big 3-pointers in the third quarter to build a comfortable lead and cruise to a 64-45 victory.

Centralia started fast and jumped out to a 17-10 lead after the first quarter behind seven points from senior Colby Arnold and five more from Kamble Haverkamp.

Valley Falls junior Nathan Hawk kept the Dragons in the game heading into halftime as he scored eight points in the second quarter, but Centralia still led 34-29 at the break.

The third quarter is when Centralia really took control as senior Cooper Deters hit a pair of 3-pointers while fellow senior Corbin Becker added another as the Panthers pushed their lead to 14 points going into the fourth with a 15-6 third.

Becker then hit three clutch free throws in the fourth while Haverkamp hit a dagger triple before dribbling off much of the fourth quarter clock.

Haverkamp finished with a game-high 18 points for the Panthers who improved to 13-9 on the year while Tyler Lockhart scored 14 points for the Dragons who drop to 15-7.

Both teams now head into sub-state play which begins next Thursday but await their assignment of either the Riley County or Marysville sub-state which is set to be released on Sunday.

Centralia: Kamble Haverkamp – 18, Colby Arnold – 12, Corbin Becker – 11, Cooper Deters – 6, Raef Osterhaus – 6, Noah Quigley – 4, Ian Haverkamp – 4, Presley Bowers – 3.

Valley Falls: Tyler Lockhart – 14, Diego Cervantez – 11, Nathan Hawk – 10, Avery Gatzemeyer – 4, Cooper Jepson – 3, Trenton Kraxner – 1.