It felt like the state Final Four came early Friday night in Fulton.
Class 3 No. 2 Centralia faced No. 1 Principia yet again in a quarterfinals game and lost 62-59 in overtime. The game went …
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It felt like the state Final Four came early Friday night in Fulton.
Class 3 No. 2 Centralia faced No. 1 Principia yet again in a quarterfinals game and lost 62-59 in overtime. The game went into overtime tied at 51, which was higher scoring than last year’s 47-41 Centralia loss.
Head coach Megan Brinkmann said Centralia (26-4) changing its defense kept the team in the game especially with early foul trouble.
“They are extremely fast and athletic,” Brinkmann said. “They make you fast which leads to rushed shots and turnovers. They boarded it extremely well on the offensive end and it was a challenge to keep them off the glass.”
Ryenn Gordon had one of her best games as a Lady Panther with 31 points and 21-for-24 shooting at the free throw line. Blakely Sowers followed with 12 points and was 5-for-8 on free throws, and Braylin Brunkhorst had eight points and eight rebounds in her final game.
“Ryenn Gordon was so good at drawing contact and getting to the line,” Brinkmann said. “Blakely Sowers also had a great night making things happen around the rim and getting to the line.”
Dasia Scott led Principia (28-2) with 28 points and 11 rebounds, and Loganne Love had nine points and seven assists.
The “heartbreaking” loss doesn’t take away from the great season that Centralia had, Brinkmann said, or from the 104-15 record they left behind. That is four straight years with more than 20 wins, three straight district championships, three straight quarterfinals appearances and three straight Clarence Cannon Conference championships. Two years ago, the Lady Panthers finished third in the state.
A big reason why is this senior class, who Brinkmann calls “one of the best to come through Centralia.” She said Brunkhorst, Madi Johnson, Madilynn Hunter and Addie Douglass will be greatly missed.
“They not only left their mark on the basketball floor, but they are some of the best kids I've been around,” Brinkmann said. “They are high-character, hard-working, determined, gritty and just love competing everyday with their teammates.”
