The LaCrosse Leopards and the Centralia Panthers have no problem with the underdog role.
Actually, in many ways the two teams relish it.
“The media doesn’t write our destiny,” LaCrosse coach Jon Webster said. “If we lost every game the media said we’d lose over the past 15 years, we wouldn’t be a very good football program. In many games, we’ve had nothing to lose. It’s definitely worked to our advantage.”
Most of the media expected Saturday’s Class 2-1A state championship game at Hays to be a rematch of the 2010 contest between Meade and St. Mary’s Colgan. However, LaCrosse upended Meade in the quarterfinals and beat a quality Plainville team for the second time this season to make its first state championship appearance. Meanwhile, Centralia battled through injuries and a 1-3 start to make it back after winning it all in 2009.
“I think if Vegas did a betting line for who would play in the 2A state championship, I don’t think anyone would have had LaCrosse versus Centralia,” Webster said. “I think everyone had Meade versus Colgan penciled in. But we didn’t worry about other people. Centralia is the same way.
“Starting with Week 9, we didn’t get as much respect as we deserved. Everyone had Plainville beating us by a couple of touchdowns the first time. Almost nobody thought we’d beat Meade. We’ve definitely been playing with that chip on our shoulder.”
There’s no doubt that Meade and Colgan were the favorites all season, but it’s not like LaCrosse and Centralia came out of nowhere.
The Leopards are 12-0 and are coming off a season where they finished 10-1. They also entered the season with three-year starter Tayler Stull under center and several other upperclassmen who played a lot as freshmen and sophomores.
“This is real special for all of our seniors,” Webster said. “Our preseason team camp was at Fort Hays. I looked at the seniors and said this is where we want to be. They made that commitment.”
Stull is a dual-threat quarterback, passing for 951 yards and 12 TDs this season, while rushing for 1,203 yards and 23 TDs.
“He has good quickness and good moves,” Centralia coach Larry Glatczak said. “He can be tough to contain. And he throws the ball well enough to keep you honest.”
Along with Stull, junior running back Levi Morss leads the Leopards’ rushing attack after transferring from 8-Man’s Pawnee Heights.
Morss has transitioned well. The 6-1, 185-pound running back has rushed for 1,231 yards and 16 TDs. He’s helped fill the void created by last season’s Shrine Bowl selection Marcus Moeder, who rushed for 3,657 yards in his career.
“Levi has done a great job,” Webster said. “He’s very coachable and is a big reason for our success.”
As a team, LaCrosse is rushing for 304.3 yards per game.
When the Leopards opt to throw, Stull often looks to senior wide receiver Austin Webs. He has 14 catches for 432 yards, good for more than 30 yards per catch. Six of his receptions have been touchdowns. On defense, Webs has 10 interceptions.
“Austin is a big-play guy,” Webster said. “We probably don’t call his number enough. I can’t say enough about him. He shows up and does his job.”
Centralia started the season a little under the radar. A 1-3 record will do that.
However, while many around the state may have written off the Panthers, they knew they still had an opportunity to be a good football team.
Afterall, senior quarterback Michael Glatczak was injured for most of those first four games, and Centralia was just two years removed from winning the state championship.
“We knew we could be good,” Larry Glatczak said. “But when you start 1-3, people don’t really look at you. The kids were a little down at first, but they knew that those were nonconference games and once we got into our conference schedule, we’d be facing more 2A teams. We have a good bunch of kids. They weren’t going to quit on us.”
A healthy Michael Glatczak at quarterback has led the way to eight consecutive victories. He is a three-year starter for the Panthers and helped them to the state title in 2009 as a sophomore wide receiver. This year, Glatczak has rushed for 1,683 yards and 21 TDs on only 98 carries.
“Man, he’s a special athlete,” Webster said. “He gets in the pile sometimes and you think he’s down, but then he’s gone. He has a good football head on his shoulders. I know he has been raised to eat and breathe football.”
Glatczak runs behind the biggest offensive line in recent memory for the Panthers. Centralia boasts an even larger offensive line than what the imposing Meade Buffaloes brought against LaCrosse two weeks ago.
“There are a lot of similarities between Meade and Centralia,” Webster said. “They run the single wing. They are big up front. But they do some things differently. We’ll have to control the gaps. I think sometimes you can lose their backs, because their line is so big.”
As much as the big line has been a benefit to Centralia’s offense, Glatczak was most impressed by the defensive front’s play against Colgan. They kept Colgan’s dynamic duo of Christian and Zach Smith from ever beating them with the big play.
“They never did break the big one,” Coach Glatczak said. “That’s what they lived off all season. I think their biggest gain all night was like 30 yards.”
Centralia hopes to do the same this week against the Leopards’ duo of Stull and Morss.
“That’s what’s going to be tough,” Glatczak said. “Their backfield is really good and really quick. I don’t know if they have the 40-time of the Smiths, but I don’t know if anyone in 2A does. But they are good, and they will be tough to contain on the outside.”
Projected starters
LaCrosse Leopards
QB Tayler Stull, 6-1, 171, Sr.
FB Kip Keeley, 6-3, 195, Jr.
RB Levi Morss, 6-0, 185, Jr.
WR Clayton Basgall, 6-0, 159, Jr.
WR Austin Webs, 6-1, 158, Sr.
TE Tanner Yohe, 6-0, 203, Sr.
OL Trey Renz, 6-1, 198, Jr.
OL Dylan Engel, 6-1, 171, Sr.
OL Nate Ruff, 5-8, 232, Jr.
OL Matthew Wagner, 6-1, 236, Jr.
OL Kyle Sramek, 6-0, 243, Sr.
DT Matthew Wagner, 6-1, 236, Jr.
DT Kyle Sramek, 6-0, 243, Sr.
DE Trey Renz, 6-1, 198, Jr.
DE Dylan Engel, 6-1, 171, Sr.
LB Kip Keeley, 6-3, 195, Jr.
LB Levi Morss, 6-0, 185, Jr.
LB Tanner Yohe, 6-0, 203, Sr.
SS Marshall Jay, 6-2, 163, So.
CB Clayton Basgall, 6-0, 159, Jr
CB Austin Webs, 6-1, 158, Sr.
FS Tayler Stull, 6-1, 171, Sr.
Head coach: Jon Webster
Assistants: Bill Keeley, Chris Delimont, Andrew Schroter, Laron Nordstedt, Ryan Panko
Centralia Panthers
QB Michael Glatczak, 175, Sr.
FB Justin Mars, 185, Sr.
TB John Steinlage, 175, Sr.
WR Derek Henry, 175, Sr.
TE Brett Burdiek, 175, So.
TE Samuel Steinlage, 175, So.
OL Dominique Larkins, 215, Sr.
OL Matthew Steinlage, 205, Sr.
OL Kyson Talkington, 285, Sr.
OL Hayden Cross, 295, Sr.
OL Alexander Steinlage, 275, Sr.
DT Dominique Larkins, 215, Sr.
DT Matthew Steinlage, 205, Sr.
DE Hayden Cross, 295, Sr.
DE Brett Burdiek, 175, So.
LB John Steinlage, 175, Sr.
LB Samuel Steinlage, 175, So.
LB Derek Henry, 175, Sr.
LB Justin Mars, 185, Sr.
CB Michael Glatczak, 175, Sr.
CB Devin Rempe, 165, So.
FS JT Rosine, 175, So.
Head coach: Larry Glatczak
Assistants: Roger Holthaus, Jason Wheeler, Jim Kramer
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