Panthers win, 28-18
Centralia won again. To borrow a word from Centralia Panthers Head Coach Tyler Forsee, Centralia’s 28-18 road win over Clark County was “validation.”
It took some work, but the Panthers are now 5-1.
Listen to Centralia Head Football Coach Tyler Forsee discuss the game below.
Centralia spent the first half in the deficit after Clark County scored once in the first and again in the second.
After a scoreless first quarter, Centralia entered the locker room at halftime behind, 7-12, their only points courtesy of a 40-yard Cullen Bennett touchdown pass to Mattie Robinson plus a Nathan Timpe extra point kick.
But Centralia hit the after burners and pulled away from the Indians in the second half.
Centralia scored 14 in the third, via a two-yard touchdown blast by Breylen Whisler and a three-yard touchdown by Kyden Wilkerson . while the Panthers’ Iron wall defense kept Clark County off the board.
Listen to Clark County Head Football Coach Ethan Allen discuss the game below.
The Indians bounced back in the fourth.
Though Centralia led, 21-12, Indians quarterback Callan Wheeler broke a few backfield tackles during a 42-yard touchdown run.
That made it a close game again, at 28-18 with10:55 left in the game.
Panther quarter back Cullen Bennett was not comfortable with that.
He responded by taking the snap from center Seth Hasekamp, pivoting right as if to hand off to Breylen Whisler. As the Indian defense focused east, Bennett spun again and churned up the middle, finishing with a mid-air dive across the line for a touchdown. Together with Nathan Timpe’s fourth successful extra point kic, that earned Centralia a 28-18 lead, and eventually the game.
Centralia’s offense took 334 yards from Clark County while their defense held Clark County to 304.
Wilkerson led Centralia with 90 rushing yards in attempts. Bennett followed him with 45 yards in 12 attempts and Whisler was 35 in eight
Clark County’s Johnny Shin led them, and the game with 91 yards in 11.
Jesse Shannon led the Panther defense with nine tackles, eight solos and two assisted. Jack Romine made five, three solo and two assisted. Cayden Dunn and Seth Hasekamp also pulled down five. Dunn was five and zero, Hasekamp, four and two.
Next for Centralia is homecoming versus Highland.
Kyden Wilkerson scores
Nathan Timpe kicks an extra point, foreground, Grant Harris blocks
Jesse Caballero catches a first-down pass
Breylen Whisler scores a touchdown
Cullen Bennett pushes through for a touchdown
Alex Newbrough makes a flying tackle
For more, see the October 5 issue of the Centralia Fireside Guard
