2-1A State Championship Preview
By: John Baetz of Kansas Pregame Magazine
Posted: November 27, 2009 - 10:28 AM

Smith Center (12-0) vs Centralia (12-1)

The Smith Center Redmen will try to improve their nation's best active winning streak to 80 consecutive wins and break the Kansas record for consecutive championships with their sixth straight 2A title Saturday in Hays.

Centralia will try to continue their own streak after ripping off 12 straight wins since their week one loss to 3A power Silver Lake.

Something's got to give.

The Panthers will try to slow down the Redmen running game led by senior Colt Rogers. In games against Meade and Oakley the past two weeks the Redmen have faced stiff challenges, but Rogers has been electric rushing for 290 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 33-20 win over Oakley last week and rolling up 102 rushing yards and 114 return yards in a 10-0 win over Meade. Rogers has tallied more than 1,800 yards on the season and nearly 4,600 yards in his career.

The key for Centralia will be moving the ball against a Redmen defense that has allowed only 99 points all season and appears to be hitting it's stride at just the right time.

If the Panther offense is to move the ball it's a certainty that a Glatczak will be a big part of that success. Head coach Larry sends plays in to his son Tyler - the Panthers' QB who has accounted for nearly 2,500 yards in total offense - who often hooks up with brother Michael - the Panthers' leading receiver with almost 1,000 yards and 13 TDs on the season.

For the Redmen, the play of the secondary has been a question mark all season as injuries to Dereck McNary, Shawn Stansbury and Aaron McNary have left Smith Center's pass defense playing with youth and inexperience for most of the season. Aaron McNary came back against Meade, but was injured again in last week's semi-final win over Oakley and is done for the season. The Redmen have welcomed back Shawn Stansbury who doubles as the team's starting quaterback. Stansbury returned in the playoffs after suffering a broken collarbone against Ellis in week 5.