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2011 KHQA BARNSTORM TOUR            TOUR STOP # 20                  CENTRALIA PANTHERS

Returning Starters: 2 on Offense, 4 on Defense

2010 Record: 11-1, lost to Macon in Sectionals

Stats: Centralia averaged 34 PPG in 2010, surrendered 15.9 PPG

Projected 2011 Strengths: Secondary, Defensive Line, Size, Inside Linebacker, Depth

Question Marks: Running Game

THE QUEST FOR SIX: The Panthers come into the season seeking their sixth straight Clarence Cannon Conference title, but do so as underdogs for the first time in that run. Erle Bennett has made no attempts to shield his brother-in-law Pete Claas from the sharp media glaring, saying he would probably vote the Macon Tigers number one in the state to open the 2011 season. And given the thumping that the Tigers administered to Centralia (on its home field, no less) in the Sectionals last fall, Erle's point is well made. Make no mistake about it, my friends: that rare loss to Macon has proven powerful motivation this off-season in C Town. Josh Hockman told me that the loss was a rallying point for a very strong slate of offseason workouts. And rest assured, the Panthers will be looking for their pound of flesh later this fall in atonement.

DECEPTIVE NUMBERS: The Panthers return just six total starters from a year ago, but don't read too terribly much into that. What Centralia lacks this year in "star power" it makes up for in quality depth. Erle Bennett says he has as many as 20 kids who could vie for serious minutes on Defense and 18-19 who could contend for starting spots on Offense. Of course, Erle will sell that to you as a potential sign of weakness; that maybe that means he's got just a bunch of kids who haven't distinguished themselves from the pack. We all know better. No one does a better job of coaching kids up and getting great production and Centralia clearly paid the price in the off-season in fostering a lot of quality size on the lines (look out for Ryan McCann, who may be the rising star up front with his mix of smarts and tenacity) and very athletic options behind them. One of the reasons we love Coach Bennett so much is that if you listen to him for 10 minutes, you would think he has never won a game in the past and will never win another game again. And yet, with Jim Unruh retired, Bennett is now the unquestioned standard bearer for Tri State Football Coaching Excellence. And he deserves every bit of that compliment.

THE HEAVY: At just 5'5' and a dubious 150 pounds, Marc Schmidt certainly doesn't look the part of a Franchise Defensive cog and proven intimidator, but not since Javis Vineyard has the region seen a more productive pound-for-pound player. As a junior, the Centralia Safety earned First Team All State honors with a 123 tackle campaign. He also happened to win a State Wrestling Title at 125 pounds. The kid is a tenacious, no-nonsense hitter who gives you full effort on every snap. Josh Hockman called his teammate the hardest worker he has ever seen. As tenacious tone setters go, I am not sure Erle Bennett would trade Schmidt for any other Defensive player in the Conference.

LINEBACKER HAVEN: Centralia has the very productive Austin McCoy (77 tackles in 2010)  back as the lynchpin of its Linebacker rebuild, but the Panthers are two deep here with quality athletes who can run and hit. They are far from polished yet but Austin McBride, Austin Kinkead, Heston Wilkerson, and Jesse Arnold all seem to have very bright futures ahead; not to mention the luxury of the protection of a really imposing Defensive Line in front of them. The scary thing here is that Centralia's Junior class really seems to be a very deep one. I am not sure the Panthers won't be better in 2012 than they are this season.

JUST THE DAX: After starting the opener last season at Lousiana, getting injured and giving way to Alex Schmersahl, Dax Dollens is back under center for Centralia. Erle Bennett calls that Quarterback transition a natural one and Dollens can not only wing the football, he might be the most mobile quarterback in the region not named Scott Kroeger. His receiving corps lacks a Holden Myers type lynchpin to start the season but don't be surprised to see Dollens stretch the field with Stuart Cox, Dixon Dollens, or Alec Ford on occasion. If the Receivers can go, Dollens will find them. Might not be a good year to be a DB in the CCC.

CARDINAL OF A DIFFERENT COLOR: Still can't get used to watching South Shelby alum Zech Bowman sport the Centralia colors as a new member of the Panther Coaching staff. Zech says he wears his Centralia Swag at home and gets some really nasty looks from the Shelby populace. Bowman says he is learning a ton from Coach Bennett and staff and really enjoying the opportunity. One heck of an Offensive Lineman in his day, Zech told me he thinks this Centralia Front Line has the potential to be exceptional when all is said and done. Josh Hockman is a returning 2nd Team All Conference selection, but Zech articulated that there really wasn't a weak link anywhere up front going into this season in Centralia's protection.