Centralia girls hoops is creating a legacy and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon
Within Boone County, one team is experiencing what some may call a dream season.
The Centralia girls basketball team has reached heights it hasn’t seen this millennium, building on last year's breakout campaign with second-year head coach Megan Brinkmann. Now 24-4 for a second year in a row, Centralia cruised through the Clarence Cannon Conference with a 7-0 record, the first outright conference title for the program since 1978.
“There’s been some really good basketball teams here coming through Centralia. The CCC is just absolutely loaded with Booneville, California, and Southern Boone," Brinkmann said. "Girls basketball in mid-Missouri is really tough."
After taking down Tolton and Montgomery City in the Class 3, District 7 Tournament, the Lady Panthers captured their first district title since 1992.
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On Monday, the momentum continued. Centralia traveled to California to face the team that handed it its first loss of the season on Nov. 20. But, riding an eight-game winning streak, the Lady Panthers took a 15-point lead and held off a fourth-quarter rally by the Lady Pintos for a 56-48 victory in the Class 3 Sectionals round.
“The girls have worked so hard,” Brinkmann said. “Last year, we had a heartbreaking loss to Moberly in the district championship game, so coming off of last year and the way they prepped this year, they bought in and continued to fight. I thought they stepped up in big games all year long, on the road, at home, and neutral sights.”
It was an effort led by a trio of double-digit scorers in Morgan Ross, Braylin Brunkhorst, and freshman Ryenn Gordon, who tallied a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
One word Brinkman has used to describe this year’s bunch is “together.”
“I think the girls have bought in on that. Anybody can score on any single night; we have enough talent for that. So, I think that makes it really hard to guard, and if it's not my shot, it's yours, and trust each other that we’re going to knock it down,” Brinkmann said. “It's just playing with each other; that is a really special bond. I’ve got five seniors who have played together for a long time; they’re just experienced and have great leadership that they bring."
How the Lady Panthers are impacting an entire community
Like any successful team, Centralia has the backing of its fanbase.
"The community has been so supportive; they love our kids, and they‘ve just rallied around us,” Brinkmann said. “They showed up (against California), and it is awesome in a community where you go anywhere in your town, and they’ll tell you a great job, a great game, which is something really special.”
The support has expanded to hall-of-fame coaches as well. Cheryl Bennett, a Centralia native, was the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship to the University of Kansas and played for the Jayhawks from 1976-80. After her playing days, she coached at Missouri State, where she reached two Final Fours with the Bears.
“She’s a big supporter,” Brinkmann said. “She was on the first team in 1972, and she wrote us a letter about how the program started and how her mom was involved and things like that, so we’ve gotten to dive back into some history, which has been really cool for our team and our community so it means a lot to the girls. It's once a Panther, Always a Panther, know who you are, where you're from, and what that means; we say it all the time.”
'The girls know what’s at stake'
While the Lady Panthers have notched 20-plus wins in back-to-back seasons and claimed conference and district titles, Brinkmann worried a bit that her group might have been satisfied after defeating Montgomery City.
But her worries didn’t come to fruition. Playing at Mizzou Arena on March 8 and 9 is in the Lady Panthers' sights.
“Morgan Ross texted me after the game and said we’re going all the way,” Brinkmann said. “It's very player-led. The girls know what’s at stake, what's in front of them, and they come ready to prep every single day, so just really excited for the opportunity.”
Centralia returns home Friday for a 6 p.m. game against a South Shelby team it defeated 62-28 on Dec. 15. Although it picked up a lopsided victory, Brinkmann acknowledges the road ahead will be tough and she doesn’t expect the game to play out the way it did before.
“It’s going to be a really tough one,” Brinkmann said. “We played them already this season at home and had a great game, and I told the girls it’s not going to be like that again. Both teams are fighting for a playoff spot.”
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Centralia girls basketball is creating a lasting Boone County legacy
