CENTERVILLE — The Centerville Miners are looking to cap off an undefeated season with the program's first 6-Man state championship when they face Froid-Lake on the road on Saturday.
Centerville has won two football state titles in the program’s history but they both came at the 8-Man level. After going 4-3 during the 2022 season, the Miners entered this year and flipped the script and will take an 11-0 record into the championship game.
“We are right where we want to be. This is what we’ve been talking about and working for,” said Miners coach Brian Davison. “Obviously now to have the opportunity and to be in this final game of the season, we’re excited and happy to be here because it’s going to be fun.”
Both Centerville and Froid-Lake average 55-plus points per game while limiting their opponents to an average of less than 25.
“I think it’ll be a good matchup. They’re a really good team. We’re a really good team. It should be a good game,” said Miners star Luke Kelley. “I feel good. It’s just another game, just another team.”
Centerville’s success this season may have come as a surprise to some that have overlooked them in the past few years, but coach Davison knew what his team was capable of before the season got underway and they just needed to show everyone else.
“There’s been a lot of growth. We came into the year and we thought we had a good team but obviously we just hadn’t proved it,” said Davison. “We started the year off great, we had some hurdles in the Central division having to get over teams we hadn’t beat in 6-Man.
"Having that type of division gets you ready for the playoffs because you are tested every week. It’s made a huge impact on these boys this year and we’re seeing the benefits of it.”
Transfer Stocktin Saksa says he felt this team has bonded really well together since day one. A majority of the Miners team has been playing together since elementary school, but Saksa just joined that brotherhood this year.
While he still feels a part of the Miners’ family, he also is making the most of this experience with his two freshman brothers on the team, Braxton and Bridger Saksa. Stocktin told MTN Sports that he would love to be able to look back one day and enjoy the memories of winning a state title with his younger brothers.
For the Centerville community, it has been enjoying the ride that this football team has provided. The last state championship run for Centerville was back in 2006, and everyone is ready to feel that joy again.
“This is huge. We haven’t made it in 6-Man or any state championship in almost 20 years, so this is huge. This is everything,” said junior Karson Darko. “We’ve been working since we were young so this is everything.”
“That will be cool to add to the history of Centerville football. They’ve got their rich tradition in 8-Man and now to be able to continue it on after dropping down to the 6-man ranks, we just hope to add on to what has already been built here," said Davison.
The game will kick off from Medicine Lake on Saturday at 1 p.m.
