The Century football team achieved a significant milestone by defeating Winona 28-20 in a thrilling match held on March 15, 2024, at Paul Giel Field in Winona. This victory marks a triumphant conclusion to their regular season, showcasing a remarkable turnaround from their previous year when they finished without a win.
Century’s performance stood out as they successfully held off a late comeback from Winona in the fourth quarter. The Winhawks had bested Century in their last three matchups, all occurring in the final game of the season, but this time the Panthers emerged victorious.
Jon Vik, head coach of Century, expressed pride in his team’s perseverance, emphasizing the resilience shown by the players who faced challenges last season. “These are essentially the same crew that went through the hardship last year of not having a win. To have beaten Owatonna, which is, of course, a huge win for us, it’s great,” Vik stated. He acknowledged that while the two wins this season are commendable, the team aspires for more.
The game began with early momentum shifts. Winona capitalized on a fumbled punt return by Century, allowing them to score first with a rushing touchdown from Brady Lundgren. The Winhawks took a 6-0 lead after failing to convert the subsequent two-point try. Century quickly responded as Max Elliott scored a 3-yard touchdown, followed by a successful two-point conversion to Malakai Tankhamvang, bringing the score to 14-6.
Winona’s Brady Wardwell then evened the score with a 17-yard touchdown run. Just before halftime, Century regained the lead with a touchdown pass from backup quarterback Cade Goergen to Miles Tesch, concluding the first half at 21-14.
The second half saw Century’s defense make critical plays, including interceptions by Tesch and senior receiver Owin Gerber. Winona managed to score again with a touchdown pass from Kyle Keller to Ethan Pruka, narrowing the gap to 21-20. However, Century’s Elliott secured the win with another touchdown, pushing the final score to 28-20.
As the Panthers improved their record to 2-6 overall, they now look ahead to the Section 1, Class 5A quarterfinals against Owatonna on the following Tuesday. Vik noted the determination of his players, saying, “None of these kids are satisfied with just having two wins. And so that’s on their mind to go out and get more.”
The game featured impressive individual performances, with Elliott leading the rushing attack with 115 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Tesch also contributed significantly with 67 yards and one touchdown on just five carries. Goergen completed four passes for 46 yards and one touchdown, showcasing the depth and skill within the Century roster.
With this victory, Century has not only ended their regular season on a high note but has also set the stage for what they hope will be a successful postseason. The players and coaching staff are eager to build on this momentum as they prepare for the challenges ahead.