Centennial earned a long-awaited return to a football championship game with its 20-13 victory over Lakeville South in the final game of day one of semifinal action at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Centennial (11-1) took the lead for good when senior quarterback Daylen Cummings lofted a beautifully-placed pass into the awaiting arms of senior wide receiver Josh Lee, who didn’t break stride until hitting the endzone to complete a 71-yard scoring play with eight minutes remaining. Centennial sealed the victory when it converted a 4th-and-4 with 15 seconds left in regulation, which triggered a thunderous celebration of students clad in red on the north side of U.S. Bank Stadium.

Early in the fourth quarter, Lakeville South (10-2) grabbed a 13-12 lead when junior running back Jonah Shine burst up the middle for a 35-yard scoring run. After junior running back Connor Cade opened the scoring for Lakeville South on a 45-yard blast up the middle, Centennial responded with two rushing touchdowns from Cummings, one each in the second and third quarters, respectively.

Centennial is in a Prep Bowl championship game for the first time since 1984 when it was the Class A runner-up. Centennial must wait until late Friday to find out its championship game opponent. That is when Eden Prairie and Edina square off in the other big-school semifinal.