By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
After rolling through the first three rounds of the playoffs, the Southeast of Saline football team finds itself on the doorstep of a state title berth for the fourth time in six years, with a familiar foe looking to play the bouncer.
For the fourth time in as many seasons, Southeast of Saline and Hoisington will meet deep in the playoffs, in a matchup that’s developed into a fun playoff rivalry over the years.
The last team to beat the Hoisington Cardinals (10-0) was Southeast of Saline in the 2024 playoffs on the way to their second state title in school history.
The last team to beat Southeast of Saline (11-0) was Hoisington in the 2023 playoffs, on their way to their second-ever state final appearance.
A win today would give the Trojans an opportunity to cement themselves as a modern high school football dynasty, but would deny the Cardinals an opportunity to chase what could be the first championship in the history of their program.
Either way, someone has to lose.
Neither side has experienced much resistance this season, with Hoisington winning their games by an average of 42 points and Southeast winning by an average of 47 points.
That domination extended to the playoffs as the Cardinals defeated Halstead, Hillsboro, and Garden Plain by a combined 119 points, and the Trojans eliminated Southwestern Heights, Russell, and Phillipsburg by a combined 148.
The closest win for Southeast of Saline was a 32-point win over Russell; for Hoisington, it was a 16-point win over Hesston.
All of that is to say this: for the first time this season, Southeast of Saline and Hoisington will face a real challenge in the form of the other, and it should make for absolute cinema in Gypsum.
“When you talk about 2A football in the state of Kansas, Hoisington is always mentioned and has been for decades,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “They have a strong football tradition and great support from their fans. Their coaching staff does an outstanding job and their kids believe in what they’re doing.”
Like SES, Hoisington has dominated opponents on the ground this season, imposing their will up front on both sides of the ball and prohibiting their opponents from finding much in the way of consistent offense.
The battle in the trenches alone should be the perfect marriage of a classical ballet and a 12-car pile-up, where every inch could make the difference in what should be a tight game.
“Offensively, they want to be physical and establish the run,” Gebhardt said. “They have athletes all over the field and they can throw the ball a lot more than they have in the past. You can do everything you need to do and they’re still going to gain yards in a game like this. You just have to accept that.
Kickoff for this game is set for 7:00 on the campus of Southeast of Saline, the winner will advance to the state championship game to meet either Nemaha Central or Osage City.
As always you can listen to this game on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) or stream it for free with live video and audio commentary on Salina Post in the window below.