By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
For the first time in over a decade, the Southeast of Saline Trojans are through to the 3A state quarterfinal round.
They did it with a 20-0 shutout of the Marysville Bulldogs on Friday night in front of a home crowd.
Southeast of Saline has now outscored their opponents a staggering 343-52 on the season, and the varsity defense has allowed opponents into the end zone just four times all year.
“The work they’ve put in every week throughout the season has really been showing on Friday nights,” SES defensive coordinator Chance Ptacek said.
The Marysville defense came to play, holding the Trojans to just one score in the first half on an eight yard run by Bryant Banks.
The defense however, held the line throughout to keep the score 8-0 at halftime and out of the break the SES offense came to life.
“We just weren't finishing,” Trojan head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “We’d get good yards on first down but then we’d have to punt, and when you do that you can’t continue to move the football”
With 1:40 left to play in the third quarter, Southeast got the spark they needed when Jaxson Gebhardt took a 55 yard run to the house.
A few drives later Bryant Banks iced the affair with a 22 yard touchdown run of his own.
In addition to keeping Marysville off the board, the Southeast of Saline defense forced four key turnovers, including three interceptions in a defensive masterpiece.
For defensive lineman Sterling Harp, the effort on that side of the ball goes beyond the results on Friday nights.
“I know that as soon as I graduate it’s all down to the future,” he said. “I want to leave a good impression on the underclassmen and show them what hard work and dedication means.”
When the final whistle sounded, the Trojans officially extended their winning streak to nine games, including four shutouts.
“This was great,” Gebhardt said. “These kids started working their butts off in June, and they’ve continued to work. “We played a very good Marysville team, they were outstanding and we had to battle but at the end of the day feel really great for our kids.”
This victory for Southeast was a big one, and the 9-0 Trojans will get back to work next week when they travel to take on the 9-1 Wichita Collegiate Spartans.
The Spartans advanced with a win over the previously undefeated Cheney Cardinals who were ranked just below SES at number five in 3A.
. . .
Feature image of the team courtesy Jessica Kendall Sprecker.