By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
Faced with their biggest regular season hurdle in three years, the Southeast of Saline Trojans traveled to 5th-ranked Clay Center (3A) on Friday, and swiped a 22-17 win from the formerly undefeated Tigers.
With this victory, Southeast stays perfect at 5-0, extending the state’s second-longest regular season win streak to 29 games, while Clay Center falls to 4-1.
A pair of excellent defenses would set the tone in this game as the two remained scoreless after a quarter of play.
Following a pick by Gannon Jacobson, the Trojans set up shop with a short field and capitalized on a three-yard touchdown run by Grady Gebhardt to take an 8-0 lead into the half.
Out of the locker room, it was SES who once again struck first, this time on a goal-line carry by Nathan Friesen, but Clay Center wouldn’t be blanked for much longer.
On the very next drive, Brody Hayes took an outside toss 60 yards to paydirt, getting the Tigers on the board and giving life to both the sideline, and to the Clay Center faithful.
Perhaps spurred by that new life the Tigers again found the end zone in the fourth quarter, this time on a short carry by Cole Pladson to even up the game at 14 apiece.
It didn’t take long for SES to engineer a response as Nathan Friesen capped off a 9-play, 80-yard drive with a 28-yard touchdown scamper to deliver the Trojans the late 22-14 lead.
Clay Center made it inside the red zone late, but elected to kick a field goal with under three minutes to go to make the score 22-17.
It would be the last time the Tigers would ever possess the football.
On the final drive, needing a big first down, the Trojans pulled out a little razzle dazzle on a throwback to Nathan Friesen and the senior delivered, picking up the first down and putting the game on ice.
Southeast will stay on the road next week with a trip to Hillsboro (3-2) while Clay Center hits the road to take on Concordia (1-4).
Photo courtesy of Lori Blake