By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
For the second time in as many seasons, the Southeast of Saline Trojan football team will enter the playoffs undefeated.
Dating back to 2019, SES has won their last 17 regular-season contests, and is primed to make another deep playoff run after finishing 2021 a perfect 8-0.
The Trojans capped off their district title run with a 42-0 win over the Scott City Beavers, dominating all three facets of the game to wrap up a perfect 5-0 district slate.
“I thought we did some things well but we were sloppy at times also,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “Defensively we held another team to zero and we had some young kids get in and play some really good minutes for us.”
The Trojan defense continues to play like one of the best units in the state, pitching an unheard-of six shutouts throughout the season and outscoring their district by a combined score of 256-0.
Southeast wasted no time getting on the board as quarterback Luke Gebhardt punched in the first touchdown of the day on a 32-yard house call.
Gebhardt put on a show in the first quarter, rushing for over 100 yards and adding a second rushing TD to the Trojan total before the first twelve minutes were even in the books.
That momentum spilled over into the second quarter as a Gebhardt strike to Michael Murray and a pick-six by Caden Isaacson put the Trojans on top 30-0 at the half.
While the offense moved the ball at will, the SES defense put on a show of their own, sacking the Scott City quarterback eight times to pile onto a 24-sack performance this season.
The Beavers came close to the red zone on a few occasions, but even with their JV defense in, Southeast held the line, preventing a fifth consecutive opponent from putting a single point on the scoreboard.
“We’ve got some guys that like hard-hitting football and I really feel like our kids were pretty physical tonight,” Gebhardt said. “That’s a big step for some of those younger guys.”
The Trojans will open their postseason at home against the 2-5 Marysville Bulldogs, who fell by just 12 points to an undefeated Riley County team this week.
“Marysville is a good football team,” Gebhardt said. “We watched a little bit of film on them earlier this year and they do a nice job so we’re going to have to get things lined up and ready to go.”
For coverage of the Trojan football team this postseason, stay tuned to the Salina Post.