By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
Just eight teams remain in class 3A, setting up heavyweight bouts across the state for four spots in the semifinals next week.
One of these games will see a clash of undefeated teams as the Southeast of Saline Trojans travel west to take on the Cheney Cardinals.
Neither one of these teams has met a challenge that bothered them in 2021. The two combine for a 20-0 record, and SES has outscored their opponents 526-25 while Cheney has outscored theirs 414-93.
Both boast quality wins on their schedule as well. The Trojans defeated a Beloit team that remains alive in Class 2A 36-6 earlier this season and knocked out a physical Chapman team last week.
The Cardinals posted regular-season victories over 6-3 Pratt and 7-3 Holcomb before eliminating 8-2 Wichita Collegiate from the bracket last week.
All of that will go out the window on Friday night as the two meet for a win or go home quarterfinal match at Cheney High School.
The Cardinals will run an air raid offense, the likes of which SES has not seen all season, led by senior gunslinger Harrison Voth.
Voth is completing 67% of his passes for 2,222 yards and 35 touchdowns this season while throwing just seven picks on the year.
The Southeast secondary will have their hands full trying to stop the receiving trio of seniors Luke Grace and Dayton Higgs, as well as the Cardinals very own brother-to-brother connection to sophomore Jack Voth.
Those three account for 111 of the team’s 147 receptions as well as 1,942 yards and 34 of their 37 touchdowns.
“We work on our pass coverage every week regardless of who we play,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. "We’ve faced a few teams that throw the ball this season, they throw the ball exceptionally well but we feel like we’re prepared to take that on.”
Cheney has also been efficient on the ground, averaging 144 yards per game thanks in large part to senior running back Quincy Thomas who has just over 500 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Defensively, the Cardinals are very large, extremely physical, and as a unit, have forced 13 turnovers this season.
“It all starts with their D-Line,” Gebhardt said. “They’re big and athletic up front and their entire defense only has one guy that plays both ways so they’re going to be ready to go when they get out onto the field.”
That Cheney defense will have their hands full with Southeast’s own field general in quarterback Luke Gebhardt, who isn’t far off Voth’s pace with 2112 yards and 27 touchdowns with just three interceptions this year.
The Trojans offense is one of the most balanced in the state, averaging 219 yards per game through the air and 187 on the ground.
“For the way we approach things offensively, it’s very important for us to be able to pass the football just as much as we run it,” Gebhardt said. “It helps to keep the defense off balance and one helps the other.”
In a lot of ways, SES and Cheney mirror each other coming into this game, and that stats reflect that to a T.
Gebhardt and Voth are separated by just 110 passing yards and 8 touchdowns this season. Each is their team’s leading rusher.
Quincy Thomas and Matthew Rodriguez, the team's leading rushers, are separated by just three carries and 64 yards.
Each team boasts a ball-hawking secondary as the Cardinals have picked off opponents eight times this season, and the Trojans have picked off seven.
And just for good measure, each team has a pair of brothers capable of connecting for big gains at quarterback and wide reciever.
Cheney has played the tougher schedule with a combined opponent record of 49-45, but SES has looked more dominant, outscoring their opponents by an unheard-of 501 points this year while pitching six shutouts on defense.
The only thing we know for certain is that the people of Kansas will be in for a show come kickoff on Friday night.
The quarterfinal game is set to begin at 7pm at Cheney High School. As always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) or streamed on the Salina Post.