By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Southeast of Saline Trojans boys basketball team fell in their season opener to Hesston by a final score of 71-35.
The Trojans fought hard, keeping their deficit to the #1 preseason team in 3A to just 11 at halftime, but the Swathers turned up the heat in the second half and ran away with the win.
“I thought we had a little bit of energy and were doing some things right and when they missed shots early we did a really good job of rebounding,” Trojan head coach Bryson Flax said. “But as the game progressed they got more second chance looks that was all she wrote.”
Despite starting four seniors, Southeast was led in scoring by sophomore Eli Sawyers with nine points.
“We had some experience that didn’t play very experienced tonight but we know that’ll change,” Flax said.
While the loss is tough, a game against the top team in 3A should prove to be a great learning experience for the Trojans going forward.
“That team is really good, now, are they 30 or 40 points better than us? Right now I would say yeah,” he said. “But championships aren’t won in December and we know that. We’ll continue to get better.”
Southeast will reload and look to even their record at 1-1 when they face the Smoky Valley Vikings on Tuesday.