By JEREMY OBERMEYER
Salina Post Contributor
Southeast of Saline took a brief reprieve from league play on Friday night to welcome the Clay Center Tigers to the new Steve Fritz Field in a matchup that has quickly turned into a rivalry over the last three years.
The last two meetings went the way of the Trojans by a combined seven points, but this year it was all purple, as Southeast dominated by a score of 46-7.
The Trojan defense set the tone early, recovering a Clay Center fumble on the Tigers' first possession of the game.
That allowed the Southeast offense to score a few plays later on a 1-yard Grady Gebhardt run to take the early 8-0 lead.
Southeast also scored on their last possession of the first half as Gannon Jacobson ran one in from 12 yards out, and the Trojans led 16-0 at halftime.
After being held to just 30 yards in the first half, Gebhardt and the Southeast offense went full throttle in the second half.
Gebhardt scored on a 14-yard pass from Jacobson, and runs of 72, 81, and 24.
Clay Center scored their lone touchdown of the night on a 1-yard Isaac Girton run in the third quarter.
Gebhardt led all rushers with 216 yards and 4 touchdowns on 15 carries, while Jacobson threw for 189 yards and a touchdown, completing 12 of 19 passes.
The Trojan defense held the Tigers to just a total of 202 rushing yards and 0 passing yards, touting 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception.
Southeast of Saline (2-0) will travel to Beloit next Friday, while Clay Center (1-1) hosts Louisburg.