By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
Go 1-0 every single week.
For years, that’s been the philosophy of Southeast of Saline head football coach Mitch Gebhardt, and for the last four seasons, it’s been executed to perfection on the field.
The Trojan’s last lost a regular season game back in 2019, marking four-straight 8-0 starts, each capped off by a trip to the state quarter, or semifinals.
SES has achieved this not by avoiding challenging opponents, but by actively seeking them out.
“If you look at our schedule it’s as tough as anybody’s in 2A,” Gebhardt said. “We have to take the mindset of one game at a time to heart, that’s how we’ve built this. On Monday morning, regardless of what happened, last week is done and our focus has to be on getting better and who’s in front of us.”
As it has been for each of the last four years, the Trojans graduated a large senior class in 2023, but the next generation is ready to pick up the torch left behind by standouts like Daniel Kejr, Nathan Friesen, Cam Witte and Wyatt Boyd.
“We feel good about the guys that we have,” he said. “We have several with a lot of returning experience but it’s exciting to see kids who haven’t gotten their opportunity yet step up and get that varsity experience.”
One of the biggest changes will come at quarterback, where senior Gannon Jacobson prepares to take his first start under center under the Friday Night Lights.
Southeast has no qualms about handing the keys to Jacobson, who has been taking reps at quarterback for the purple and white since fourth grade.
“Gannon’s a really athletic quarterback and I think he’s going to make some plays that no one expects,” Gebhardt said. “He throws a good football, he can really run it and he leads well, he’s the whole package as a quarterback.”
While several of the weapons around Jacobson, like star wideout Tucker Thaxton, will return, the group responsible for protecting him, and creating holes for the run game will look much different than it did last year.
“Our offensive line doesn’t have the same experience we’ve had in the past but we feel good about what we’ve got and we’re going to rotate 7-8 guys that we’re excited to see get their chance,” he said.
While the offense has undergone considerable renovations this offseason, the defense remains largely unchanged, with nine juniors and two seniors filling out an all-veteran starting 11.
On both sides of the ball, speed remains the name of the game for a Southeast squad that loves to work up-tempo and keep opponents back on their heels.
“I feel good about the speed we have at linebacker and honestly our overall team speed is very good again as well,” Gebhardt said.
The Trojans open their 2024 campaign at home in a league clash with the Minneapolis Lions which will be streamed live on Salina Post and broadcast on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM).
2024 Southeast of Saline Schedule
9/6: vs. Minneapolis
9/13: at Clay Center
9/20: vs. Beloit
9/27: at Kingman
10/4: vs. Lyons
10/11: at Hillsboro
10/18: vs. Halstead
10/25: at Ellsworth