By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
On Friday night, with just eight teams remaining in each classification, the Southeast of Saline football team will gear up to compete in their fifth consecutive quarterfinal round.
Southeast breezed through the first two rounds of this year’s 2A bracket, taking down Larned 76-12, and Norton 34-7.
Now, the Trojans (10-0) find a familiar foe blocking their path as they meet the Hoisington Cardinals (6-4) for a third-straight playoff matchup.
Despite their record, Hoisington is no joke, and has won six of their last seven games, including playoff win of 28-15 over Ellsworth, and 24-14 over Haven.
“Hoisington is a top-notch 2A football program,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “They played a very difficult schedule early but Coach Baird always does a great job of getting his kids prepared for games like this.”
These two teams have played in some battles over the years, but none have been bigger than the last two meetings, with Southeast eliminating Hoisington 44-21 in 2022, and Hoisington exacting their revenge 49-42 a season ago.
“We’ve gotten to play these guys three years in a row so there’s some familiarity,” Gebhardt said. “Hoisington has a great football program. It doesn’t surprise me that they’re here and our kids are exciting to play them again.”
Despite losing a strong senior class, the Cardinals have returned with a vengeance in 2024, and have steadily improved throughout the season as their youth gained experience, and their veterans returned to the field.
“They have a good mix of returners and newcomers,” he said. “They were banged up with some injuries early in the season but they got a lot of those kids back. They run the ball well, and they’ll sprinkle in enough of the pass to keep you on your toes. Defensively they still play fast and physical so it should be a very good football game.”
None of those returners were bigger than senior tailback Teron Kraft, who has carried the ball 74 times for 510 yards and four touchdowns since recovering from an early-season injury.
For Southeast to have success, they’ll have to stop a balanced rushing attack, and find ways to disrupt senior quarterback Rhen Galla, who has completed 45% of his passes this season for 850 yards, 9 touchdowns and just three picks.
Offensively, the Trojans will look to keep their war machine rolling, breaking off consistent yardage with big splash plays to grind on the Cardinal defense physically and mentally.
“Our offensive and defensive lines have both taken huge steps forward throughout the year,” Gebhardt said. Offensively we have to get first downs and take care of the football, defensively we have to be assignment sound and play fast and physical. This is the playoffs so every down matters.”
Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 at Kansas Wesleyan’s JRI Stadium in Salina, and as always, can be streamed with live video and commentary on Salina Post by clicking HERE, or heard on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM).