By Tyler Henry
Salina Post contributor
After beating Smoky Valley to get back to 1-1, the Southeast of Saline Trojans will look to make it back-to-back wins when they take on Sacred Heart this Saturday.
The Trojans have some extra time off to prepare, after their scheduled game against Beloit was cancelled this Friday.
SES is feeling good about evening things up, as Trojan head coach Bryson Flax spoke about earlier this week.
“It definitely feels good to get that first win,” he said. “I think our guys got a wake up call against Hesston but they responded well against Smoky Valley.”
Sacred Heart will be a tough opponent as always, with smothering defense and a solid lineup 1-5 that can score from anywhere on the floor.
“Like any Brian Gormley team they’re going to come out and defend you hard,” Flax said. “That doesn’t change no matter who he puts on the floor. They don’t really take bad shots so we have to stay committed to our philosophy for the entire game.”
Even in a season full of distractions and cancellations, the Southeast Sacred Heart rivalry is still a date to circle on the calendar, both for fans, players and alumni alike.
“You don’t want one game to mean more than another but the guys are always looking forward to it,” he said. “We know them so well and they know us. The kids have played against each other in all sports for years which adds a different element to it.”
For Southeast, who held Smoky Valley to just 37 points on Tuesday, defense will continue to be the key focus.
“We have to continue to get better on the defensive end with closing out possessions,” Flax said. “We want to force opponents to take an uncomfortable shot, secure the rebound and get out on the run.”
The Trojans and Knights will tip off immediately following the girls game at 3pm from Sacred Heart High School. As always you can tune in for live play-by-play coverage to KINA (910 AM, 107.5 FM).
Feature photo courtesy of Lori Blake