By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
For the first time in the Mitch Gebhardt era, the Southeast of Saline Trojans have finished the regular season with an undefeated regular season record.
The road to 7-0 wasn’t an easy one, but the Trojans pushed through, capping it off with a district championship win over the Scott City Beavers.
Southeast won their final regular season game in convincing fashion, defeating Scott City 40-6.
Neither defense had allowed an opponent to score in the first quarter all year, but Southeast set themselves up with great field position on the opening kick return, and quickly punched it in with running back Bryant Banks to take an early 8-0 lead.
From that point on, it was all Southeast, as the Trojan defense held Scott City to under 30 yards of total offense in the first half.
SES found the end zone two more times in the first half thanks to another touchdown run by Banks, and a five yard connection from Jaxson Gebhardt to Chase Poague.
In the second half, Scott City started with the ball but struggled again to move the ball on the Trojan defense, punting and giving the ball back to SES who immediately scored on a fifteen yard scramble by Jaxson Gebhardt.
Southeast added 10 points on two-point-conversions throughout the night and after another Gebhardt rushing touchdown, found themselves in the driver's seat up 40-0 late in the third.
Scott City would find the end zone before the end of the quarter but it was too little too late as the Trojans cruised to a 40-6 victory.
“It gives us a lot of confidence,” head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “Scott City has a great program and this was a very good win for us, it’s definitely exciting to go 7-0.”
The Trojans will have a home playoff game for the first time since 2011 when they host Clay Center next week.
“We talked about acting like champions and on monday that all starts again,” Gebhardt said.