By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

The magical run for the Southeast of Saline boys basketball team came to an end on Friday night, as the Trojans fell to 3rd-ranked Goodland 55-38 in the 3A semifinals.

With this result, the Cowboys move to 22-3 on the year and will advance to play Wellsville in the 3A state championship game while the Trojans drop to 15-10 and will face a familiar foe in Beloit for third place on Saturday.

The Trojans held a two-point lead after a quarter, but were outscored 35-16 in the middle frames as Goodland pulled away and finished strong.

While Southeast had certainly hoped for more, the fact that the Trojans made the final four in Class 3A in a season that saw them enter sub-state unraked as a four-seed is nothing short of remarkable.

“I’m proud of our guys for battling and getting to this point,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. We were going to have to play an almost perfect game to keep up with them. We held a really good team in the 50s. I was proud of that, we just couldn’t knock down shots.”

Owen Bailey was the lone Trojan in double digits on Friday, scoring 15 of Southeast’s 38 points.

On the other side, two players shouldered much the load for Goodland as Brady Brumbaugh went off for 22, and future DI football player Linkon Cure finished his night with 12.

To return to Gysum with hardware for a third consecutive season, Southeast will have to take down a rival that’s given them some trouble this year, as the Beloit Trojans find themselves in the same position ahead of championship Saturday.

“It makes preparation on a short back-to-back easier but we don’t match up well with them,” Flax said. “At this point you’re going to come out and compete with whoever lines up across from you. Beloit is what they are, they’re really good and we’ll have to be good on the glass again.”

The third-place game is set for noon this Saturday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, and as always the game can be heard on KINA.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The magical run for the Southeast of Saline boys basketball team came to an end on Friday night, as the Trojans fell to 3rd-ranked Goodland 55-38 in the 3A semifinals.With this result, the Cowboys move to 22-3 on the year and will advance to play Wellsville in the 3A state championship game while the Trojans drop to 15-10 and will face a familiar foe in Beloit for third place on Saturday.The Trojans held a two-point lead after a quarter, but were outscored 35-16 in the middle frames as Goodland pulled away and finished strong.While Southeast had certainly hoped for more, the fact that the Trojans made the final four in Class 3A in a season that saw them enter sub-state unraked as a four-seed is nothing short of remarkable.“I’m proud of our guys for battling and getting to this point,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. We were going to have to play an almost perfect game to keep up with them. We held a really good team in the 50s. I was proud of that, we just couldn’t knock down shots.”Owen Bailey was the lone Trojan in double digits on Friday, scoring 15 of Southeast’s 38 points.On the other side, two players shouldered much the load for Goodland as Brady Brumbaugh went off for 22, and future DI football player Linkon Cure finished his night with 12.To return to Gysum with hardware for a third consecutive season, Southeast will have to take down a rival that’s given them some trouble this year, as the Beloit Trojans find themselves in the same position ahead of championship Saturday.“It makes preparation on a short back-to-back easier but we don’t match up well with them,” Flax said. “At this point you’re going to come out and compete with whoever lines up across from you. Beloit is what they are, they’re really good and we’ll have to be good on the glass again.”The third-place game is set for noon this Saturday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, and as always the game can be heard on KINA.

Trojans Cinderella Run Comes to Close at Hands of #3 Goodland

Despite facing a 2-4 start and long odds both at sub-state and state, the Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team has reached the final four of this year’s 3A state tournament and will look to reach untread ground in tonight’s semifinal.

The Trojans held on for dear life to eliminate #2 Cheney 54-51 on Wednesday, solidifying to the few remaining doubters that Southeast belongs in the upper echelon of Class 3A.

“Defensively I thought we were really good,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Cheney is a great offensive team and they finish tough shots downhill and can shoot from the perimeter. We wanted to make sure they didn’t get any threes in rhythm and I thought we did a good job of limiting those kinds of shots and competing on the glass.”

Now, the Trojans will turn their attention to 3rd-ranked Goodland, looking to hunt down their third top-five foe in the span of a week.

“Goodland is exceptionally good,” Flax said. “They beat a good Hays High team, they fell by just ten to Olathe North, they played Hugoton to overtime and they are as advertised. They can really shoot the basketball and they’ve got a kid who’s a power five type in football and showcases that athleticism on the court. They’re really well coached, they get out and defend and this should be a good matchup.”

While Southeast will once again find themselves playing the role of underdogs, this Trojan outfit looks more like that of an esteemed hunter, than that of Cinderella.

None of this success happened overnight, but the Trojans have been playing their best basketball down the stretch as several individuals have found the best versions of themselves on the floor.

“There have been a handful of guys that have really stepped up for us,” Flax said. “It all starts with Gannon Jacobson who’s been very aggressive offensively and he’s knocking down shots from all three levels. Danny Kejrs numbers don’t wow you but he’s been the leader of our defense and he’s running the show and getting others involved and picking his spots to go and get his.”

“Brenton Leeds has really been on a different level in the postseason, he’s been dominating the boards averaging over 10 rebounds a game. He’s contesting a lot of shots and he plays with such a high motor that he gives himself opportunities around the rim. Omar Calzada has also provided us with really good minutes off the bench, he was phenomenal in that Hesston game and he did some really great things in the Cheney game as well.

It’s taken everyone on Southeast’s roster playing at their best to get this far, and it will take everyone doing the same to take down Goodland tonight, but the Trojans are a team with no fear, no quit, and no expectations heaped upon them, which in March, can be a dangerous thing.

“We can’t let them get comfortable on the perimeter,” he said. “We have to make them do things offensively that they’re not comfortable doing and we have to take away their catch and shoot threes. This time of year you can’t turn the ball over and you can’t give teams extra opportunities on the offensive glass.”

Tip-off between the Trojans and Cowboys is scheduled for 6:00 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena and as always, coverage of SES hoops can be heard on KINA locally on 910 AM/107.5 FM or online at 910KINA.com.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite facing a 2-4 start and long odds both at sub-state and state, the Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team has reached the final four of this year’s 3A state tournament and will look to reach untread ground in tonight’s semifinal.The Trojans held on for dear life to eliminate #2 Cheney 54-51 on Wednesday, solidifying to the few remaining doubters that Southeast belongs in the upper echelon of Class 3A.“Defensively I thought we were really good,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Cheney is a great offensive team and they finish tough shots downhill and can shoot from the perimeter. We wanted to make sure they didn’t get any threes in rhythm and I thought we did a good job of limiting those kinds of shots and competing on the glass.”Now, the Trojans will turn their attention to 3rd-ranked Goodland, looking to hunt down their third top-five foe in the span of a week.“Goodland is exceptionally good,” Flax said. “They beat a good Hays High team, they fell by just ten to Olathe North, they played Hugoton to overtime and they are as advertised. They can really shoot the basketball and they’ve got a kid who’s a power five type in football and showcases that athleticism on the court. They’re really well coached, they get out and defend and this should be a good matchup.”While Southeast will once again find themselves playing the role of underdogs, this Trojan outfit looks more like that of an esteemed hunter, than that of Cinderella.None of this success happened overnight, but the Trojans have been playing their best basketball down the stretch as several individuals have found the best versions of themselves on the floor.“There have been a handful of guys that have really stepped up for us,” Flax said. “It all starts with Gannon Jacobson who’s been very aggressive offensively and he’s knocking down shots from all three levels. Danny Kejrs numbers don’t wow you but he’s been the leader of our defense and he’s running the show and getting others involved and picking his spots to go and get his.”He continued.“Brenton Leeds has really been on a different level in the postseason, he’s been dominating the boards averaging over 10 rebounds a game. He’s contesting a lot of shots and he plays with such a high motor that he gives himself opportunities around the rim. Omar Calzada has also provided us with really good minutes off the bench, he was phenomenal in that Hesston game and he did some really great things in the Cheney game as well.It’s taken everyone on Southeast’s roster playing at their best to get this far, and it will take everyone doing the same to take down Goodland tonight, but the Trojans are a team with no fear, no quit, and no expectations heaped upon them, which in March, can be a dangerous thing.“We can’t let them get comfortable on the perimeter,” he said. “We have to make them do things offensively that they’re not comfortable doing and we have to take away their catch and shoot threes. This time of year you can’t turn the ball over and you can’t give teams extra opportunities on the offensive glass.”Tip-off between the Trojans and Cowboys is scheduled for 6:00 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena and as always, coverage of SES hoops can be heard on KINA locally on 910 AM/107.5 FM or online at 910KINA.com.

Trojans Looking to Hunt Down Another Top-5 Foe in State Semis

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

Last week, the Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team made an improbable run through sub-state, eliminating a top-ranked foe to punch their ticket to the 3A state tournament.

On Wednesday, the Trojans were right back at it again, handing #2 Cheney their first loss in 92 days to claim one of four tickets to this year’s semifinal round.

With a 54-51 victory over the Cardinals, the Trojans move to 15-9 while Cheney’s season, and 20-game win streak come to an end at 21-3.

This game stayed close from the jump, with neither team managing to take more than a three-point lead into any of the four quarters.

A stark difference in play styles was on full display in the first 16 minutes, as Cheney collected nine points on 11 takes from the stripe before Southeast attempted their first free throw.

In the second half, Gannon Jacobson took over, dropping 15 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter alone, to lead all scorers with 24, and push the Trojans over the finish line.

A late 5-0 run allowed Southeast to come from behind in the closing minutes, and with the final seconds winding off the clock, the Trojans contested a would-be game-tying three to survive and advance.

Seven different Trojans finished the night with at least a bucket, with Owen Bailey joining Jacobson in double digits with 11.

For Cheney, three different Cardinals surpassed the ten-point mark, led by Jack Voth (15), Josh Burdick (13), and Colton McDaniel (10).

SES will join Beloit and Wellsville in the semifinals and will take on Goodland (20-3) at 6:00 on Friday night.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Last week, the Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team made an improbable run through sub-state, eliminating a top-ranked foe to punch their ticket to the 3A state tournament.On Wednesday, the Trojans were right back at it again, handing #2 Cheney their first loss in 92 days to claim one of four tickets to this year’s semifinal round.With a 54-51 victory over the Cardinals, the Trojans move to 15-9 while Cheney’s season, and 20-game win streak come to an end at 21-3.This game stayed close from the jump, with neither team managing to take more than a three-point lead into any of the four quarters.A stark difference in play styles was on full display in the first 16 minutes, as Cheney collected nine points on 11 takes from the stripe before Southeast attempted their first free throw.In the second half, Gannon Jacobson took over, dropping 15 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter alone, to lead all scorers with 24, and push the Trojans over the finish line.A late 5-0 run allowed Southeast to come from behind in the closing minutes, and with the final seconds winding off the clock, the Trojans contested a would-be game-tying three to survive and advance.Seven different Trojans finished the night with at least a bucket, with Owen Bailey joining Jacobson in double digits with 11.For Cheney, three different Cardinals surpassed the ten-point mark, led by Jack Voth (15), Josh Burdick (13), and Colton McDaniel (10).SES will join Beloit and Wellsville in the semifinals and will take on Goodland (20-3) at 6:00 on Friday night.

Trojans Stun #2 Cheney in 3A Quarterfinals

After making an improbable run through their sub-state tournament last week, the Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team is headed to their third 3A state tournament in as many years at the Sports Arena in Hutch this week.

The Trojans will enter the bracket as the 7-seed with a 14-9 overall record and will take on Cheney (21-2) in the opening round this evening.

Despite being counted out in a bracket that housed the three-time defending state champs in Hesston last week, Southeast never doubted themselves for a minute, dispatching Council Grove, Hesston, and Santa Fe Trail to punch their ticket to state.

“Nobody expected us to make a run,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Our mindset was ‘why not do everything in our power to do just that’ and I thought we were pretty darn good throughout the week, especially in the things that don’t show up in the stat sheet.”

If there was a moment where it sunk in for the Trojans that they could compete with anyone it wasn’t during that tournament, as Southeast has played a murderer's row of a schedule and gone toe to toe with a slew of ranked foes all year.

“We didn’t just decide that we belonged last week,” Flax said. “That’s been going on for a while. We’ve talked all season about how good we could be if we did some of the little things better and we were just waiting for all the little things to click the way they did for almost three complete games.”

Of the six teams to beat Southeast of Saline this year, five will also be playing for a state tournament this year, including two other schools from the NCAA.

“To have half of our league competing at state is incredible,” he said. “In a lot of years we all get bunched up in the same sub-state because of geography but this year we got spread out and you can see how deep our league is.”

Up first at the Hutch Sports Arena is a date with one of the hottest teams in the state in 2nd-ranked and 2-seeded Cheney.

The Cardinals began the year 1-2, falling in back-to-back games at the hands of 4A Wellington and Pratt before going on a tear, winning their next 20 straight games including victories over Chaparral, Wichita Trinity, and Wichita Collegiate at sub-state last week.

“Cheney is really good,” Flax said. “Defensively they get out and really guard you, they make it difficult to catch. On the offensive end, they like layups and threes and they don’t seem to have a problem getting either of them. They might be the best offensive rebounding team that we’ve seen on film and they really work to earn extra opportunities.”

The Cardinals have dominated with defense down the stretch, holding their last six opponents to just over 36 points a night on average.

“They really make you work for everything on the offensive end and they don’t give up many offensive rebounds,” he said. “We need to settle in, make sure we move the basketball around and find good opportunities.”

It may take the best night of basketball Southeast has played all season, but the Trojans have been counted out before, and will be ready to give another top-ranked opponent all they can handle when the ball goes in the air at 6:00 tonight.

As always state coverage of SES hoops can be heard locally on KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM) and on 910KINA.com.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>After making an improbable run through their sub-state tournament last week, the Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team is headed to their third 3A state tournament in as many years at the Sports Arena in Hutch this week.The Trojans will enter the bracket as the 7-seed with a 14-9 overall record and will take on Cheney (21-2) in the opening round this evening.Despite being counted out in a bracket that housed the three-time defending state champs in Hesston last week, Southeast never doubted themselves for a minute, dispatching Council Grove, Hesston, and Santa Fe Trail to punch their ticket to state.“Nobody expected us to make a run,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Our mindset was ‘why not do everything in our power to do just that’ and I thought we were pretty darn good throughout the week, especially in the things that don’t show up in the stat sheet.”If there was a moment where it sunk in for the Trojans that they could compete with anyone it wasn’t during that tournament, as Southeast has played a murderer's row of a schedule and gone toe to toe with a slew of ranked foes all year.“We didn’t just decide that we belonged last week,” Flax said. “That’s been going on for a while. We’ve talked all season about how good we could be if we did some of the little things better and we were just waiting for all the little things to click the way they did for almost three complete games.”Of the six teams to beat Southeast of Saline this year, five will also be playing for a state tournament this year, including two other schools from the NCAA.The other was Hesston.“To have half of our league competing at state is incredible,” he said. “In a lot of years we all get bunched up in the same sub-state because of geography but this year we got spread out and you can see how deep our league is.”Up first at the Hutch Sports Arena is a date with one of the hottest teams in the state in 2nd-ranked and 2-seeded Cheney.The Cardinals began the year 1-2, falling in back-to-back games at the hands of 4A Wellington and Pratt before going on a tear, winning their next 20 straight games including victories over Chaparral, Wichita Trinity, and Wichita Collegiate at sub-state last week.“Cheney is really good,” Flax said. “Defensively they get out and really guard you, they make it difficult to catch. On the offensive end, they like layups and threes and they don’t seem to have a problem getting either of them. They might be the best offensive rebounding team that we’ve seen on film and they really work to earn extra opportunities.”The Cardinals have dominated with defense down the stretch, holding their last six opponents to just over 36 points a night on average.“They really make you work for everything on the offensive end and they don’t give up many offensive rebounds,” he said. “We need to settle in, make sure we move the basketball around and find good opportunities.”It may take the best night of basketball Southeast has played all season, but the Trojans have been counted out before, and will be ready to give another top-ranked opponent all they can handle when the ball goes in the air at 6:00 tonight.As always state coverage of SES hoops can be heard locally on KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM) and on 910KINA.com.

Southeast Looks to Continue Cinderella Run at 3A State Tournament

On Thursday night, Southeast of Saline pulled off the upset of the tournament in a shocking 57-47 victory over the Hesston Swathers.

Less than 48 hours later, the Trojans were at it again, defeating Santa Fe Trail 57-51 to punch their ticket to a third straight 3A state tournament.

“Nobody believed that this team could get it done but this team believed otherwise,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We lost nine games but of the six teams we lost to five of them are going to state and the only one that’s not is Hesston. The guys kept believing and it wasn’t pretty tonight but we were able to go on a big run and I’m so proud of this group.”

At 14-9, the Trojans will be the 7-seed at this year’s state tournament in Hutch, while Santa Fe Trail’s season draws to a close at 13-9.

It was far from a pretty start for Southeast, who found themselves struggling on offense and behind 11-5 at the end of the first quarter.

From there, the Trojans exploded, rattling off a 17-5 run to take a 24-19 lead into the break.

“I saw some body language from our guys that I didn’t love, I just wanted to see them stay composed,” Flax said. “Things aren’t always going to fall your way and you can’t stay too high or too low but we did a good job of getting back on track.”

The Chargers battled back and cut the lead to four going into the fourth, but Southeast was able to keep them at arms length to claim the sub-state title 57-51.

Three different Trojans finished the night in double figures, as Owen Bailey (18) led the way with four first-half threes, backed up by Gannon Jacobson (17), and Danny Kejr (11).

Santa Fe Trail meanwhile, got 15 points from Lane Workman, 13 from Garin Kincaid, and 11 from Jalen Smith, but failed to receive a single point from their bench all game.

While many will once again be counting SES out next week, the Trojans are used to being overlooked, and will set out to prove the doubters wrong once again when the ball goes in the air on Wednesday.

“These guys are all so stinkin special and I’ll never forget these moments,” Flax said. “We’re not going to be a high seed but we’ll be prepared and ready for whatever’s next.”

The Trojans will match up with the 2-seed in Cheney (21-2) in the 3A quarterfinals at 4:00 this Wednesday.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday night, Southeast of Saline pulled off the upset of the tournament in a shocking 57-47 victory over the Hesston Swathers.Less than 48 hours later, the Trojans were at it again, defeating Santa Fe Trail 57-51 to punch their ticket to a third straight 3A state tournament.“Nobody believed that this team could get it done but this team believed otherwise,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We lost nine games but of the six teams we lost to five of them are going to state and the only one that’s not is Hesston. The guys kept believing and it wasn’t pretty tonight but we were able to go on a big run and I’m so proud of this group.”At 14-9, the Trojans will be the 7-seed at this year’s state tournament in Hutch, while Santa Fe Trail’s season draws to a close at 13-9.It was far from a pretty start for Southeast, who found themselves struggling on offense and behind 11-5 at the end of the first quarter.From there, the Trojans exploded, rattling off a 17-5 run to take a 24-19 lead into the break.“I saw some body language from our guys that I didn’t love, I just wanted to see them stay composed,” Flax said. “Things aren’t always going to fall your way and you can’t stay too high or too low but we did a good job of getting back on track.”The Chargers battled back and cut the lead to four going into the fourth, but Southeast was able to keep them at arms length to claim the sub-state title 57-51.Three different Trojans finished the night in double figures, as Owen Bailey (18) led the way with four first-half threes, backed up by Gannon Jacobson (17), and Danny Kejr (11).Santa Fe Trail meanwhile, got 15 points from Lane Workman, 13 from Garin Kincaid, and 11 from Jalen Smith, but failed to receive a single point from their bench all game.While many will once again be counting SES out next week, the Trojans are used to being overlooked, and will set out to prove the doubters wrong once again when the ball goes in the air on Wednesday.“These guys are all so stinkin special and I’ll never forget these moments,” Flax said. “We’re not going to be a high seed but we’ll be prepared and ready for whatever’s next.”The Trojans will match up with the 2-seed in Cheney (21-2) in the 3A quarterfinals at 4:00 this Wednesday.

Trojans Eliminate Chargers, Punch Third-Straight Ticket to 3A State Tournament

After pulling off the unthinkable and eliminating the three-time defending state champs in Hesston on Thursday, the Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team will return to Gypsum tonight in search of one more win to punch their ticket to state.

Standing in their way is the 3-seed in Santa Fe Trail (13-8), who will once again act as the home team despite playing at Southeast of Saline (13-9).

Like Southeast, this year’s Chargers have done some of their best work in the postseason, thrashing Osage City 68-37 before squeaking by Burlington 57-56.

“Santa Fe Trail works through their big kid inside and they’ve got a few guys that can get downhill and shoot the basketball,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “They switch between zone and man but at this point it’s more about us being us and competing for 32 minutes.”

The Trojans meanwhile, have finally found their footing on the offensive end, dropping 70 or more three times in the last seven games, including in a confident quarterfinal win over Council Grove.

“We’re taking great shots right now and we’re finding out that if we go downhill with more purpose and control we get a lot more out of it,” Flax said. “Better shots at the rim, free throws, or better kick outs, we’ve just had more purpose offensively.”

While Southeast's offense has been firing on all cylinders of late, it’s the defense that’s continued to win them games, best punctuated in the gritty win over Hesston on Thursday.

“We’ll have to be good defensively again and we’re going to have to continue to ride that,” Flax said. “I’d like to see us take advantage of opportunities to push the ball against Santa Fe Trail and we have to defend and rebound at a high level.”

Tip-off between the Trojans and Chargers is set for 5:00 at Southeast of Saline High School.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>After pulling off the unthinkable and eliminating the three-time defending state champs in Hesston on Thursday, the Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team will return to Gypsum tonight in search of one more win to punch their ticket to state.Standing in their way is the 3-seed in Santa Fe Trail (13-8), who will once again act as the home team despite playing at Southeast of Saline (13-9).Like Southeast, this year’s Chargers have done some of their best work in the postseason, thrashing Osage City 68-37 before squeaking by Burlington 57-56.“Santa Fe Trail works through their big kid inside and they’ve got a few guys that can get downhill and shoot the basketball,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “They switch between zone and man but at this point it’s more about us being us and competing for 32 minutes.”The Trojans meanwhile, have finally found their footing on the offensive end, dropping 70 or more three times in the last seven games, including in a confident quarterfinal win over Council Grove.“We’re taking great shots right now and we’re finding out that if we go downhill with more purpose and control we get a lot more out of it,” Flax said. “Better shots at the rim, free throws, or better kick outs, we’ve just had more purpose offensively.”While Southeast's offense has been firing on all cylinders of late, it’s the defense that’s continued to win them games, best punctuated in the gritty win over Hesston on Thursday.“We’ll have to be good defensively again and we’re going to have to continue to ride that,” Flax said. “I’d like to see us take advantage of opportunities to push the ball against Santa Fe Trail and we have to defend and rebound at a high level.”Tip-off between the Trojans and Chargers is set for 5:00 at Southeast of Saline High School.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cjz3VQ9tqSs"></iframe>
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 </figure>

Southeast Squares Off With Santa Fe Trail Seeking State Berth

With the exception of a few loyalists wearing purple and white on Thursday night, the entire state of Kansas counted Southeast of Saline out in their semifinal matchup with Hesston.

The three-time defending 3A state champs were the top seed in the bracket, came in with a pristine 17-3 record, and had already dominated Southeast once in a 49-32 season opener victory.

Some already had the Swathers penciled in for a final with Santa Fe Trail on Saturday.

“We haven’t been in this position for a few years where nobody expects us to win,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Nobody expected us to compete with the upper-echelon teams in the state but our guys didn’t listen to any of that, they believe they belong and that can be dangerous.”

This game was a dogfight right from the start, and Hesston delivered the first punch, taking a 12-3 lead off the starting line, but the Trojans battled back to cut the lead to two at the end of the first quarter.

Amidst a second-quarter run, with 3:31 remaining in the half Owen Bailey splashed a three from the left wing to give the Trojans their first lead since the opening minutes and Southeast slammed the gas to take a nine-point lead into the break.

“We knew at halftime that they weren’t going away,” Flax said. “It’s embedded in their program that those guys are winners but I thought we did a good job of staying the course and battling on every possession in the second half.”

Southeast tightened the screws defensively in the third quarter, holding Hesston to just three made field goals and extending their lead to ten, a lead they would hold on to win by at the final buzzer.

“We told the guys that every possession was going to be a battle and you have to win more of those than Hesston does,” Flax said. “We started off a little slow and a little soft but once we settled in man we competed and it was so fun to see those guys battle for four quarters.”

Six different Trojans recorded a bucket in the win, led by Gannon Jacobson (16), Owen Bailey (12), Daniel Kejr (9) and Omar Calzada (9).

On the other side Adrian Hernandez (14) and Jackson Fry (10) were the leading scorers for the Swathers, but it wasn’t enough as Hesston’s season draws to a close at 18-4.

The Trojans meanwhile, move to 13-9, and earn a date with Santa Fe Trail in the sub-state championship game on their own home floor this Saturday.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>With the exception of a few loyalists wearing purple and white on Thursday night, the entire state of Kansas counted Southeast of Saline out in their semifinal matchup with Hesston.The three-time defending 3A state champs were the top seed in the bracket, came in with a pristine 17-3 record, and had already dominated Southeast once in a 49-32 season opener victory.Some already had the Swathers penciled in for a final with Santa Fe Trail on Saturday.The Trojans had other plans.“We haven’t been in this position for a few years where nobody expects us to win,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Nobody expected us to compete with the upper-echelon teams in the state but our guys didn’t listen to any of that, they believe they belong and that can be dangerous.”This game was a dogfight right from the start, and Hesston delivered the first punch, taking a 12-3 lead off the starting line, but the Trojans battled back to cut the lead to two at the end of the first quarter.Amidst a second-quarter run, with 3:31 remaining in the half Owen Bailey splashed a three from the left wing to give the Trojans their first lead since the opening minutes and Southeast slammed the gas to take a nine-point lead into the break.“We knew at halftime that they weren’t going away,” Flax said. “It’s embedded in their program that those guys are winners but I thought we did a good job of staying the course and battling on every possession in the second half.”Southeast tightened the screws defensively in the third quarter, holding Hesston to just three made field goals and extending their lead to ten, a lead they would hold on to win by at the final buzzer.“We told the guys that every possession was going to be a battle and you have to win more of those than Hesston does,” Flax said. “We started off a little slow and a little soft but once we settled in man we competed and it was so fun to see those guys battle for four quarters.”Six different Trojans recorded a bucket in the win, led by Gannon Jacobson (16), Owen Bailey (12), Daniel Kejr (9) and Omar Calzada (9).On the other side Adrian Hernandez (14) and Jackson Fry (10) were the leading scorers for the Swathers, but it wasn’t enough as Hesston’s season draws to a close at 18-4.The Trojans meanwhile, move to 13-9, and earn a date with Santa Fe Trail in the sub-state championship game on their own home floor this Saturday.

Trojans Shock Swathers in Semifinal Upset

After knocking off Council Grove in the 3A sub-state quarterfinals, the Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team will return to Gypsum for their biggest test yet, as the Trojans look to unseat the defending state-champion Hesston Swathers.

Despite playing in their home gym, the 4-seeded Trojans (12-9) will be the road team in this matchup, playing host to the top seed in Hesston (18-3) who throttled Smoky Valley 66-37 in their quarterfinal.

This will be the second meeting between the two sides as the Swathers defeated Southeast 49-32 in the season opener back in December, but a lot has changed for both teams since that early winter battle.

“I don’t know that it made a 17-point difference the first night but we were without Connor Caselman and we had a few guys four practices into the season because of football season,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “I think we’re far different than we were in that first meeting but Hesston has gotten a lot better as well.”

That matchup was just the first in a gauntlet for Southeast of Saline that saw the Trojans tangle with state-ranked foes in nine different matchups this year, and helped set the tone for future games like this one.

“There’s a real rivalry with Hesston and I think the best thing our boy’s basketball program has done has been to start the season with them,” Flax said. “You know what you’re going to get with them, they scrap, they’re physical, and it’s a really good early-season test to see where you’re at as a team.”

While the Swathers can explode offensively, showcased in five 60+ point performances this season, where Hesston really shines is on the defensive end, where they have held 16 of their 21 opponents to under 40 points on the year.

“They make it really difficult for you to get shots and they’re okay with grinding out a game in the 40s if that’s what it takes,” he said. “Offensively they earn extra opportunities on the glass and they don’t shoot a lot of threes but the Reed Freisen kid is a lot better than a lot of people realize, he’s efficient and he’s a difficult guy to guard.”

In order to slay this goliath, Southeast will need to be locked in offensively, and be willing to do the dirty work on the glass to deny the Swathers extra possessions on both ends of the floor.

“We can’t turn the ball over in a game like this and we have to be good on the glass,” Flax said. “Offensively we have to find ways to take and make good shots and those are hard to come by but with a little patience offensively I think we can get the shots we want.”

Tip-off between the Swathers and Trojans is set for 7:00 at Southeast of Saline High School. As always the game can be heard on KINA or streamed with live audio and video on the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>After knocking off Council Grove in the 3A sub-state quarterfinals, the Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team will return to Gypsum for their biggest test yet, as the Trojans look to unseat the defending state-champion Hesston Swathers.Despite playing in their home gym, the 4-seeded Trojans (12-9) will be the road team in this matchup, playing host to the top seed in Hesston (18-3) who throttled Smoky Valley 66-37 in their quarterfinal.This will be the second meeting between the two sides as the Swathers defeated Southeast 49-32 in the season opener back in December, but a lot has changed for both teams since that early winter battle.“I don’t know that it made a 17-point difference the first night but we were without Connor Caselman and we had a few guys four practices into the season because of football season,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “I think we’re far different than we were in that first meeting but Hesston has gotten a lot better as well.”That matchup was just the first in a gauntlet for Southeast of Saline that saw the Trojans tangle with state-ranked foes in nine different matchups this year, and helped set the tone for future games like this one.“There’s a real rivalry with Hesston and I think the best thing our boy’s basketball program has done has been to start the season with them,” Flax said. “You know what you’re going to get with them, they scrap, they’re physical, and it’s a really good early-season test to see where you’re at as a team.”While the Swathers can explode offensively, showcased in five 60+ point performances this season, where Hesston really shines is on the defensive end, where they have held 16 of their 21 opponents to under 40 points on the year.“They make it really difficult for you to get shots and they’re okay with grinding out a game in the 40s if that’s what it takes,” he said. “Offensively they earn extra opportunities on the glass and they don’t shoot a lot of threes but the Reed Freisen kid is a lot better than a lot of people realize, he’s efficient and he’s a difficult guy to guard.”In order to slay this goliath, Southeast will need to be locked in offensively, and be willing to do the dirty work on the glass to deny the Swathers extra possessions on both ends of the floor.“We can’t turn the ball over in a game like this and we have to be good on the glass,” Flax said. “Offensively we have to find ways to take and make good shots and those are hard to come by but with a little patience offensively I think we can get the shots we want.”Tip-off between the Swathers and Trojans is set for 7:00 at Southeast of Saline High School. As always the game can be heard on KINA or streamed with live audio and video on the Salina Post.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4-CbLJSx5dU"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Trojans Return to Gypsum to Tangle With Defending State Champs

The Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans battled to the end of a game that had a real college feel to it on Tuesday, but couldn’t overcome a hot-shooting Osage City team, dropping their quarterfinal matchup 62-53.

For SES, the season draws to a close at 15-6, and while bittersweet, caps off yet another impressive year for the Lady Trojans, who have now won 15 or more games in each of their last five campaigns, emerging with at least a share of the league title in each of the last four.

Osage City, still the 4-seed in this year’s bracket, moves to 17-4 and will play Halstead (18-3) in the semifinal on Friday.

The Lady Indians came flying out of the gates, knocking down five three-pointers in the first quarter alone to take a 22-8 lead.

Behind a 13-point quarter from Maddie Harris, Southeast clawed some of that ground back, trailing by just nine at the half, and by just six points going into the fourth quarter.

SES began to heat up from beyond the arc, knocking down five threes of their own in the second half, including three in the fourth quarter, and tightened the screws on Osage defensively.

On three separate occasions, the Lady Trojans were able to make it a one-possession game, but the comeback effort ran out of steam in the closing minutes as Osage City pulled away at the line.

Harris would lead all scorers with 20 points, but Lexi Boss (17), Emory Speece (15), and Sadie Shoemaker (10) did just enough to allow the Lady Indians to eke out the win.

This game also marked the end of the road for Southeast’s three seniors, Maddie Harris, Lexi Jacobson, and Brielle Ptacek, who have each left their mark on this program both on and off the floor.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans battled to the end of a game that had a real college feel to it on Tuesday, but couldn’t overcome a hot-shooting Osage City team, dropping their quarterfinal matchup 62-53.For SES, the season draws to a close at 15-6, and while bittersweet, caps off yet another impressive year for the Lady Trojans, who have now won 15 or more games in each of their last five campaigns, emerging with at least a share of the league title in each of the last four.Osage City, still the 4-seed in this year’s bracket, moves to 17-4 and will play Halstead (18-3) in the semifinal on Friday.The Lady Indians came flying out of the gates, knocking down five three-pointers in the first quarter alone to take a 22-8 lead.Behind a 13-point quarter from Maddie Harris, Southeast clawed some of that ground back, trailing by just nine at the half, and by just six points going into the fourth quarter.SES began to heat up from beyond the arc, knocking down five threes of their own in the second half, including three in the fourth quarter, and tightened the screws on Osage defensively.On three separate occasions, the Lady Trojans were able to make it a one-possession game, but the comeback effort ran out of steam in the closing minutes as Osage City pulled away at the line.Harris would lead all scorers with 20 points, but Lexi Boss (17), Emory Speece (15), and Sadie Shoemaker (10) did just enough to allow the Lady Indians to eke out the win.This game also marked the end of the road for Southeast’s three seniors, Maddie Harris, Lexi Jacobson, and Brielle Ptacek, who have each left their mark on this program both on and off the floor.

Lady Trojans Conclude 5th-Straight 15-Win Campaign at Osage City

Southeast of Saline’s Lady Trojans will open sub-state play on Tuesday night when SES makes the trip to Osage City to battle the 4-seed in the Lady Indians.

Despite posting an impressive record of 15-5, Southeast drew the short straw in sub-state assignments, slotting in as the 5-seed in a bracket that features six different 14+ win teams.

“In a bracket like this if you have one bad shooting night you’re probably not moving on,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. But that’s okay, we’ll have to play three tough nights in order to move on but it is what it is.”

First up for the Lady Trojans is an Osage City squad that boasts an impressive resume of their own, entering postseason play at 16-4.

The Lady Indians have been led in scoring this season by Emory Speece, a speedy point guard who runs the offense, and the interior duo of Campbell Stark and Lexi Boss, who combine for 15 points and 14 rebounds a night.

“Osage City can score the ball well,” Smith said. “They have a 6-1 kid inside who can cause us some problems and they have a very aggressive point guard who can turn the corner on you so we need to keep her in front of us and control the pace of the game.”

Throughout the course of the season, Southeast’s offense has come alive, and played well down the stretch as the Lady Trojans won each of their final five contests. Tonight, SES will need that same level of intensity throughout their lineup to survive Osage City and earn a ticket back home.

“We’re attacking the basket a lot better and not relying as much on the perimeter as we used to,” Smith said. “We also mix up our scoring a lot more and everybody is chipping in. Our defense travels with us but we have to set the tempo of the game and not allow them to do that.”

The winner of this game will advance to the semifinals in Gypsum to face either Halstead (17-3) or Council Grove (3-17)

Tip-off between the Lady Trojans and Indians is scheduled for 6:oo on Tuesday night at Osage City High School.

Broadcast Information - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Video: Salina Post (link below)

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Southeast of Saline’s Lady Trojans will open sub-state play on Tuesday night when SES makes the trip to Osage City to battle the 4-seed in the Lady Indians.Despite posting an impressive record of 15-5, Southeast drew the short straw in sub-state assignments, slotting in as the 5-seed in a bracket that features six different 14+ win teams.“In a bracket like this if you have one bad shooting night you’re probably not moving on,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. But that’s okay, we’ll have to play three tough nights in order to move on but it is what it is.”First up for the Lady Trojans is an Osage City squad that boasts an impressive resume of their own, entering postseason play at 16-4.The Lady Indians have been led in scoring this season by Emory Speece, a speedy point guard who runs the offense, and the interior duo of Campbell Stark and Lexi Boss, who combine for 15 points and 14 rebounds a night.“Osage City can score the ball well,” Smith said. “They have a 6-1 kid inside who can cause us some problems and they have a very aggressive point guard who can turn the corner on you so we need to keep her in front of us and control the pace of the game.”Throughout the course of the season, Southeast’s offense has come alive, and played well down the stretch as the Lady Trojans won each of their final five contests. Tonight, SES will need that same level of intensity throughout their lineup to survive Osage City and earn a ticket back home.“We’re attacking the basket a lot better and not relying as much on the perimeter as we used to,” Smith said. “We also mix up our scoring a lot more and everybody is chipping in. Our defense travels with us but we have to set the tempo of the game and not allow them to do that.”The winner of this game will advance to the semifinals in Gypsum to face either Halstead (17-3) or Council Grove (3-17)Tip-off between the Lady Trojans and Indians is scheduled for 6:oo on Tuesday night at Osage City High School.Broadcast Information - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Video: Salina Post (link below)<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8509RzvF8PI"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Lady Trojans Travel to Osage City to Open Postseason Play

Southeast of Saline’s boy's basketball team dominated for stretches of their quarterfinal tilt on Monday, defeating Council Grove 72-57 and punching their ticket to the sub-state semifinals on Thursday.

With this win, the Trojans move to 12-9 while the Braves season comes to a close at 8-13.

Southeast got off to a dream start at the top of this game, holding a 28-12 lead by the end of the first quarter in an early offensive outburst.

“We were locked in and ready to roll early,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We had great pace, we forced them into difficult shots and we cleaned up on the boards. When we’re defending well and limiting them to one opportunity the basket tends to widen a little bit and the shots fall.”

Council Grove battled all the way back in the second quarter, trimming the lead down to as few as four, but after the half, the Trojans slammed the gas and never looked back in an eventual double-digit win.

Southeast was led in scoring by four Trojans in double-digits, anchored by a career-high night for Danny Kejr (16), who was aided by Owen Bailey (15), Gannon Jacobson (13), and Brenton Leeds (12).

All of that spoiled a Brycen Palmquist masterpiece, as the Council Grove star dropped 28 points to lead all scorers in the loss.

Southeast of Saline hosts their own sub-state this season, and will return to Gypsum on Thursday at 7:30 to battle the defending 3A state champs in Hesston, who dismantled Smoky Valley 66-37 on Monday.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Southeast of Saline’s boy's basketball team dominated for stretches of their quarterfinal tilt on Monday, defeating Council Grove 72-57 and punching their ticket to the sub-state semifinals on Thursday.With this win, the Trojans move to 12-9 while the Braves season comes to a close at 8-13.Southeast got off to a dream start at the top of this game, holding a 28-12 lead by the end of the first quarter in an early offensive outburst.“We were locked in and ready to roll early,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We had great pace, we forced them into difficult shots and we cleaned up on the boards. When we’re defending well and limiting them to one opportunity the basket tends to widen a little bit and the shots fall.”Council Grove battled all the way back in the second quarter, trimming the lead down to as few as four, but after the half, the Trojans slammed the gas and never looked back in an eventual double-digit win.Southeast was led in scoring by four Trojans in double-digits, anchored by a career-high night for Danny Kejr (16), who was aided by Owen Bailey (15), Gannon Jacobson (13), and Brenton Leeds (12).All of that spoiled a Brycen Palmquist masterpiece, as the Council Grove star dropped 28 points to lead all scorers in the loss.Southeast of Saline hosts their own sub-state this season, and will return to Gypsum on Thursday at 7:30 to battle the defending 3A state champs in Hesston, who dismantled Smoky Valley 66-37 on Monday.

Early Outburst Propels Trojans Past Braves in Sub-State Quarterfinals

The Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team will open sub-state play at home today as they prepare to host Council Grove.

This sub-state quarterfinal will pit the 4th-seeded Trojans (11-9) against the 5th-seeded Braves (8-12), with both teams looking to punch a ticket to the semifinal on Thursday.

For both the boy’s and girl’s tournaments, the semifinals and championship games will all be held in Gypsum for the first time in recent memory.

“Having sub-state at home is a really good moment for Southeast of Saline,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “The last time we hosted a basketball sub-state was my sophomore year back in the early 2000s. It’s been a long time but we have good facilities, good locker room space and it’s really great to have that opportunity again.”

To return to Gypsum for another game, the Trojans will need to stay sharp on Monday against a Brave squad that has given teams trouble in spots this season.

“Council Grove plays with a lot of pace and they’re very willing to shoot the three-ball,” Flax said. “They’ve got a really good player in Brycen Palmquist and they’ve got good shooters around him. They’re not big but they’re fast, they push the ball, and they're unafraid to shoot.”

Palmquist is averaging nearly 19 points per game accounting for around 40% of Council Grove’s scoring, and Southeast will need to make his life difficult and run the Braves three-point specialists off the line.

Ultimately for Southeast, this game could very well come down to the offensive end of the floor, which at times has proven to be the lone Achilles heel for a team whose defensive excellence has been without question down the stretch.

“Our practices have gotten a lot more competitive over the year and that’s helped us on the floor,” Flax said. “We’ve gotten a lot more mature and more locked in throughout the season but we’ve gotta put the ball in the basket, we’ve been taking good shots but they have to go through.”

Tip-off between the Trojans and Braves is set for 7:00 at Southeast of Saline High School and as always, the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) or streamed with live audio and video on the Salina Post (link below)

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team will open sub-state play at home today as they prepare to host Council Grove.This sub-state quarterfinal will pit the 4th-seeded Trojans (11-9) against the 5th-seeded Braves (8-12), with both teams looking to punch a ticket to the semifinal on Thursday.For both the boy’s and girl’s tournaments, the semifinals and championship games will all be held in Gypsum for the first time in recent memory.“Having sub-state at home is a really good moment for Southeast of Saline,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “The last time we hosted a basketball sub-state was my sophomore year back in the early 2000s. It’s been a long time but we have good facilities, good locker room space and it’s really great to have that opportunity again.”To return to Gypsum for another game, the Trojans will need to stay sharp on Monday against a Brave squad that has given teams trouble in spots this season.“Council Grove plays with a lot of pace and they’re very willing to shoot the three-ball,” Flax said. “They’ve got a really good player in Brycen Palmquist and they’ve got good shooters around him. They’re not big but they’re fast, they push the ball, and they're unafraid to shoot.”Palmquist is averaging nearly 19 points per game accounting for around 40% of Council Grove’s scoring, and Southeast will need to make his life difficult and run the Braves three-point specialists off the line.Ultimately for Southeast, this game could very well come down to the offensive end of the floor, which at times has proven to be the lone Achilles heel for a team whose defensive excellence has been without question down the stretch.“Our practices have gotten a lot more competitive over the year and that’s helped us on the floor,” Flax said. “We’ve gotten a lot more mature and more locked in throughout the season but we’ve gotta put the ball in the basket, we’ve been taking good shots but they have to go through.”Tip-off between the Trojans and Braves is set for 7:00 at Southeast of Saline High School and as always, the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) or streamed with live audio and video on the Salina Post (link below)<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2HJ6ODJYvi8"></iframe>
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 </figure>

Trojans Welcome in Council Grove to Open Sub-State Play

Kansas Wesleyan Coaches Show 6 pm&nbsp; - Audio on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>

<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank"></a>Southeast of Saline boys vs. Council Grove Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show 6:50pm&nbsp;&nbsp; - Tip-off 7:00 Sacred Heart girls vs. Lincoln Basketball - Video on Salina Post - Pregame show 6:45 pm - Tip-off 7pm

Southeast of Saline girls vs. Osage City - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show 5:45pm&nbsp;&nbsp; - Tip-off 6 pm&nbsp;

Sacred Heart boys vs. Republic County - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show: 5:45 pm - Tip-off 7 pm

Kansas Wesleyan WBB vs. Evangel University Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Pregame Show&nbsp; TBD - Tip-off TBD

Kansas Wesleyan MBB vs. Ottawa University Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Pregame Show 6:30pm - MBB 7 pm

KINA Scoreboard Show&nbsp; 10 pm - Audio on 910Am/107.5fm and 910KINA.com

MRN Nascar Live 10 pm&nbsp; - Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)

PRN&nbsp; The Pit Reporters 11 pm&nbsp; - Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)

PRN Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV.

MondayKansas Wesleyan Coaches Show 6 pm&nbsp; - Audio on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a><a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank"></a>Southeast of Saline boys vs. Council Grove Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show 6:50pm&nbsp;&nbsp; - Tip-off 7:00 Sacred Heart girls vs. Lincoln Basketball - Video on Salina Post - Pregame show 6:45 pm - Tip-off 7pmTuesdaySoutheast of Saline girls vs. Osage City - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show 5:45pm&nbsp;&nbsp; - Tip-off 6 pm&nbsp;Sacred Heart boys vs. Republic County - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show: 5:45 pm - Tip-off 7 pmWednesdayKansas Wesleyan WBB vs. Evangel University Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Pregame Show&nbsp; TBD - Tip-off TBDThursdayKansas Wesleyan MBB vs. Ottawa University Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Pregame Show 6:30pm - MBB 7 pmFriday KINA Scoreboard Show&nbsp; 10 pm - Audio on 910Am/107.5fm and 910KINA.comSaturday&nbsp;&nbsp;MRN Nascar Live 10 pm&nbsp; - Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>) PRN&nbsp; The Pit Reporters 11 pm&nbsp; - Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)SundayPRN Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV.

KINA Sports Schedule

The Trojans and Lady Trojans made short work of Republic County to close out their season on a high note and secure some hardware in the process.

Girls Game: SE of Saline 52, Republic County 27

For a fourth consecutive season, the Lady Trojans have secured at least a share of the NCAA title, evening their league record with Beloit at 8-2.

With this win, Southeast closes out its regular season on a five-game winning streak at 15-5 while the book closes on Republic County’s campaign at 0-20.

“We got out and pressed them which isn’t something that we typically do but it’s something we wanted to work on,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “I thought we did a good job of adjusting to the way they attacked it.”

Republic County got off to a solid start but Southeast went on a big early run and never looked back, completely blanking the Buffaloes in the third quarter.

Lexi Jacobson led the Lady Trojans, tying her season high with 19 points in the win, aided by seven other teammates who chipped in at least a bucket.

Despite their pristine record, Southeast will be the 5-seed in this year’s sub-state bracket, and will open postseason play at Osage City next Tuesday.

Boys Game: SE of Saline 77, Republic County 25

On the boy’s side the Trojans routed Republic County in their widest margin of victory by far, leading by 38 at the half of an eventual 52-point win.

With this result, Southeast closes out their regular season at 11-9 overall while the Buffaloes wrap up their year at 1-19.

SES won the turnover battle in style, forcing Republic County to cough up the ball 20 times while surrendering it just three times themselves.

The Trojans were led in scoring by a trio of double-digit contributors in Owen Bailey (14), Gannon Jacobson (12), and Connor Caselman (12), who were among the ten different players to score for Southeast on the night.

On the other side, Republic County got 12 of their 25 points from Levi White, but were held to just a single bucket in both the second and third quarters as the Trojans ran away with the game.

Southeast will open sub-state play next Monday with a home game against either 8-12 Council Grove or 7-13 Halstead.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Trojans and Lady Trojans made short work of Republic County to close out their season on a high note and secure some hardware in the process.Girls Game: SE of Saline 52, Republic County 27For a fourth consecutive season, the Lady Trojans have secured at least a share of the NCAA title, evening their league record with Beloit at 8-2.With this win, Southeast closes out its regular season on a five-game winning streak at 15-5 while the book closes on Republic County’s campaign at 0-20.“We got out and pressed them which isn’t something that we typically do but it’s something we wanted to work on,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “I thought we did a good job of adjusting to the way they attacked it.”Republic County got off to a solid start but Southeast went on a big early run and never looked back, completely blanking the Buffaloes in the third quarter.Lexi Jacobson led the Lady Trojans, tying her season high with 19 points in the win, aided by seven other teammates who chipped in at least a bucket.Despite their pristine record, Southeast will be the 5-seed in this year’s sub-state bracket, and will open postseason play at Osage City next Tuesday.Boys Game: SE of Saline 77, Republic County 25On the boy’s side the Trojans routed Republic County in their widest margin of victory by far, leading by 38 at the half of an eventual 52-point win.With this result, Southeast closes out their regular season at 11-9 overall while the Buffaloes wrap up their year at 1-19.SES won the turnover battle in style, forcing Republic County to cough up the ball 20 times while surrendering it just three times themselves.The Trojans were led in scoring by a trio of double-digit contributors in Owen Bailey (14), Gannon Jacobson (12), and Connor Caselman (12), who were among the ten different players to score for Southeast on the night.On the other side, Republic County got 12 of their 25 points from Levi White, but were held to just a single bucket in both the second and third quarters as the Trojans ran away with the game.Southeast will open sub-state play next Monday with a home game against either 8-12 Council Grove or 7-13 Halstead.

Lady Trojans Secure 4th-Straight League Title in Southeast Sweep

The Southeast of Saline basketball teams will close out their regular seasons on Tuesday night when they make the long trip to Republic County to battle the Buffaloes.

Girls Game: SE of Saline (14-5, 7-2) vs. Republic County (0-19, 0-9)

Tonight will be a big one for the Lady Trojans, who have the opportunity to clinch a share of another league title, as well as an outside shot at securing the 4-seed at this year’s sub-state tournament with a win in Belleville.

“We’ve talked about the situation with league and this is a chance for a fourth straight league title which is a big deal to us,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We need to take care of business and this is a big game for sub-state as well and for a chance to possibly host in the opening round.”

Southeast handled their business the first time these two got together back in early February in a 56-34 win, and will need a similar performance tonight to cap off the regular season on a high note.

“Republic County is a hard place to play but we have to have full concentration tonight,” Smith said. “They’ve made big improvements and they’ve been close to beating a few teams even if they haven’t done it yet. We have to convert our buckets around the rim&nbsp;

Tip-off between the Lady Trojans and Buffaloes is scheduled for 6:00.

Boys Game: SE of Saline (10-9, 3-6) vs. Republic County (1-18, 0-9)

Southeast of Saline has something big to play for on the boy’s side as well as with a win and an Osage City loss, the Trojans could still steal the 3-seed at this year’s sub-state tournament.

This game will also be the only contest in a span of twelve days before sub-state begins, giving Southeast one last chance to fine-tune things ahead of elimination basketball.

“We’re really looking for guys to get to quality spots for themselves,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Sometimes that’s by getting set up by a teammate, sometimes it’s concept design but we haven’t been putting ourselves in positions to be successful recently. Our lack of offense has overshadowed our pretty solid defense in this stretch but at the end of the day you have to score points.”

The first time these two teams met on the hardwood the Trojans dominated, bashing the Buffs 74-33 in a Gypsum rout.

“I thought we did a pretty good job of earning extra opportunities and creating turnovers in that first game,” Flax said. “We dominated on the glass and that was a big help to our effort.”

The boy’s game is set to follow the girl’s at approximately 7:30 in Belleville.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline basketball teams will close out their regular seasons on Tuesday night when they make the long trip to Republic County to battle the Buffaloes.Girls Game: SE of Saline (14-5, 7-2) vs. Republic County (0-19, 0-9)Tonight will be a big one for the Lady Trojans, who have the opportunity to clinch a share of another league title, as well as an outside shot at securing the 4-seed at this year’s sub-state tournament with a win in Belleville.“We’ve talked about the situation with league and this is a chance for a fourth straight league title which is a big deal to us,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We need to take care of business and this is a big game for sub-state as well and for a chance to possibly host in the opening round.”Southeast handled their business the first time these two got together back in early February in a 56-34 win, and will need a similar performance tonight to cap off the regular season on a high note.“Republic County is a hard place to play but we have to have full concentration tonight,” Smith said. “They’ve made big improvements and they’ve been close to beating a few teams even if they haven’t done it yet. We have to convert our buckets around the rim&nbsp;Tip-off between the Lady Trojans and Buffaloes is scheduled for 6:00.Boys Game: SE of Saline (10-9, 3-6) vs. Republic County (1-18, 0-9)Southeast of Saline has something big to play for on the boy’s side as well as with a win and an Osage City loss, the Trojans could still steal the 3-seed at this year’s sub-state tournament.This game will also be the only contest in a span of twelve days before sub-state begins, giving Southeast one last chance to fine-tune things ahead of elimination basketball.“We’re really looking for guys to get to quality spots for themselves,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Sometimes that’s by getting set up by a teammate, sometimes it’s concept design but we haven’t been putting ourselves in positions to be successful recently. Our lack of offense has overshadowed our pretty solid defense in this stretch but at the end of the day you have to score points.”The first time these two teams met on the hardwood the Trojans dominated, bashing the Buffs 74-33 in a Gypsum rout.“I thought we did a pretty good job of earning extra opportunities and creating turnovers in that first game,” Flax said. “We dominated on the glass and that was a big help to our effort.”The boy’s game is set to follow the girl’s at approximately 7:30 in Belleville.