GYPSUM — The last time Southeast of Saline High School won a state football championship it took 19 years to get back to the finals.

That the Trojans finally ended the drought last November in a 36-28 come-from-behind thriller against Nemaha Central certainly brought a sense of satisfaction and relief. It also left them hungry for more.

“We’ve always been right on the door, knocking in that state game,” said quarterback Gannon Jacobson, part of a senior class that has lost just twice in four years, capped by a perfect 13-0 record in 2024. “To finally reach it was such an accomplishment.

“We try not to think too much of it going into those games, but that’s always kind of a chip on our shoulder going into those playoff games that we always want to take that next step.”

So far there has been no letdown for the Trojans as they chase a second straight championship. They return six starters on offense and nine on defense from the team that hoisted the trophy last year in Hutchinson, and they are off to a dominating 5-0 start this season, outscoring their four opponents 287-41.

The latest victory was a 73-7 blowout at winless Lyons on Friday that featured a running clock in the second half.

Still, even with last year’s experience and the blazing start to this season, the Trojans have been careful not to let success go to their heads.

“It’s a new year, really,” said senior running back Grady Gebhardt, Southeast’s leading rusher and receiver. “We try not to focus too much on last year. We try to look ahead to this year and go 1-0 every week this year and just try to dominate this year.

“I feel like there might be a little bit of a target on our back for sure, but I don’t feel much more pressure than I did last year. It has always been our goal (to win state). Most of these guys have played since their sophomore years, so practices go smoother because we know what to do and games go smoother because we’ve been doing it (for so long).”

Jacobson and Gebhardt are two key components to Southeast’s success. Both became fulltime starters on offense last year and are in their third season starting on defense, where Gebhardt leads the team in tackles at middle linebacker and Jacobson at safety.

On offense, Jacobson is the latest in a line of standout Trojan quarterbacks, following in the footsteps of Jaxson Gebhardt, Luke Gebhardt and Daniel Kejr. Grady Gebhardt is the youngest of four brothers to play for their father, Mitch Gebhardt, who has compiled a 118-37 record in 16 seasons as Southeast’s head coach.

Jacobson has continued to grow as a quarterback after a shaky start last year, especially as a passer. After throwing 11 interceptions in 2024 — he still completed 57% of his passes for 2,146 yards and 33 touchdowns — he only has one pick through five games this season.

Despite playing less than a half against Lyons, Jacobson has completed nearly 66% of his passes for more than 950 yards with 15 touchdowns.

“As he’s grown into being an experienced quarterback, his decision making is one of his best strengths,” Mitch Gebhardt said of Jacobson, whose father Kent is a Southeast assistant coach. “He’s very athletic.

“He can throw the ball or run the ball, so that makes him a threat either way, but as he has gained this experience, he realizes that every play doesn’t have to be a big play.”

While two of his older brothers were quarterbacks — Luke’s twin Jacob played wide receiver — Grady Gebhardt always preferred running back. His brothers all were 6-foot-1 or taller, but at 5-8, 185 pounds, Grady is an accomplished runner who rushed for 1,439 yards and 15 touchdowns last year despite missing over three games.

“I don’t have the physique that they do,” said Grady, who has run for better close to 670 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging roughly 13 yards per carry this season. “I’ve always enjoyed running through people.”

Much as Grady enjoys punishing defenders, there is more to his game, according to his father.

“He has great vision. He sees everything,” Mitch Gebhardt said Grady, who scored on the first three of his five carries against Lyons while logging less than two quarters. “He was born with that. He just sees things, and he has the ability to, once he’s out in the open, to run past a lot of other players.”

This year Gebhardt also has emerged as Southeast’s leading receiver with 16 catches for 337 yards and seven scores heading into the Lyons game.

“I worked hard on running routes because I also enjoy being in that slot,” Grady said. “We run be a little bit more as a receiver there, too, so just more opportunities that the coaches have given me, and our quarterback has delivered the ball pretty well.”

Jacobson and Gebhardt operate behind a veteran offensive line that features seniors Eli Jennings at center, Drew Weller and Brody Chambers at guard, and Garrett Kuhn along with sophomore Tristan Swank at the tackles. The receiving corps were led by seniors Malachi Hopkins and Kaden Barragan with nine catches each through the first four games while Bryson Lippold had two touchdown grabs and Kanyon Douglas one on Friday.

The Trojans return home this coming Friday to face Hillsboro (3-2), then head to Halstead (1-4) before closing the regular season at home against North Central Activities Association rival Ellsworth (4-1). Hillsboro is coming off a big 54-32 upset of previously unbeaten Ellsworth on Friday.

But Mitch Gebhardt has been pleased with his team’s ability to live in the present and not look too far ahead.

“I think everyone in the state’s goal when they start the year is to win a state championship, and that would be our final goal,” he said. “But we always want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can weekly.

“We try to make sure we’re taking care of what we do and work toward being the best that we can be.”