The Smoky Valley Vikings have prided themselves this year on tough defense and a steady run-game. That defense played a strong first quarter of football as the two teams traded possessions and stuffed the Southeast of Saline Trojans on two fourth-down tries in the first 8 minutes of football. The Southeast offense, who had averaged just over 54 points per game this season, finally found the endzone for the first time with 8:17 left in the first half. Quarterback Luke Gebhart found Wyatt Boyd in the endzone for a 5-yard strike. Gebhart ran in the extra point try to tack on another 2 points. While the Viking offense never could quite get it going, the Trojans added another score just before the half on a 13-yard pass from Luke to Jake Gebhart. The two found another connection for the two-point conversion, heading into the half with a 16-0 lead.

Southeast’s offense got started quickly in the second half, scoring on a Luke Gebhart 19-yard run just over 2 minutes in. Gebhart found Boyd again for the extra 2 points, putting the Trojans up by 24. On the following kickoff, Jerome Autry coughed up the ball as the Trojans recovered it on the 12-yard line. Luke Gebhart ran it in on the next play and the Trojans went up 30-0 after not being able to convert on the point-after try. The second half continued to be all Southeast. Matthew Rodriguez, who had a great game on the defensive side of the ball, ran in two more touchdowns in the third quarter, a 7-yard and a 3-yard rush. The Trojans converted successfully on both point-after tries, with a Gebhart run and a successful Boyd kick. The final score from Gypsum, KS ended 45-0 in favor of the Southeast of Saline Trojans.

Smoky Valley never could get their running game going, rushing 39 times for just 83 yards. Defensively, Haven Lysell-Stewart and Nolan Dauer led the way with 7 tackles each. The Trojan attack was on fire all night long, tallying 432 yards. of total offense. Luke Gebhart completed 26 passes on 31 attempts for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns. Matthew Rodriguez and Gebhart added 2 touchdowns each on the ground, with 98 and 61 yards, respectively. Luke’s brother, Jake, also had a big night with 13 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown through the air. Jasper McDowell dominated the defensive side of the ball with 8 tackles, 3 for a loss, and 1 sack. The Trojan defense still hasn’t allowed a single point in district play.

The Vikings take on the Russell Broncos, who lost to Goodland tonight, next Friday to cap their regular season at home.