By TYLER HENRY
Little Apple Post contributor
The Southeast of Saline Trojans and Rock Creek Mustangs will kick off their 2022 campaigns in Gypsum on Friday in what could very well be the best quarterback duel in the state.
For the Trojans, Luke Gebhardt will once again take center stage after completing 70% of his passes in 2021 for 2,389 yards and 31 touchdowns, scrambling for 12 more and tossing just five picks.
Opposite Gebhardt will be Dalton Whitworth, who led the state of Kansas in passing last season with 2,894 yards. Whitworth paired that with an unheard-of 38 touchdowns while coughing up just 16 interceptions.
“Any time you bring back experience, especially at quarterback, it makes your life easier,” Rock Creek head coach Shane Sieben said. “Dalton is a kid that everyone looks up to, they’ve voted him team captain and there’s a calmness about the team when he’s under center.”
While the Trojan defense allowed just 12 points in all of last year’s regular season, the SES secondary will need to step up their game to hold out against the Whitworth-led air raid.
“The last few years we’ve played a lot of run-heavy teams but we have to be prepared for what they can do through their air,” Trojan head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “If we’re not they’re going to beat us. We have to get pressure on the quarterback and battle through that tough O-Line.”
While SES prepares for Whitworth, the Mustangs will do the same in relation to Luke Gebhardt, with each coach showing caution and respect to the other signal caller.
“Coach Gebhardt has done an unbelievable job, they don’t have to rebuild they just reload,” Sieben said. “They bring back a lot of talent and we talk about Dalton but Luke Gebhardt was the all-state kid ahead of him and he has really great threats at receiver.”
While the quarterback duel will stay front and center in the spotlight, the Trojans remain committed to offensive balance and will be eager to get new tailback Nathan Friesen rolling in the backfield.
“We have a new running back and some new offensive linemen and if we can establish that run game a lot of things will open up for us,” Gebhardt said. “Obviously our quarterback and receiving corps bring back a lot of experience but we need to get that running game going.”
Both of these teams have the potential to make real noise in their respective classes, and while both coaches respect the other’s program, neither will show an ounce of fear or give an inch on Friday night.
“Our guys have comfort in each other and in our system, we just need to understand what they’re trying to take away and take advantage of that,” Sieben said. When you play a team like SES in week one you know you’re going to face a lot of adversity, we just need to stay the course, believe in each other, and respond when those things happen.”
With new pieces lining each roster going into week one, this matchup will be every bit as much a test of will as it is of strength and skill.
“We want to play tough,” Gebhardt said. “In the first few weeks things aren’t always going to go the way we want them to, but we have to withstand what Rock Creek brings and keep fighting when things aren’t easy for us. We want to find out how tough we are.”
Kickoff between the Trojans and Mustangs is set for 7 pm at Southeast of Saline High School and the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) or streamed live on the Salina Post.