The Gateway Gators traveled to Imperial for a 5A non-conference matchup against the West Allegheny Indians.
Gateway struck first when kicker Jackson Mikulandrich hit a 39-yard field goal after a strong kickoff return by Daysaun Spencer. Sophomore quarterback Mayson Mitchell connected downfield with Ned Reid and completed a pass to Kacy Carter, while Julian Dancear broke free for a 21-yard rushing gain. Playing without injured senior captain Jakson Smith, the Gators’ defense got key contributions from Tyrion Williams, Michael Burrows, Tehran Gans, and Dorian Bell. Late in the fourth quarter, Darrell Harper capped Gateway’s scoring with a touchdown run, followed by Mikulandrich’s extra point.
West Allegheny, led by head coach Bob Palko, defended its home turf on Homecoming night with a strong ground attack. Quarterback Mason Bryan led the offense with a 34-yard rushing touchdown and a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jay Watters. Brodie Cornell powered the running game with two rushing touchdowns and also added two interceptions on defense. Nico Police scored two touchdowns, and Austin Probert added a fourth-quarter touchdown run after recording an interception.
Defensive linemen TeVonte Hunter and Dylan Bevan disrupted the Gateway backfield throughout the night as West Allegheny went on to earn a 49-10 victory.
