Larger text
Smaller text
Gateway cruises past Connellsville
• Small ball sends North Allegheny to finals
• South Park edges Keystone Oaks in semifinals
• Latrobe’s historic boys lacrosse season comes to close
• High school notebook: Vincentian coach’s appeal set with PIAA
By Jason Black
Published: Friday, September 7, 2012, 10:59 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013
While Connellsville's football team is a work in progress, Gateway's is a machine — a fast one, too.
The Class AAAA No. 2 Gators pounced on the Falcons early and often on their way to a 46-16 Quad East win at Connellsville Stadium.
Gateway quarterback Thomas Woodson completed 6 of 8 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, and Andre Martin rushed for 55 yards and three touchdowns on five carries as the visitors built a 46-0 lead midway through the second quarter. Gateway stormed to a 34-0 lead in the opening 12 minutes.
“That's a heck of a football team, and they were playing at a different speed in the first quarter,” Connellsville coach Dave McDonald said. “But I don't think you saw a kid in a Connellsville uniform quit. I think we were a little bit in awe, and it took us a while to catch our breath. But once we did, we moved the ball. But it got away in the first quarter.”
The Gators (2-0, 2-0) wasted little time taking control, scoring on all five of their first-quarter possessions and reaching the end zone on two of three chances in the second quarter.
“We executed early and jumped out to a big lead,” Gateway coach Terry Smith said. “Woodson threw exceptionally well. We didn't run as effectively as I would have liked, and we still have room to improve. But we have speed, and a lot of it, and we utilized it to jump out to the lead.”
Martin scored on touchdown runs of 25 and 6 yards in the first quarter and added a 3-yard scoring run in the second.
Both of Woodson's touchdown tosses came in the opening quarter. He hit Mileak Ford on a 23-yard strike before finding Ricky Rogers on a perfectly thrown ball down the middle of the field for an 85-yard TD.
Connellsville (0-2, 0-2) scored the final 16 points. Quarterback Jade Maher dashed down the left sideline for a 41-yard score late in the first half. Maher also hit Michael Parlak on a 23-yard touchdown pass in the fourth. He completed 8 of 14 passes for 87 yards. Parlak had four receptions for 61 yards.
Sandwiched in between the two Connellsville touchdowns was a Benjamin Kisiel 33-yard field goal in the third quarter.
“We're not going to quit,” McDonald said.
Jason Black is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at jblack@tribweb.com or 724-626-3534.
Most Popular Stories
- Steelers quarterback Roethlisberger likes the revamped offense
- Steelers’ Polamalu trim, fit as he arrives for OTAs
- Penguins Insider: Time is right for Jokinen’s return
- Kovacevic: Pens improve under microscope
- Steelers notebook: Less talk, more work is Tomlin’s theme
- Bilik DeFazio leads race on both ballots
- ‘We did it!’ Peduto tells city, as he defeats Wagner
- Pirates notebook: Penguins jerseys in fashion for road trip
- Neal’s solid play soon could pay off on scoresheet for Penguins
- Penguins notebook: Morrow leaves practice with injury
- Snider’s grand slam pushes Pirates to late victory over Cubs
You must be signed in to add comments
To comment, click the Sign in or sign up at the very top of this page.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.
