One would not have to look far to notice that Gateway's football team is much different from last year's squad that was ranked #1 in the state and among the best in the nation. What could have been a historic season that resonated on the highest talent levels was abruptly ended by a shocking 10-6 loss to Bethel Park in the WPIAL Class AAAA championship game.
Head coach Terry Smith says he has only seven starters that remain from last year's team. But also contends that this year's group is the fastest he's ever had, and their collective talents are more apparent than those of one player.
(Playbook's Josh Taylor with Gateway head coach Terry Smith)
"There's no one kid that's a star," Smith says, "but there's a big group of guys that are all athletic, all talented, and all can score."
Four of their five captains from last season have moved on: Brian Williams, Christopher Lammie, and U.S. Army All-Americans Dorian Bell and Corey Brown, leaving senior quarterback Rob Kalkstein as one of the few veterans left.
(Senior QB Rob Kalkstein)
Kalkstein completed 116 of 201 passes last season for 1,713 yards and 21 touchdowns, with his favorite targets being Brown and fellow departed senior Josh Vermeulen. The two combined for 63 receptions, 1,144 yards and 18 touchdowns.
"When you have a four-year quarterback, you can so many other things that you don't normally have a chance to do," Smith said. "The only the we expect is for him to just be him."
He will have help from senior running back/defensive back Dayonne Nunley, who will also be expected to contribute as a kick and punt returner, and running back Brendon Felder, who transferred to Gateway from St. John's Prep in Massachusetts.
(Senior RB/DB Dayonne Nunley)
Nunley understands the role he plays as a captain and a returning starter, and says he has learned how to embrace it from the players ahead of him, like former Gators Cameron Saddler (now at Pitt) and Brown (Ohio State).
"It feels good," he says of the opportunity. "You just have to bring your own swagger to it and make yourself comfortable being in that position."
Besides the apparent changes on the roster, there is also a changing of the guard in the Quad-A ranks as a whole. The Gators are no longer the league's dominant team, and must contend with Penn Hills, Woodland Hills, Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair and Canon-McMillan in what is said to be a wide open field for this year's title.
"It just gives us a motive to go hard," Nunley said. "We're kind of the underdog this year and we're not the top seed, so it gives us the motive to keep working. Everybody's equal and we've got to go hard from the gate to the end."
Although some of the faces may have changed, Kalkstein says the team's focus hasn't. After reaching the WPIAL championship game and falling short the past two seasons, Heinz Field is definitely the end goal.
"Hopefully the third time is the charm," he said, "and we can get there and finally pull together and get a victory down there."
Gateway Two-A-Days Video:
One-On-One with Head Coach Terry Smith
One-On-One with Quarterback Rob Kalkstein
One-On-One with RB/DB Dayonne Nunley
2009 Gators Schedule:
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