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With Quad-A powers Gateway and McKeesport locking horns in their regular season finale, it was a split opinion as to just whom would prevail: the run-heavy offense of McKeesport, or the versatile attack of Gateway. To make things all the more interesting, a win for either team meant the Foothills Conference championship and a possible number one seed in the WPIAL playoffs in this week's Eat 'n Park Game of the Week.
In last season's meeting, it was a 31-27 Gateway win on their home field, and this time, the Gators would repeat as conference champions with a 35-14 win over the Tigers at Weigle-Schaffer Stadium in McKeesport. Gateway used almost every weapon in its arsenal to get the job done, and the Gators proved to be too much to overcome.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS
They took advantage of their first opportunity when McKeesport's Sam Gooden fumbled a punt that was recovered by Gateway's Daniel Bradley deep in McKeesport territory.
The turnover set up a touchdown run by senior running back Orne Bey, a former Clearview Student-Athlete of the Week, to give Gateway an early 7-0 lead. Bey rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries, pacing the Gators' rushing attack that racked up 230 total yards on the ground.
McKeesport struck back on the ensuing drive on a big kickoff return by Evander Wright, which set up a touchdown pass from senior Ty-Meer Brown to Gooden to tie the score. Brown, who had only attempted 15 passes on the season coming in, threw nine times and completed six of them for 87 yards.
Both teams seemed to be out of their element as McKeesport's running game stalled out with only 85 rushing yards on 29 attempts, and Gateway went from their usual quick-strike assault to a more patient approach. The Gators ended the first half with a 16-play, 93-yard drive that included a 4th-and-1 conversion on their own 29 and ended with a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Rob Kalkstein to give them a 14-7 lead.
Gateway turned it up in the second half when on their second possession, they drove 80 yards on nine plays, and a 10-yard touchdown run by Brandon Felder made it 21-7 with about two minutes left in the third quarter. This happened after a 80-yard touchdown run by Bey was negated by a holding penalty.
Kalkstein scored his second rushing touchdown of the game with a 12-yard run early in the fourth quarter, putting the Gators in control, 28-7. The ensuing kickoff was fumbled, giving McKeesport their third turnover of the game.
That turnover, like the others, was turned into points when Kalkstein found Felder on a 35-yard touchdown pass, putting the game out of reach at 35-7 with 9:02 remaining. McKeesport added a touchdown on a Darien Robinson run, but by then it was too little, too late.
The win sealed back-to-back conference championships for Gateway (9-0), and possible consecutive top playoff seeds. But having lost the past two championship games, the Gators have learned the importance of maintaining their focus.
"We talked to our kids about appreciating where we are," Gateway head coach Terry Smith said after the game. "This is an awesome feeling. We're just going to relish in this moment and wait for Monday to see who we're going to play next, and get ready for them."
McKeesport (7-2) secured second place in the conference and a home first-round playoff game, but will have to wait until the playoff pairings on Monday to see where they will be seeded.
More Eat 'n Park Game of the Week:
Week 8: Sto-Rox at Keystone Oaks
Week 7: West Allegheny at Hopewell
Week 6: Aliquippa at Center
Week 5: Springdale at Avonworth
Week 4: Chartiers Valley at West Mifflin
Week 3: Upper St. Clair at North Allegheny
Week 2: Central Catholic at Canon-McMillan
Week 1: Gateway at Penn Hills
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