Saturday, October 18, 2003

From local dispatches

Last year marked a return to glory for Gateway football. For the first time in 16 mostly mediocre seasons, the Gators advanced to the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals.

Their pivotal game in 2002 was a 24-21 victory at Kiski Area in the next-to-last week of the Quad South season. That gave the Gators their first conference championship since 1988.

First place was at stake again last night as these teams met at Gateway Stadium. This one wasn’t close, as the Gators raced to a 35-0 halftime lead and coasted past the Cavaliers, 38-12.

Gateway (7-1, 5-0) won its seventh consecutive game, extended its conference winning streak to 11 and clinched the No. 1 playoff seed in the Quad South. Kiski (5-3, 3-2) can still finish second and gain a first-round playoff game at home.

Mortty Ivy and Justin King, as usual, sparked Gateway’s offense, which scored all five of its touchdowns in the first half.

Ivy completed 9 of 14 passes for 184 yards, including three scores -- 31 yards to Jon Ditto, 16 to Corey Sattler and 39 to Jai Wilson. King carried 23 times for 112 yards and touchdowns of 30 yards and 1 yard.

Wilson had four catches for 101 yards for Gateway, which outgained the Cavaliers, 379-139.

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