Their star running back was relegated to playing water boy because of a hamstring injury. Two starting offensive linemen were out with an injury and mononucleosis.

But rather than sing the blues, the Gateway Gators turned to Green.

Leon Green, in his first season at Gateway after transferring from West Mifflin, made his presence felt for the first time at Gateway. He helped the Gators to a 17-6 victory against McKeesport last night in a non-conference battle between two of the top five teams in WPIAL Class AAAA.

If you like passing, this game was horrible as neither team completed a pass. But Green played about half the game at quarterback and rushed for 59 yards on 16 carries.

His presence gave the Gators, who played without star halfback Cam Saddler, a running dimension at quarterback they didn't have in a season-opening loss to national power Youngstown Cardinal Mooney.

Green, who played quarterback at West Mifflin, didn't take a snap against Cardinal Mooney, as sophomore Rob Kalkstein played the entire game.

Gateway coach Terry Smith said he will now play Kalkstein and Green in games.

"We're going to use them both, like Florida did [last year with C.J. Leak and Tim Tebow]," Smith said.

But while Green did some damage with his running against McKeesport, his biggest play came on defense. A 6-foot, 202-pound senior, Green intercepted a pass late in the first half and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown.

"That's what big-time players do," Smith said. "We asked him to do a job and he came in and made some outstanding plays. The interception right before the half was the backbreaker."

Gateway's win gave Green some bragging rights on his half-brother, McKeesport running back Marvase Byrd.

Although Byrd rushed for 111 yards on 12 carries and although McKeesport outrushed Gateway, 302-180, McKeesport couldn't find the end zone until Darien Robinson scored in the fourth quarter on a 14-yard run.

Byrd and Green talk on the phone just about every day but didn't speak at all this week.

"He'll still talk smack because that's what McKeesport does," Green said, laughing.

McKeesport was victimized by seven fumbles, losing two.

"Maybe we read our press clippings too much after last week because we are not a great team by any means," McKeesport coach George Smith said, referring to a season-opening 36-14 victory against North Hills.

"Maybe we needed this game because the first game, it went too much our way. ... We didn't respond in the first half in this game."

The victory might restore some respect for Gateway (1-1) after it lost to Cardinal Mooney, 27-6, last week. The Gators came into the season as the Post-Gazette's No. 1-ranked team in the WPIAL and PIAA and were No. 10 in the country by USA Today.

The loss dropped Gateway to No. 2 in the WPIAL and PIAA this week. McKeesport is No. 5 in WPIAL Class AAAA.

"Everybody got down on this team after that loss, but you know what, Cardinal Mooney is the best team we will ever see," Smith said.

Saddler was hurt in the Cardinal Mooney game. Offensive linemen Corey Burnside (mono) and Jack Charles (knee injury) also were out against McKeesport.

Juniors Jeff Parrish and Brian Williams filled in admirably for Saddler.

Parrish ran 63 yards on Gateway's first play and finished with 76 yards on 10 carries. His long run set up a 19-yard field goal by Ryan Lichtenstein.

Williams, whose brother, David, plays at Michigan State, rushed for 43 yards on six carries and scored on a 38-yard run with 3:58 left in the first half.

"We expected them to be good for us, but they were great," Saddler said of Williams and Parrish.

Williams fumbled the ball away at his own 28 with 25.2 seconds left in the half. McKeesport went for the touchdown on the next play, but James Eckels' pass was overthrown and Green intercepted.

"We had a nasty taste in our mouths from the Cardianal Mooney game and we had something to prove," Green said.