Amari Gans’ breakout season helps Gateway remain in playoff hunt

By: Michael Love
Sunday, October 13, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Amari Gans wasn’t about to let Gateway’s first victory of the season slip through its fingers.

The Gators had suffered tough losses to State College and North Allegheny, and their backs were against the wall in Week 2 at Plum.

Gans, a senior tailback and outside linebacker, made an impact on both sides of the ball with a rushing touchdown in the first half before catching a 14-yard, game-deciding touchdown in the fourth quarter.

He then intercepted a pass from Plum quarterback John Nonnenberg with 58 seconds left to seal Gateway’s 22-15 victory.

“That was definitely a confidence booster for me and for the whole team,” Gans said. “It was a close game, and we just made plays like we knew we could to get that win.”

Gans has enjoyed a breakout 2024 season with the Gators, and he hopes his efforts will help get them over the top in their fight for a spot in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.

“I feel I’ve done a pretty good job with what the coaches have wanted me to do, but I am always looking to get better on my game,” said Gans, who finished the game against Plum with 14 carries for 67 yards, four receptions for 47 yards, three sacks among five total tackles, and the crucial interception.

“I am working on improving my speed and getting quicker off my first steps, things like that. It definitely is a process. I am just happy to be out here doing what I can do to help us get wins.”

Gans rose to the featured running back spot with the graduation of Jaquon Reynolds, who now is a freshman at Division II West Liberty State in West Virginia.

“Jaquon was a good older guy who would mentor me and help me with things I needed to work on,” Gans said.

“I just wanted to pick up where he left off. As soon as that last game last year ended (35-31 loss to Moon in the Class 5A first round), we were in the weight room working, and then we were on the field ready to do what we could get better.”

Gans tallied 14 carries for 55 yards against State College in his Week Zero varsity starting debut.

“It felt good to be out there. It was a relief,” he said. “It wasn’t the way we wanted to start the season, so we had to learn from it and move on to the next week.”

He caught five passes for 49 yards in the setback to North Allegheny.

Gans broke out in a 28-7 win over Kiski Area in Week 3 with 136 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries while catching two passes for 23 yards and a score and recording seven tackles including a sack.

He tallied two TDs — one rushing and one receiving — and made eight tackles in a close 36-34 loss to Franklin Regional in Week 4.

In a 48-20 triumph over Armstrong in Week 5, Gans rushed for two touchdowns and finished 1 yard shy of 100 on 19 carries. His one reception in the game, for 22 yards, landed him in the end zone.

He collected 119 combined rushing and receiving yards and caught a touchdown in Gateway’s 32-13 loss to Penn-Trafford in the Battle for the Victory Bell on Oct. 4 at Antimarino Stadium.

“Amari was patient,” said Gateway assistant coach Mo Washington who works with Gans closely in the run game.

“When he would get in a game last year, he showed glimpses of what he could become. He didn’t worry about when his time would come. He just worked hard every day to make himself a better football player. He trained really well and became that leader we knew he could be. He has taken over on offense and defense, and it is so good to see him take advantage of his opportunity.”

Gans said he is appreciative of the opportunity to run behind an experienced offensive line which returned all five starters, including three who earned first- or second-team all-conference honors last season.

“Those guys are my security guards,” said Gans, who has garnered interest from several colleges in the region.

“I have a lot of trust in them. I love running behind them.”

Gans said he also appreciates his position at outside linebacker because of his dual responsibilities of going out in pass coverage and also rushing the quarterback and breaking down to stop the run.

Gateway fell to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in Big East Conference play after the loss to Penn-Trafford.

The Gators entered their game with Woodland Hills last Friday one-half game behind Penn-Trafford (2-1) for third in the conference behind leaders Franklin Regional (3-0) and Woodland Hills (3-0).

The top three teams in each of the three Class 5A conferences automatically earn a berth to the WPIAL playoffs. The WPIAL steering committee will select the three remaining wild card teams to fill out the 12-team field.

Gateway wraps up conference play Friday at home against Latrobe.

“We just have stay level-headed and concentrate on what we have to do to be successful,” Gans said.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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