Gateway bounces back, rolls past Penn Hills

By: Wes Crosby
Friday, September 10, 2021 | 11:24 PM

Gateway looked to send a message Friday night. By the end of a 41-13 road win over Penn Hills, it had done just that.

Following a 21-16 loss to Thomas Jefferson a week ago, Gateway (2-1) jumped on Penn Hills early to take a 27-0 lead into half. The Gators, ranked No. 2 in Class 5A, got four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) from quarterback Brad Birch and two rushing from Jaquon Reynolds.

“Winning a game at Yuhas-McGinley Stadium anytime is a special thing,” Gateway coach Don Holl said. “We haven’t been here in a long time. They’ve been a great program for a long time. Rivals. It’s a great win. It’s one win. It’s a nonsection win for our kids and our program.”

The matchup was the first in the regular season between Gateway and Penn Hills since 2011. The Gators defeated the Indians, 14-0, in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs last season.

Penn Hills (0-2) has been outscored 89-20 in its first two games after entering the season ranked fourth in Class 5A. It lost its season opener 48-7 to Central Catholic last week.

“Our first two weeks, we played Central Catholic and Gateway, who are probably two of the top teams in 5 and 6A,” Penn Hills coach Jon LeDonne said. “So, we’ve got to learn, regroup and come back ready to fight next week again.”

After going three-and-out on its first drive, the Gateway offense got going when Birch hit Patrick Body over the middle for a 38-yard touchdown 2:47 into the first quarter. He hit Body again on nearly the same play, this time from 27 yards out, to make it 14-0 with 4:17 left in the first.

Birch was 11 for 20, finishing with 217 yards passing. He had three interceptions to go along with the three passing touchdowns.

Body had four receptions for 106 yards, all in the first half.

A 5-yard run from Birch on the first play of the second quarter made it 20-0 after a missed PAT from Cole Plaskon. Reynolds carried a few Indians 4 yards for his first touchdown with 2:35 until the break.

Penn Hills couldn’t get much going in the first half, going three-and-out four times and fumbling once in eight drives, but received a lifeline when Gateway snapped the ball into the end zone to end its opening drive of the second half. Amir Rollins recovered for the touchdown, cutting it to 27-6.

Quarterback Julian Dugger, who was 7 for 19 for 83 yards passing, gave Penn Hills more life by plowing forward on fourth-and-goal from the 1 to cap a nine-play, 62-yard drive. That cut it to 27-13 just five seconds into the fourth quarter.

Dugger carried the ball 16 times for 109 yards.

“(Dugger is) starting to come around,” LeDonne said. “He missed the whole offseason due to injury. So, playing last season in a covid season, didn’t get many games. He’s still a very young, immature varsity player right now. But he’s going to grow.”

It didn’t last, though. Gateway fed Reynolds six times on the ensuing drive, gaining 64 yards with the last 20 coming on a touchdown that reestablished a 21-point lead with 9:43 left. Reynolds had 106 yards in the second half.

“He’s a good player,” Holl said of Reynolds. “We trust him. He’s a young guy, but he just keeps getting better every week. I think it says everything when the head coach wants to put the ball in your hands when you need a drive.”

Birch delivered the dagger with 1:34 remaining, as his third touchdown pass deflected off a defensive back and into the waiting hands of Malachi Moore.

Watch an archived broadcast of this game on Trib HSSN.

Tags: Gateway, Penn Hills