Gateway boys soccer rolls into 2nd half of Section 4-3A play at 5-1

By: Michael Love
Sunday, September 26, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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The Gateway boys soccer team finds itself right in the mix for a playoff spot in Section 4-3A as it gets into the second half of section play this week.

Coach Bernie Stiles said the team is working well together and is learning from all the ups and downs the season has presented so far.

“Certainly in past years, we’ve had tremendous individual talent, and we do this year, for sure, but how we jelled in the summer and came together in the preseason and the way the guys are understanding their individual roles for the good of the team overall, it has been remarkable,” said Stiles, who helped guide the Gators to a 6-3 record overall and a 5-1 mark in section through a 10-0 win over Greensburg Salem on Sept. 21.

“We also have had some individuals step up to give us some depth we didn’t think we would have.”

Gateway kicked off its season with two setbacks at the Belle Vernon tournament.

“We lost the first game 5-1 to Allderdice, but we felt like four of those goals were correctable mistakes that came from first-time jitters for some of the younger players,” Stiles said.

“We took that as an opportunity to have a team meeting before the next game and go over some things we absolutely could correct. To be quite honest, we had Belle Vernon beat 1-0, and they were fortunate to get a couple situations where they were able to get the goals they needed. We felt we came out of the tournament learning the lesson we had to learn.”

Gateway bounced back with their first victory of the season, a key 2-0 triumph over Section 4-3A rival West Mifflin.

Senior midfielder Deitrich Zeisloft and junior forward Colton Corrie each scored a goal in the win, and goalkeepers Jack Kweder and Cole Plaskon, a sophomore and a junior, respectively, combined for the shutout.

“It is usually either us or them who are going to finish in the right spot for the playoffs,” Stiles said.

“Last year, we knocked them out. Any time we can beat West Mifflin, and those are always close games, it is a super big deal. The big guys stepped up when they had to. That win gave the guys a lot of confidence.”

From there, Gateway posted back-to-back wins over Penn Hills and Woodland Hills, 4-0 and 5-1, respectively.

The Gators then ran into a Franklin Regional buzzsaw as the section-leading Panthers scored a 5-0 victory.

“(Franklin Regional) is a pretty good team, and it always is,” Stiles said.

“We were able to make a couple of adjustments, one in the midfield and one on the back line, that will help for the rest of the season. We were disappointed because we felt it was the first time we’ve gone to Franklin Regional and had an opportunity to try and be head-to-head with them. Just like the Belle Vernon tournament, the lessons learned were good things for us.”

Gateway will rematch with Franklin Regional at Gateway on Oct. 5.

The Gators were scheduled to take on neighboring Plum, which also started 5-1 in section play, last Thursday.

Gateway also was to take on West Mifflin again Monday and Woodland Hills on Wednesday before this Saturday’s 3 p.m. section battle at Penn Hills.

The Gators entered the game with Plum on a three-game winning streak.

They outscored McKeesport, Obama Academy and Greensburg Salem by a combined 23-1.

Corrie led the offense with 12 goals through his team’s first nine games.

“It’s not just me. We have great chemistry out there, and we’re able to work off of each other’s strengths,” Corrie said.

“We have a lot of guys who can score, and they’ve shown that so far.”

Junior midfielder Brendan Strawser added eight goals and produced 11 assists, earning Man of the Match four times.

Senior midfielder Jacob Davey and Zeisloft had five and four goals, respectively.

Plaskon tallied a total of 31 saves. Stiles said he has been impressed with both Plaskon’s and Kweder’s contributions in net so far this season.

“The guys are very excited to be playing well and getting the wins, and that is because they pay so much attention to detail,” Stiles said.

“They know what they need to work on, and as a coach, that is crucial.”

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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