Summer turnout benefits Gateway soccer teams ahead of 2025 season

By: Michael Love
Sunday, August 3, 2025 | 1:10 PM

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The Gateway boys soccer team has qualified for the WPIAL playoffs five years in a row.

Gators coach Mike Rugh said with the returning talent and a crop of newcomers, this year’s group can make it six straight.

He is encouraged by the work the team has put in over the past couple of months to be ready for when official preseason practices begin Aug. 11.

A training session July 29 was no exception.

“This was one of our best turnouts. I think we have about 40 guys here, including the junior high guys who we bring to practice,” Rugh said.

“We work with them over the summer so they get integrated into the program early. We sometimes mix them in, and by the time they get to me, I’ve known them for three years. We have about 10-12 of the junior high guys and almost 30 of the varsity guys.

“We’ve been getting in a lot of good work. The guys are conditioned and are getting that foundation in place.”

Gateway’s returning group went into the offseason with a lot of motivation. The Gators finished 8-8 overall and tied for second in Section 1-4A with Central Catholic at 5-5 behind section champion Plum (10-0).

But a hopeful run in the WPIAL playoffs came to a sudden halt as the No. 8 Gators suffered a 6-0 loss to No. 9 Canon-McMillan in the first round.

A core of returnees — junior forward Cam Simon, sophomore Ryan Helman, junior Max Frey, sophomore Seungkyu Park, junior Amar Murrell-Merriweather and sophomore goalkeeper Max Estremera — are ready to help lead the way.

Rugh said the accountability among the team members to be at training sessions is impressive.

“You do have work responsibilities and vacations, and some were playing in tournaments with their club teams, but now that those are over, they are starting to show up,” Rugh said.

“I think we have had a consistent 30 kids for the past month and a half. You can see which guys are bought in and ready to go.”

Rugh said that in addition to the training workouts, team members have benefited from a 7-on-7 league one night a week at Plum.

“A lot of these guys, we started playing early and getting into meaningful game situations against some really good teams,” Rugh said.

“That is a huge help, to add to what we’re doing here and having some of the younger guys playing with the older guys. They get an understanding of what the speed and level of high school is going to be as they step up in age.”

Lady Gators eye postseason goals

While the Gateway boys enjoyed their fifth straight trip to WPIALs last fall, the Gateway girls were unable to reach their WPIAL tournament.

Coach Caleb Kyper said the frustrations of coming close — they fell to Shaler in a winner-take-all matchup for the fourth and final playoff spot from Section 1-3A — has fueled the returning players as they build toward the start of the season. That motivation, Kyper added, has played out over the summer of training.

“The energy and excitement level is pretty high at this point by the quality numbers we’ve been getting at our voluntary training this summer,” Kyper said.

“In years past, we would sometimes get six to eight girls. Just this past Monday (July 28), with the middle school girls included, we were in the upper 30s which is awesome. That tells me there is some motivation with this group.”

While a group of six seniors graduated from last year’s team, Kyper is excited to welcome back a talented core that includes senior Peyton Kyper, the team’s leading scorer last year with six goals.

Sophomore Ella Cepko and senior Julia Beam shared starting time in goal last year.

Kyper said it was exciting to see Cepko, Beam and senior Zahara Myers get the opportunity to show their talent on a national stage with some high-level play.

Beam and Myers took to the pitch with their Allegheny Force Football Club at the National Premier League Finals July 7-14 in Denver, Colo., while Cepko played with her Century United club team in the Girls Academy Summer Playoffs and Showcase in California.

“We have seven starters returning, but we’re going to be working on filling some big holes in the lineup,” Kyper said.

“There are a lot of girls who have stepped up and formed leadership roles as well as improving their games on the field. Within the team, they put together a whole text group where they motivate each other and are accountable for each other. A lot of them have done training and conditioning on their own, too.

“When they are at training, they are not separated into four or five groups. They are all, freshmen up to seniors, hanging out together, chatting and getting to know each other. A lot of the younger girls are really impressing me with their work and their soccer IQ out there on the field with the older girls. It’s fun to see.”

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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