Gateway Uses Big First Half to Beat Delaware Valley 26-10 @dvwarriorfb @GatewayGatorsFB

Tagged under: District 2, Game Photos, Gameday Hub, News

Phil Myers | August 28, 2021

They say football can be broken down into various segments such as plays, possessions, quarters, and halves.  Gateway used a strong and dominating first half to build a 26-0 lead that, in the end, was insurmountable for Delaware Valley to overcome.

The Warriors forced a punt from the Gators on the opening possession, but after that Gateway scored touchdowns the next three times it had the ball.  The initial score came after Del Val’s punter fumbled the snap giving the Gators the great field possession at the 10-yard line.

Defensively, Gateway added a score of their own with an 85-yard pick six.  They also held the Warriors to 23 net yards and one first down in the first two quarters. The Gators had the Warriors in a death roll half way through the second quarter.

Then “we got sloppy” stated an unhappy Gator head coach, Don Holl, after the game.  “They’re a good team,” he said, “and maybe that had something to do with it, but we left points on the field and didn’t play very well after we got that lead.”  Coach Holl was glad to come away with the win though against a quality opponent.

On the other side, Keith Olsommer, the Warriors’ head coach was as proud as a father holding his first child and was pleased with the perseverance of the young kids since five sophomores start on offense.  “In the second half we had success,” he stated.  “I think at the half, we just took a deep breath, had an adjustment period, and didn’t give up,” he replied to a question about why the second half was so different from the first.

Young Brad Birch of Gateway showed why he has a bright future ahead of him as he dished the ball to 5 different receivers for 274 yards and three TDs.  He did throw a pair of picks too.  His brother, Brett led the receivers with 5 catches for 115 yards and a touchdown.  Racari El caught a touchdown toss, as did Patrick Body.  Remy Bose made the play of the game when he timed a Delaware Valley pass perfectly and returned it to the house 85 yards later.  Gateway finished the night with 313 total yards.

As much as Gateway dominated the first half, Del Val used a controlling effort offensively and defensively in the second half to make things interesting.  The Warrior offense held the ball the entire third stanza save one play giving the defense some rest, and the defense held Gateway scoreless in half two as the Warriors fought their way back into the contest.

In the third quarter, the Warriors came out strong and scored a touchdown when Joe Sciascia ran it in from the five.  Then, Gateway fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Del Val took advantage, this time scoring on an Everett Bell 27-yard field goal.  But that was all the closer they would get even though their next drive took them into Gateway territory.  Del Val netted 156 yards for the game, led by Joe Sciascia’s 63 yards on the ground.  Sciascia may have been the player of the game as he made himself known on defense too as he intercepted Birch twice and recovered a fumble.

The game came about as each team lost their scheduled opener.  Delaware Valley, a team from Milford in District 2, was supposed to go to Florida, but the school had Covid concerns due to an apparent rise in those infections in Florida.  Gateway is from Monroeville in District 7 and was supposed to play a Canadian team, but the game was called off for similar reasons.

The teams agreed to play each other and play at a neutral site which turned out to be Bald Eagle Area’s scenic field in Wingate which is very close to being halfway for both schools.

Next week it doesn’t get any easier for either team as Gateway hosts perennial power and defending state 4A champs, Thomas Jefferson and Delaware Valley visits state ranked Valley View (1-0).

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