Football - Franklin Regional vs Gateway

Gateway Trounces Franklin Regional 63-3 in Battle of Previously Undefeated 

When Gateway met Franklin Regional in a battle of unbeaten teams atop the WPIAL Class 5A Big East Conference, one team was certain to go home with a loss on their record. Sure, Gateway was the top-ranked team in Class 5A, but not many would have predicted that the Gators would hand the host Panthers one of their worst losses in recent memory, a 63-3 drubbing on a humid night at Panther Stadium in Murrysville.   

Franklin Regional won the coin toss and deferred, putting the ball into Gateway's hands to start the game. The Gators wasted no time in finding the endzone as Derrick Davis scored on a run from 23 yards out at 10:32, with a Jayson Jenkins PAT kick to make it 7-0. Gateway added their second touchdown on quarterback Brendan Majocha's 22-yard keeper, with Sonny Comunale scoring on a fake PAT kick for a two-point conversion, giving Gateway a 15-0 lead at 3:35 of the first quarter. Franklin Regional then put together a solid drive, aided by a Gateway personal foul penalty, culminating in a Anthony DiFalco 33-yard field goal at 2:11 of the opening period as the Panthers narrowed the score to 15-3. It was the only points that the Panthers would put on the board for the remainder of the game. Gateway responded with another quick score before the opening stanza closed, as Courtney Jackson pulled in a screen pass and scampered 74 yards to paydirt. The PAT kick failed but the Gators held a 21-3 lead at the 1:22 mark in the period.

As the second quarter opened with the Gators having the ball, they needed only 5 seconds and one play for Majocha to hit Rthan Frenchik for with a 18-yard pass in the endzone for a 28-3 lead after the PAT kick. A quick three-and-out and a short punt set up the Gators' next touchdown as Jackson hauled in a 26-yard over the shoulder pass from Majocha at 10:07 in the quarter, with the PAT kick making the score 35-0. The Gators continued to rack up the points as Majocha kept the ball for a 17-yard touchdown run and a 42-3 lead after the PAT at 5:22 before the half. A 6-yard run by Jaquan Thomas and a successful PAT took the score to 49-3 at 2:40 left in the half, and Gateway quickly added one more after a Panthers' turnover with Majocha diving inside the pylon from 16 yards out. The 56-3 score took the teams into the locker rooms for halftime. 

The second half elapsed quickly under the mercy rule running clock with neither team scoring in the third quarter. Gateway added one final tally with Chamor Price rushing for an 8-yard touchdown at 5:59 left in the game. Joelle Jenkins nailed the final PAT kick to bump the score to 63-3, where it stood as the final horn sounded.

Gateway maintains their unblemished record on the season, standing 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference. They host winless Albert Gallatin next week. Franklin Regional suffered their first defeat of the season, dropping to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in conference. They'll play their final home game of the regular season next week against visiting Connellsville.           

Watch this link for a full gallery of action photos available for purchase or sharing the day after the game.