Gateway boys soccer embarks on ‘new beginning’

By: Michael Love
Sunday, August 29, 2021 | 11:01 AM

On the main page of the Gateway boys soccer website are the words “New beginnings” along with “Pride, passion and perseverance.”

“In the offseason, that was kind of our theme, a new beginning, because we graduated 10 seniors, and seven of them were very influential from their freshmen to senior years,” Gateway coach Bernie Stiles said

“We had a large turnover rate for who is going to be starting this year.”

The pride, passion and perseverance, Stiles added, plays a part in the work ethic and competitive nature of both returning and new varsity players for a Gateway team hoping to make it to the WPIAL playoffs for a second straight season after a three-year postseason hiatus.

The Gators saw last season come to an end in a 6-2 loss to West Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 3A first round.

“We’ve had great competition at center forward, outside midfield and at center back,” Stiles said.

“We’ve had a couple of freshmen come in who were above what our expectations were for them, and we have one freshman who we knew was going to be very good. It’s always nice to see that new, young talent come in and help boost the team. We’ve also seen really good jumps from sophomores and juniors who are now juniors and seniors who are ready to take over the mantle from the seniors who left us last year.”

Among those 10 seniors who moved on, two-time all-section selection Chris Snyder led the team last year in goals scored with 21 over the course of the Gators’ 15 games.

Another 2021 graduate, Alex Gutierrez, picked up all-section honorable mention honors.

Gateway also began preseason camp seeking to replace graduated All-WPIAL goalkeeper Sam Alexander.

The Gators returnees include captains in senior midfielder Dietrich Zeisloft and junior midfielder Brendan Strawser.

“They are a good leadership combination,” Stiles said. “One is calm and leads by example, and the other will speak up when he needs to do so and also play when its necessary to play.”

Zeisloft said the team is ready to break out in the early going.

“We have a whole new batch of guys this year, and I think we can be a possession-oriented team and play some exciting, attacking soccer,” Zeisloft said.

Zeisloft said some good things came out of the Aug. 24 scrimmage with East Alle­gheny as well as things his team could improve on.

“That scrimmage was a good opportunity for the team to jell,” he said.

Strawser, who is back healthy after missing most of last season because of injury, said he saw the team come together in workouts throughout the spring and summer.

“We did a lot of good work in the offseason, and everyone was able to make strides working together,” Strawser said. “We built a lot of team chemistry. We were able to practice our new formations well, giving us more time to adapt to the system of play. It allows us to play to our personnel strengths, playing through the midfield more.”

Stiles said other returning starters — junior midfielder Daniel Garner and senior defender Cooper Hayes — are expected to take on bigger roles in the system. He also noted the expected contributions from players such as junior forward Colton Corrie, sophomore forward Blake Marsh and junior defender Danny Codeluppi.

Junior defender Jacob Wood was selected Gateway’s Most Improved Player last year, while sophomore Keegan Kyper was named the Gators’ Rookie of the Year.

Stiles said freshmen defenders Nick and James LoCoco have made a big impact so far in the preseason.

Sophomore Jack Kweder and junior Cole Plaskon, the candidates for starting time at goalkeeper, have two different styles of goalkeeping, Stiles said, which would fit for the way the team would want to attack, not just defend.

“It is a luxury to have two goalkeepers with those different styles,” Stiles said. “At Gateway, we’ve been very fortunate to have All-WPIAL goalkeepers in Sam Alexander and Sam Meshanko recently in the program. Jack and Cole have really big shoes to fill, but they been going all out to make that happen. That competition has produced some fantastic training sessions and some fantastic saves.”

Gateway, at 8-6, finished fourth in Section 4-3A last year as it held off West Mifflin for the final WPIAL playoff spot from the section.

The Gators again will contend with Plum and Franklin Regional, 2020 section co-champs with 13-1 records. FR went on to finish as runner-up to West Allegheny in the WPIAL tournament.

Kiski Area finished third in the section (11-5-1, 10-4) and also qualified for the postseason.

Gateway kicks off its season Saturday and Sunday at the Belle Vernon Tournament. Day 1 will see the Gators face Allderdice at 4 p.m. with a Day 2 matchup at 9 a.m. against Belle Vernon.

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.

Tags: Gateway