After 4th straight playoff appearance, Gateway boys soccer says goodbye to senior class

By: Michael Love
Sunday, November 5, 2023 | 11:01 AM

A fourth straight trip to the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs was in the preseason plans for the Gateway boys soccer team.

A streak-breaking victory in their first-round matchup at No. 5 Montour also was what the Gators wanted.

They got the former but were denied the latter, as the Spartans led 3-0 at halftime of their game Oct. 21 and went on to post a 5-0 victory.

“All credit to Montour,” Gateway first-year coach Mike Rugh said. “They are a good team, and they played really well in the first half. They got a couple by us. But we came out in the second half a little different group. We were able to get a lot of possession in their half of the field but just couldn’t get anything into the back of the net.”

Rugh said he made sure to remind the guys that one playoff loss doesn’t define a season, and that season led to a program-­record fourth consecutive playoff trip. The previous best streak was three years in a row from 1986-88.

Gateway finished Section 4-3A play 8-4-2 with a 6-3-1 stretch run that included a 3-2 win over playoff-qualifier Latrobe (11-3) and a 3-2 victory over Franklin Regional (9-5).

The Gators played Latrobe close in the rematch but fell 3-2.

Gateway surrendered 27 goals in the regular season and scored 42.

“I had goals for the guys coming in as a first-year coach, and those goals aligned with those of the players,” Rugh said.

“They fell short of the playoff win, but the standard is the standard now, and the guys coming back next year expect to be in a position again to make it for a fifth year in a row and get that playoff victory.”

Gateway has not won in the WPIAL playoffs since Rugh was a player in the mid 1990s.

The experience was there this year for the Gators as seven players earned a third letter. Senior Keagan Kyper was the only senior to appear in his fourth playoff game.

Kyper picked up Section 4 honorable-mention recognition this year.

First-team all-star laurels went to junior midfielder Nick LoCoco, senior forward Blake Marsh, senior goalkeeper Jack Kweder and junior forward James LoCoco.

Nick LoCoco earned double-­digit goal totals for a second year in a row with 10 goals and eight assists. He had 12 goals and 10 assists last year.

Marsh tallied seven goals and produced a team-best 13 assists.

“There’s that core group of senior starting guys with Keagan, Blake, Jack and (defender) Will Hansmann, all captains,” Rugh said.

“Keagan is that four-year letter­man. He didn’t get the recognition of all-section, but it is a testament to him for what he brought to the team game in and game out that will be remembered. The guys recognize that.

“Jack was fantastic in goal, and Blake did what we knew he could do, and that was score goals and make things happen on offense. Will was a rock for us in the back. He is the most fit guy on the team.”

James LoCoco added eight goals and two assists, while fellow junior midfielder Owen Echegaray finished with seven goals.

Freshman Cam Simon contributed six goals and two assists in his varsity debut this season. He, along with fellow freshmen Amar Murrell-Merriwether and Max Fry, Rugh said, should have an increased role with the team moving into next year.

“All three played a very big part in the team,” Rugh said. “That was crucial for their experience coming back for year two. Things move pretty fast when you go from under 14 to under 18. They took their lumps and bumps, but they were better for it at the end.”

With the new classification parameters just released for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, Rugh said his team could possibly move up to Class 4A next year.

“Hopefully we are able to do some winter sessions, even if it is an indoor workout, along with work with their club teams,” Rugh said.

“Whatever you are able to do year-round will give you an advantage over guys who don’t. The guys understand what it will take to prepare to be in position to make another run.”

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