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2004 Gateway vs. Central Catholic - Pre-Game Warmup

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Game #13:

#2 Gateway Gators vs. #1 Pittsburgh Central Catholic
WPIAL AAAA Championship Game
Records: Gateway (11-1), Central Catholic (12-0) When: Saturday, November 20, 2004 @ approximately 7:30pm
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
INTERNET WEB CAST: www.msasports.net
RADIO: WJAS 1320-AM; WPTT 1360-AM
TELEVISION: Fox Sports Pittsburgh (also nationwide on DirecTV channel 628). All four WPIAL Champioship games will be televised beginning at 10:00am EST Saturday morning.

Gameday weather forecast:

Showers 59° high
47° low
54° gametime		 5 mph winds 50 % chance of rain


The Gators continue their playoff march and go for their 6th WPIAL Championship, while Central Catholic will try to win their 2nd title back-to-back.


Gator Bits:
  • This game has been called the "National Prep Game of the Week" by the USAToday, as it matches up two top 20 teams in the country
  • The last visit for the Gators to the WPIAL AAAA Championship game was in 1986, when the Gators - quarterbacked by now Coach Terry Smith - defeated North Hills 7-6. The game, which was at Three Rivers Stadium, had about 25,000 fans in attendance to watch the "2 year championship" decided between the Gators and Indians.
  • The last visit for Central Catholic to the AAAA Championship game was last year. CC defeated Upper St. Clair 42-10. CC was later defeated in the PIAA state championship game by North Penn by a score of 37-10.
  • Since 1982, Gateway is 6-12-1 against Pittsburgh Central Catholic
  • The last meeting between Gateway & P.C.C. was in August - the first game of the season, a 28-20 win by P.C.C.
  • Articles about the Gators loss earlier this season to PCC:
  • The Gators have won 11 consecutive games since the opening game loss to Central Catholic
  • Central Catholic has won 12 consecutive games
  • Central Catholic and Gateway have been ranked #1 and #2 respectively in the state all season long
  • The Gators are led on offense by QB Aaron Smith (junior), RB Justin King, and WR Jon Ditto
  • The Vikings are led on offense by QB Shane Murray and RB Eugene Jarvis
  • The Gators defense - a non-traditional 3-5 formation, is led by a tough linebacker corps anchored by Mike Barlak, Dan Loheyde, Justin Colbaugh, Ryan Kwiatkowski and Joe Martin. The defensive line is anchored by nose tackle Roberto Blanding, and DL Matt Houy and Paul Shulikov
  • The Vikings defense is led by QB/Safety Shane Murray, LB Bob Helt, and DE John Pelusi, Sr.
  • Out of the 8 remaining teams in the WPIAL Championships, Gators Star RB Justin King is the leading rusher with 1,796 yards and 30 rushing TD's. King needs only 72 yards to move into 3rd place for the all-time AAAA rushing ahead of former North Hills star LaVar Arrington
  • PCC's Eugene Jarvis is coming off a 31 attempt - 212 yard rushing effort against Upper St. Clair in the semifinals.
  • In the 11 games in which he has played this season, Gators RB Justin King has had 10 games over 100 yards. 8 - 100 yard rushing games, 1 - 200 yard rushing game, and 1 - 331 yard rushing game.
  • The Gators are the only team in the WPIAL this season to have defeated the same team twice in a season with their two victories against Woodland Hills
  • Gateway's overall record between 1998 and 1982 - 89-88-3
  • Gateway's overall record between 2003 and 1982 - 121-109-4
  • Since 1982, Gateway has shut-out P.C.C. three times, P.C.C. shut-out Gateway twice, and the teams once battled to a scoreless tie
  • Central Catholic is the defending WPIAL AAAA Champions, and the PIAA State title runners-up
  • Pittsburgh Central Catholic is coached by Art Walker, Jr., the son of Art Walker, Sr., long-time former coach of Mt. Lebanon. For a picture of Central Catholic Coach Art Walker Jr., Gateway Coach Terry Smith, and West Allegheny Coach Bob Palko, click here
Rankings:
Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings:
  • USAToday - 7
  • Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - 1
  • Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - 1
  • Pennsylvania Football news - 1
Gateway Gators:
  • USAToday - 20
  • Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - 2
  • Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - 2
  • Pennsylvania Football news - 2
Head-to-head matchups dating back to 1982

Date
Gateway Score
Pittsburgh Central Catholic Score
Gateway Season Record
Notes
2004
 20 28 in progress 1st game of the season
1998
 6 28 2-8 Last gm. of season
1997
 14 41 3-7
1996
 20 19 5-5 Gators win on INT with 26 seconds left in game
1995
 7 10 5-5
1994
 15 20 2-8
1993
 17 0 4-6
1992
 0 14 2-8
1991
 20 41 1-9
1990
 0 43 0-10
1989
 7 0 4-4-1 Last year of Coach Antimarino's era
1988
 0 0 9-1-1
1987
 7 16 8-3
1986
 7 0 13-0 Gators finish season as WPIAL AAAA champs with 13-0 record
1985
 41 6 11-1-1 Gators finish season 11-1-1 as WPIAL AAAA Co-Champs
1984
 7 14 9-3 Gators lose in AAAA Championship game
1983
 6 10 5-6 Gators lose in WPIAL Seminfinals to Butler
1982
 34 8 6-4

News Articles relating to this game: