GCG Week 2: Gateway falls to Wellen Park 41-21 in battle of the Eagles

Gateway suffered its first loss of the young season Friday night, falling 41-21 to Wellen Park in a battle between the Eagles. Gateway made the first statement on the road. After the defense forced Wellen Park to punt in the opening quarter, Jayden Hart provided a spark on special teams. Hart returned the punt deep into Wellen Park territory, setting up the Gateway offense with strong field position. A few plays later, quarterback Parker Ellis took advantage. With his offensive line clearing the way, Ellis kept the ball and found the end zone to put Gateway on the board first. Wellen Park responded later in the quarter behind quarterback Noah Wireman. He connected with Curtis Bowdre on a short pass that Bowdre turned into a sizable gain, slipping through Gateway defenders and racing down the sideline before being forced out. Malachi Bynum finished the drive with a rushing touchdown, and Wellen Park eventually pulled away for the 41-21 victory. The loss moves Gateway to 1-1 as the program continues its development under new head coach Chris Strykowski. Wellen Park improves to 2-0. Gateway now turns its attention back to Southwest Florida. The Eagles are scheduled to travel to Naples for a matchup against Golden Gate in Week 3. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV