Brett Birch threw three first-half touchdown passes Friday night as Gateway defeated Delaware Valley, 26-10, in a non-league football opener played at Bald Eagle Area in Wingate.
The Gators opened leads of 14-0 after one quarter and 26-0 at halftime before the Warriors fought back, dominating the third quarter to close within 16. The comeback attempt stalled there.
Joe Sciascia intercepted two passes and scored on a 5-yard touchdown run for Delaware Valley, completing a drive following the second-half kickoff.
Delaware Valley added a 27-yard Everett Bell field goal later in the quarter.
Gateway, from the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League in the area surrounding Pittsburgh, opened the season ranked third in the state in Class 5A, according to PennLive.com.
Delaware Valley was a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 6A state quarterfinalist last season.
The neutral-site game was put together after each team had its originally scheduled game called over.
Delaware Valley canceled a trip to Florida and Gateway canceled a game with a Canadian opponent, in both cases related to concerns surrounding rising COVID-19 case numbers.
MORE FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL COVERAGE
Dunmore-Western Wayne: https://nepasportsnation.com/janiszewski-leads-wildcats-victory/.
North Pocono-Pittston Area: https://nepasportsnation.com/n-pocono-shuts-out-pittston-area/.
District 2 scoreboard: https://nepasportsnation.com/district-2-football-scoreboard/.
