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Gateway Christian tops Melrose in eight-man opener

STAFF REPORT

CLOUDCROFT — Quarterback Justin Reynolds threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as Gateway Christian posted a season-opening, neutral-field 30-20 victory over Melrose on Friday in a rematch of last year’s 8-man state championship game.

The former district rivals met in Melrose last November, and the host Buffaloes rallied late for a 30-28 victory over the Warriors.

Melrose did all its scoring in the second period on Friday night, erasing a 12-0 deficit to grab a 20-18 halftime lead on a 12-yard pass from Christian Sena to Jordan Jasso in the final minutes of the second quarter.

Earlier in the period, Sena hooked up on touchdown passes of 15 yards to Jasso and 31 yards to Carson Fraze to rally the Buffs to a 14-12 lead. Gateway’s Blaine Arnold scored on a 31-yard run about a minute later before Melrose answered with 48 seconds left in the half.

Gateway took the lead late in the third period on Reynolds’ 2-yard TD run. He then found Ramiro Garcia on an 18-yard scoring pass with just over seven minutes left in the game for insurance.