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"Just run. Coach always tells me to get vertical," the Gateway STEM senior said. "North, not south, just run north. That's it. No east or west."
With thoughts of dancing behind the line of scrimmage banished from his mind, Rayner slammed his foot in the ground and looked up.Â
All he saw was green. And all Miller Career saw was a cloud of dust.Â
Rayner's late touchdown run was a dagger, helping the Jaguars to a 16-2 victory over Miller Career on Saturday afternoon in a Public High League football game.Â
Gateway STEM (4-0 overall, 2-0 PHL) pushed its unbeaten record to the fourth week of the season for the first time since 2015.Â
"I'm so proud of the guys," Gateway STEM coach Jason Dulick said. "It wasn't our best game, some turnovers early, but we pulled it together and played a good second half."
Rayner, who was Gateway STEM's quarterback for the past two seasons, has enjoyed a position shift to running back.
But on Saturday, he spent much of his time laying out runners as a linebacker. When he saw teammate Javell Lott-Jeffery go down the series before, he buckled his helmet, ready to run the ball.
"(Lott-Jeffery) got injured, so I had to step up," Rayner said.
Rayner took the handoff and blasted 57 yards untouched for the game-clinching touchdown.Â
After slogging through the stout Miller Career defense throughout much of the game, Dulick was confident the Jaguars' commitment to the run would eventually pay off.
"We're just going to keep doing what we do," Dulick said. "We had some setbacks early on with some bad snaps, but we were going to keep doing what we do best. Just run the ball and three yards and a cloud of dust. That eventually takes a toll."
Rayner's touchdown run was the longest play by either offense on the day.Â
He ended the game with 89 yards on seven carries. The Jaguars rolled up 120 yards on the ground, with senior quarterback Marquis Sutherlin throwing for 78 yards.Â
Gateway defense shows its teeth
It wasn't a shutout, but the Gateway STEM defense did everything but get another shutout.Â
The Jaguars stymied Miller Career at every turn and only gave up 47 yards of total offense through four quarters.
Dulick just laughed when asked what his secret was.Â
"They love football," Dulick said. "They have a defensive mindset, an attacking mindset. Our defense is just attack, attack, attack. That's what we preach. Our defensive coordinator had a great game plan for Miller Career."
Miller Career's two points came on a bad snap on a punt attempt in the first half.
Through four games, Gateway STEM has only given up nine points.
"We just stayed disciplined," Gateway STEM senior Shawn Robinson said. "We've got things to touch up on, but we're going to correct them. Overall, I'm just proud. We're just going to keep going hard."
Nunez gives the Jags momentum
With an offense that struggled to find any room to run against Miller Career (2-2, 1-1) in the first half, Gateway STEM got a shot in the arm from its seldom-used kicker.Â
Junior kicker Angelo Nunez came on and nailed a 33-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to give the Jaguars a 3-2 lead.
"It was like a shot in the arm," Dulick said. "We practice it every week. He's a soccer player, but he loves football, and that was really big. That momentum going into halftime really propelled us in the second half."
After only mustering 36 yards of offense in the first half, Gateway STEM rolled up 162 yards in the second half.Â
Penalties and offensive miscues hurt Miller Career
Gateway STEM's defense was suffocating and flags compounded Miller Career's issue.
"We didn't get what we needed to run our offense," Miller Career coach Sorrell Harvey said. "I believe we could have overcome some of those penalties."
Miller Career was tagged for 13 penalties for over 75 yards.Â
Gateway STEM was called for 10 penalties for 58 yards.Â
Harvey was proud of how his defense limited Gateway STEM for much of the game.Â
"We have played really good defense in the three games (this season)," Harvey said. "But, the offense didn't help them today. Too many penalties and bad field position."
TD on fourth down gives Jaguars life
Dulick knew he could have sent Nunez back on the field in the fourth quarter for a chip shot.
But clinging to a 3-2 lead, Dulick felt the Jaguars needed a touchdown.
"We knew we needed a touchdown to put this game away," Dulick said. "We knew we could get it from there. We had confidence in our offense and dialed up a good play."
On a fourth-and-10 from the 20-yard line, Sutherlin found junior Maquel Campbell wide open on a post pattern, and Campbell ran it in for the touchdown.
"He was already playing five yards off and shaking, so I felt like I already had him," Campbell said. "I faked the fade and cut in for the post, and it was wide open, and Marquis threw a perfect ball."
"This is something the players have had marked on their schedule," Lions coach Brennan Spain said. "It's a true test."
Gateway STEM senior Anthony Rayner (3) runs with the ball during a football game on September 21, 2024 at Gateway STEM High School in St. Louis. Paul Halfacre, Post-Dispatch
Miller Career junior Joshua Moore (55) runs with the ball during a football game on September 21, 2024 at Gateway STEM High School in St. Louis. Paul Halfacre, Post-Dispatch
Gateway STEM junior Javion Jones (6) makes a tackle during a football game on September 21, 2024 at Gateway STEM High School in St. Louis. Paul Halfacre, Post-Dispatch
Gateway STEM senior Marquis Sutherlin (9) runs with the ball during a football game on September 21, 2024 at Gateway STEM High School in St. Louis. Paul Halfacre, Post-Dispatch
Gateway STEM junior Angelo Nunez (11) kicks a field goal during a football game on September 21, 2024 at Gateway STEM High School in St. Louis. Paul Halfacre, Post-Dispatch