Much like its young football team, the Gateway High campus is under construction, so it took until Friday -- Week 9 of 11 this season -- for the Panthers to host a bona fide home game in search of their first win of the season.
Trailing 13-0, the Panthers put together an 8-play, 60-yard second-quarter scoring drive that Fuller turned into points on a 6-yard touchdown run. He added the 2-point conversion, and when Ya'Sin Childs-Mims intercepted a Lake Region pass, Gateway held the ball with a chance to take the lead.
But Gateway (0-8) wouldn't find the end zone again, and Thunder (3-5) quarterback Kalvin Johnson threw three touchdown passes to lead the visitors to the 27-8 victory.
"We've got five starters hurt, and had another suspended (after a brawl at the end of the Lake Wales game last week), so we're playing young guys everywhere," GHS Coach Marlin Roberts said. "They don't quit, and I thought we did some good things. Fuller (19 carries, 99 yards) ran hard but we didn't sustain the drives we needed to win."
On defense, Jamare Burgess recorded a pair of sacks and Tristian Martinez had a pair of tackles for loss including a sack for Gateway.
The Panthers will be back at home next week for their final District 3S-8 game against Davenport (3-5).
