By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

Two turnovers and a touchdown nullified by a penalty hurt Gateway Thursday and the result was a 21-12 loss to Lake Nona at the Hope Bowl.

The Panthers reached the Lions’ 2-yard line in the fourth quarter, but a fumble cost the team an opportunity to close the gap.

“We had another possession after that, but we were more than one score down, so that was pretty much it,” Panthers Coach Marlin Roberts said.

The Panthers finished 7-4, the most wins in the school’s history. Lake Nona, led by quarterback Tucker Israel, is 8-3.

Gateway’s Zach Smith, who recently was offered a scholarship to Weber State, scored both Panthers TDs.The Panthers led 12-7 before Lake Nona scored to lead 14-12 at the half.

A TD pass from Anthony Rodriguez to Theo Belhomme was called back by a penalty, Roberts said.

Another key play came on the second half kickoff, when the Panthers successfully executed an on-side kick that was nullified by an offside penalty that Roberts disputed.

The Lions then got the ball in good field position and scored the go-ahead touchdown.

“No way we were offside on that kick. I told that official that was a game-changing call, and it was,” Roberts said.

Roberts said his defense did a good job of containing Israel, who threw for 37 touchdowns this season.

“We disguised some coverages and that slowed him down,” Roberts said. “But, I was impressed with him. He can read defenses and he knows where to throw the ball.”