Gateway Gators beat Clairton Bears

for Pennsylvania Passing League West title

Gators intercept pass on final play for PPL West Division Championship and trip to Heniz Field for exhibition against PPL East champ

HARRISBURG , PA – Gateway won the inaugural Pennsylvania Passing League West Division title with a 12-7 win over Clairton in the championship game of the 16-team Gateway Gators 7-on-7 on Sunday.   The Gators will now play the PPL East Division Champion in an exhibition at half-time of the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason opener against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field on Saturday, August 14.  The PPL East Division will play at Susquehanna Twp on Saturday, July 24.   

Sixteen teams participated in the Gateway Gators 7-on-7 presented by the Pennsylvania Passing League, including:  Baldwin; Bethel Park; Clairton; Friendly (MD); Gateway; Greensburg Central Catholic; Montour; Penn Hills; Perry Traditional Academy; Pine Richland; Pittsburgh Central Catholic; Richland; South Allegheny; South Fayette; Trinity Area; and Valley.  Gateway went 6-1 in winning the PPL West, losing only to South Fayette (12-7) in pool play.  In the single-elimination championship round, the Gators opened with a 12-7 win over Bethel Park , knocked off Pittsburgh Central Catholic in the quarter-finals (19-7), and shut out Montour (12-0) in the semi-finals.  

The Pennsylvania Passing League is in its first season as a seven-on-seven passing league for high school student athletes throughout the Keystone State .  The official rules of play for the Pennsylvania Passing League are available for download at www.TheSportsFlash.com/PPL.  Entry forms and releases are also available for download at the web site.   

The Gateway Gators 7-on-7 presented by the Pennsylvania Passing League will be held at Gateway High School on Sunday, June 6.  The Gateway event will determine the PPL-WEST champion.  The PPL-East Division will play at Susquehanna Twp. High School on Saturday, July 24.  

The 2010 Pennsylvania Passing League is part of the U.S. Army Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion’s 2010 Army STRONG Tour, which includes the Army Iron Man campaign, the Army Coach of the Year, the Army STRONG Wrestler of the Year, and the Army Rivalry Tour.  

The United States Army is charged with protecting America ’s freedom and preserving peace.  The Army trains and equips its soldiers to be the best, especially when it comes to their job, leadership, and soldiering skills.  With more than 150 jobs available in many exciting fields, the U.S. Army provides many job training and leadership training opportunities.  From working with computers to assisting doctors to fixing helicopters, there’s an Army job that’s right for you.  For more information, go online to www.GoArmy.com.  

“The Sports Flash” Radio Network provides 184 radio stations in 13 states with customized, local sports reports, reaching a 2.5-million listeners.  TSF Radio Network manages the Pennsylvania Passing League for the U.S. Army’s Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion.  In addition, TSF Radio Network manages tobacco-prevention campaigns targeting high school students in several states, including:  Kentucky ; Montana ; North Carolina ; South Carolina ; and Wyoming .  TSF Radio Network also manages the Army Iron Man campaign that honors the best two-way high school football players in several states and the Army STRONG Wrestler of the Year campaign.