MELBOURNE

It was not a happy homecoming for the Eau Gallie Commodores, who lost to the Kissimmee Gateway Panthers 20-0 Friday night.

The first half was a defensive battle until Gateway broke through with 51 seconds left in the second quarter, when Zachary Smith found Anthony Rodriquez in the end zone on a 50-yard bomb.

Eau Gallie, which had 39 first-half yards, opened the second half with promise as senior running back Jordan Benton broke a 55-yard run, but the drive ended with a lost fumble on a sack of Torrance Brown.

KEY PLAYERS: Benton led Eau Gallie with 19 carries for 101 yards. Gateway’s Smith had 176 yards of total offense.

THEY SAID IT: “We just couldn’t get anything going offensively,” Eau Gallie coach Tim Powers said. “Defense hung tough, but we just couldn’t get it done.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Eau Gallie will host Heritage.

RECORDS: Gateway 4-1; Eau Gallie 1-4.