JEFFERSON TWP — Gateway is winless.

That’s something neither the Gators nor their first-year head coach, Tom Nola, are used to.

Gateway’s varsity football program is 189 games above .500 all-time and is coming off an 8-3 season that ended with a 27-21 loss to Central Catholic in the WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals.

That loss ended the prep careers of numerous Division I caliber players.

Now the Gators are in Class AAA and searching for their first win of 2014 when they visit Knoch (2-1, 2-0) for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday.

“We’re only starting two seniors and we’ll have 18 starters back next year,” Nola said. “But right now, we have to worry about our next game and find a way to play a whole game.

“We’ve been inconsistent. We were winning 11-0 in one game. We played well for the first half against Hampton last week ... but that’s not a whole game.”

Gateway is coming off losses of 9-6 to Greensburg Salem, 22-11 to West Mifflin and 37-13 to Hampton. Nola won six WPIAL titles and four PIAA championships in Class A at Clairton before accepting the Gateway post this year.

“Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t sure what I was walking into,” Nola said.

Now he’s bringing his team to Knoch to face an offense that has yet to throw an interception. Dan Farinelli has completed 38 of 64 passes for 459 yards through three games.

The Knights are coming off a 20-12 non-conference loss at Ringgold.

“Dan’s been playing very solid and he’s putting the ball in areas where it can’t be picked off,” Knoch coach Mike King said. “He’s trusting his receivers and spreading the ball around.”

Cole Shinsky has 10 receptions for 105 yards, Asa Adams eight catches for 151, Mac Christy nine for 82 for Knoch. Cody Milsom leads the ground attack with 200 yards, though he and Ben Lowery have been dividing time offensively and defensively.

Defensively, King said nose-guard Sam Whalen and cornerback Adams have been standing out thus far.

Nola said 6-foot-4, 260-pound tackle Robert Hainsey “has been our best offensive player so far” while 165-pound outside linebacker Dylan Urban has been the Gators’ standout defensively.

“And they’re both sophomores,” Nola said. “That’s just where we are right now.

“Knoch is very good ... well-coached, an experienced team. That’s OK. We have to learn to play and compete with who’s on our schedule.”

Greensburg Salem (1-2, 1-2)

at Mars (1-2, 1-2)

7 p.m., Friday

Last week:Greensburg Salem lost to Hollidaysburg, 25-14; Mars suffered a 21-15 setback to Franklin Regional.

Numbers: Greensburg Salem junior RB Connor Forkey has totaled over 200 yards and four TDs on the ground through three games. ... Mars’ ground game is led by senior Ori Rinaman, who has 342 yards, six TDs and a 6.1 yards-per-carry average. ... Planets’ coach Scott Heinauer wants cleaner play this week after his team was penalized six times for 75 yards last Friday. One of the flags nullified a 76-yard TD run from Rinaman.

Notes: The Golden Lions are under the direction of second-year head coach Dave Keefer. They finished 3-7 last season, including a 38-13 road loss to the Planets.

Brentwood (2-1, 1-1) at Cardinal Wuerl NC (3-0, 3-0)

7 p.m., Friday

Last week: North Catholic beat Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 40-7; Avonworth beat Brentwood 35-7.

Numbers: Connor McWilliams leads Brentwood with 589 yards passing and has thrown six touchdowns. ... Pat Carr is the Spartans’ feature tailback, having run for 265 yards on 65 carries. ... Trojans’ coach Bob Ravenstahl said the Spartans will try to stack the box against the Trojans. For good reason, North Catholic has two running backs, Jerome Turner (377 yards) and P.J. Fulmore (321) averaging over 100 yards per game. ... Turner also leads Butler County in scoring with 58 points. ... North Catholic has now won 19 straight games.

Notes: North Catholic beat Brentwood, 31-22, when the two teams last met in 2009.

Slippery Rock (3-0, 2-0) at Titusville (1-2, 0-2)

7 p.m., Friday

Last week: Slippery Rock downed Grove City, 47-21, while Titusville was beaten by Sharon, 41-8.

Numbers: Titusville’s TD in the loss last week came when Easton Hogue hauled in a 30-yard pass from Todd Brown on the last play of the game. ... Titusville’s defense recorded a safety in the first quarter. ... In Titusville’s season-opening win over Franklin, Brown scrambled 14 yards for a TD for the winning score with 50 seconds remaining. ... Slippery Rock rushed for 414 yards last week and didn’t face its first fourth-down play until the 9:45 mark of the fourth quarter. ... SR’s offensive line of Cody Lawniczak, Cam Neal, Colten Raabe, Blake Heller and Shane Slater have helped the Rockets roll up 990 yards rushing this season.

Notes: This is the home opener for Titusville, which opened the season with three straight road games. ... Slippery Rock beat Titusville 20-0 in the last meeting between the teams in 2009.

Moniteau (3-0) at A-C Valley (0-3)

7 p.m., Friday

Last week:Moniteau beat Port Allegany, 48-12; A-C Valley lost to Union, 50-6.

Numbers: Moniteau RB Josh McBride rumbled for 373 yards on just 22 carries last week and leads the Butler County area with 632 yards rushing this season. ... Warriors’ QB Cody Skiver is second in the area with 399 yards rushing. ... Moniteau is 6-1 dating back to last season after going through a 1-14 stretch. ... A-C Valley’s Anthony Painter rushed for 77 yards last week, including a 3-yard TD run, the first points of the season for the Falcons.

Notes: The two teams last met in 2009, with Moniteau earning a 57-6 victory. ... The Warriors have won nine straight in the series. A-C Valley last defeated Moniteau in 2000 (26-20).

Greenville (2-1, 1-1) at Grove City (0-3, 0-2)

7 p.m., Friday

Last week: Greenville routed Warren, 35-6, while Grove City fell to rival Slippery Rock, 47-21

Numbers: Grove City sophomore QB Kameron Petterson is 23-of-35 for 348 yards, five TDs and one INT since taking over for senior Jared Graham. ... Graham has made a seamless switch to RB, scoring on an 84-yard pass reception last week and a 77-yard run. He leads the team in both rushing and receiving yards. ... Greenville’s defense has given up just 28 points in three games. ... Trojans’ senior RB Nick Black leads the team with 230 yards rushing.

Notes: Greenville beat Grove City, 34-13, in last year’s meeting.

West Shamokin (0-3, 0-3)

at Freeport (2-1, 2-1) 7 p.m., Friday

Last week:Freeport beat Deer Lakes, 34-14; Highlands beat West Shamokin, 47-20.

Numbers: The Wolves’ first year back in Class AA after a playoff season in A last year hasn’t started well. West Shamokin has allowed 162 points in the first three weeks. ... Zac Horner (281 yards) and Andrew Wingard (230) provide the Wolves with a solid 1-2 punch in the backfield. ... Freeport QB Andrew Romanchak did it all in the Yellowjackets win last week. He passed for one touchdown, scored two rushing and returned an interception for a touchdown. ... Dylan Hochbein led the Yellowjackets with 89 yards receiving on six catches.

Notes: Freeport and West Shamokin last met in 2011. The Yellowjackets won that contest, 67-6, and lead the all-time series 8-0.

Punxsutawney (2-1) at Union (2-1) 7 p.m., Friday

Last week:Punxsutawney beat Brookville, 47-6; Union beat A-C Valley, 50-6.

Numbers: The Chucks have rushed for 689 yards this season and are led by senior Perry Arrington, who has 303 yards — 171 of those yards came last week in a big win over rival Brookville. ... Punxsutawney QB Dakota Thomas has passed for 347 yards and thrown four TDs and two INTs. ... Braxton Giavedoni has intercepted three passes for the Chucks. ... Union QB Lane Cicciarelli completed all nine of his pass attempts for 193 yards last week, including three for scores to WR Chet Carmichael. ... Carmichael finished with a season-high 147 yards on four catches.

Notes: Punxsutawney leads the all-time series 3-1. The Chucks won last year’s game 34-18.

Aliquippa (3-0, 3-0) at Summit Academy (0-3, 0-3) 12:30 p.m., Saturday

Last week: Aliquippa beat Ellwood City, 44-7; New Brighton beat Summit Academy, 49-8.

Numbers: The Quips have a balanced rushing attacking. DiMantae Bronaugh (333 yards), Kaezon Pugh (225) and James Kimbrough (164) help shoulder the load with Aliquippa. ... Darrien Fields leads the Quips in passing with 476 yards. ... Aliquippa has scored 160 points in its first three games. ... Summit Academy has struggled to find its offensive touch this season. The Knights have been held to 24 points in their first three games. ... Austin Showalter, who leads Summit Academy in receiving with 76 yards, has scored touchdowns in consecutive weeks for the Knights.

Notes: This is the first-ever meeting between the two schools.