Donato Gatses admittedly felt a little antsy prior to Glenbard North‘s season-opening football game against Bartlett.

“All day, I was thinking about it — I couldn’t wait,” Gatses said.

The senior returning all-DuKane Conference tailback let his quick feet take over, rushing for 190 yards and three touchdowns to lift the Panthers to a 38-3 nonconference victory over the Hawks Friday night in Carol Stream.

Following a 27-yard kickoff return from Zechariah Morris to start the game, the Panthers marched 57 yards in 7 plays, capped by Gatses’ 6-yard touchdown run to grab an early 7-0 lead.

Glenbard North added a safety on the Hawks’ first possession, as quarterback Vince Yario corralled a bad snap and ran out of the end zone.

About five minutes later, the Panthers upped their lead to 16-0 on Gatses’ 7-yard touchdown run — his second of the game.

Gatses was a workhorse early, carrying the ball 10 times for 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter.

By contrast, the Hawks’ offense generated just 10 first-quarter yards and a pair of first downs — one via a penalty.

“Their quarterback (Yario) is a talented kid, and they have talented receivers,” Panthers coach Ryan Wilkens said of the Hawks. “We were able to keep them off the field for quite a bit of time in the first half.”

“That was the plan,” Gatses said. “Put the pressure on them — and they couldn’t bounce back.”

Donato’s younger brother, Angelo, scored on a 12-yard run, capping a 5-play, 65-yard drive, to make it 23-0 midway through the second quarter, and he added a 2-yard TD run a couple minutes later.

“First game, first touchdown — I was really excited for him,” Donato said of Angelo.

Morris added the 2-point conversion run following a botched snap on the PAT try, as the Panthers extended their lead to 31-0.

Olivier Chrapek accounted for the Hawks’ lone score, connecting on a 28-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining in the first half.

Donato Gatses finished his night with a 63-yard TD run on the Panthers’ first play from scrimmage in the second half.

“His ability to make somebody miss in the open field is second to none,” Wilkens said. “You can’t teach that.

“Obviously, Donato and Angelo (Gatses) did a tremendous job, and our offensive line did a good job tonight.”

Yario completed 13-of-28 passes for 102 yards with an interception for the Hawks.

“We know they’re physical,” Bartlett coach Milan Vuckovich said of the Panthers. “We both run power. The question was who was going to establish the line of scrimmage, and they did.

“They’re a well-disciplined team, and they’re tough. That’s why we love playing them.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250829/prep-football/gatses-powers-glenbard-north-to-big-win-over-bartlett/