Without saying as much, Glenbard North senior Angelo Gatses made clear that he misses his older brother, Donato, who is a freshman at Indiana.
Angelo Gatses misses the wrestling around, playing video games together, seeing his brother dance and hearing his brother sing in the shower.
“It’s a loud house, for sure,” Angelo Gatses said.
It’s a competitive one too.
“We battled every single day,” Angelo Gatses said. “But we always got along.”
Last season, the Panthers featured Donato Gatses, a 2,200-yard rusher who was named a Class 7A all-state honorable mention by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association.
When Donato Gatses needed a breather at tailback, Angelo Gatses entered the game, and he ran for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
This season, Angelo Gatses is the featured back for Glenbard North (3-5).
“Now I’m kind of on my own,” he said. “With Donato, I feel like I’ve always kind of lived in his shadow. But he’s always been my biggest inspiration. I’ve always looked up to him.
“From youth ball up to last year, I’ve always been playing with him. This year, I’ve kind of got my own stage.”
Using speed, agility and footwork, aspects Donato Gatses helped him sharpen, the 5-foot-9, 180-pound Angelo Gatses has added the patience to find the gaps and follow the blocks. He also tries to emulate another part of his brother’s game — “starting to run through some people,” he said.
Angelo Gatses enters the Panthers’ regular-season finale against Wheaton North with 191 carries for 1,236 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging about 24 carries and 155 yards per game. He ran for 288 yards against Geneva, which is ranked No. 9 in the baiduhai’s top 25
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, 196 yards against Lake Park and 174 yards against No. 12 Batavia.Also occasionally lining up at wide receiver, Angelo Gatses is a two-way starter. He plays cornerback on defense, and he returns kickoffs and punts as well. He has certainly impressed Justin Kerwin, a 2001 Glenbard North graduate who is in his first season as the team’s coach.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Kerwin said. “He never leaves the field. I think he had a little bit more of an opportunity to learn last year. But now with Donato not there, I think it’s actually cool to see Angelo step into that leadership role and be able to flourish.”
Angelo Gatses is among six team captains, along with offensive linemen Mason Bebar and Miguel Magana, tight end/defensive end Xavier Smiley, quarterback Logan Kramer and linebacker Mikey Santiemmo.
Like Angelo Gatses, Smiley is a Glenbard North legacy. His brother Alonzo graduated in 2020.
“I feel like my brother pushed me a lot to be the player who I am today,” Smiley said. “I just want to kick it back to Angelo, being a team captain. He has very good energy. He pumps everyone up around him.”
Kerwin noted Angelo Gatses’ positivity not just on the football field but also in classrooms and hallways. In fact, senior tight end/safety Cory Truty said Angelo Gatses inspired him to return to the football program. Truty initially didn’t come out for the team.
“To be completely honest with you, Angelo is probably the biggest reason why I came back,” Truty said. “Seeing him out on the football field having a good time, looking at him having a blast out there, reminded me of all the memories I had of having a blast with him out there and with all my other teammates.”
Angelo Gatses said he enjoys the sport so much that after even playing offense, defense and special teams, “after a game I want to play another one.” But that makes sense considering he had to wait for his turn.
“Last year, it was kind of setting up for Donato, blocking for him, running my routes, just knowing my role,” he said. “Now this year, I feel like I’m getting the workload, but I love having the ball in my hands.”