Following his brother’s graduation, Glenbard North running back Angelo Gatses thrives ‘on my own’

Without saying as much, it’s plain Glenbard North senior running back and cornerback Angelo Gatses misses his older brother, Donato, in his freshman year at Indiana University.

He misses the wrestling around, playing video games together, Donato’s constant dancing in the house, his singing in the shower.

“It’s a loud house, for sure,” Angelo Gatses said.

A competitive one, too.

“We battled every single day,” the kid brother said, “but we always got along.”

The Panthers’ 2025 football season featured 2,200-yard rusher Donato Gatses, an Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 7A honorable-mention all-state selection.

When he needed a breather at tailback, in came Angelo Gatses for 127 yards and three touchdowns.

This season, he’s Glenbard North’s featured back.

“Now I’m kind of on my own,” Angelo Gatses 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,” he said.

“From youth ball up to last year I’ve always been playing with him. This year I’ve kind of got my own stage,” he said.

Using his speed, agility and footwork, aspects Donato helped his brother sharpen, this season Angelo Gatses has added patience to find the gaps between offensive linemen Nate Gonzalez, Miguel Magana, Mason Bebar, Josh Keenan, and Matt Scislowicz, and to follow the blocks of fullback Desmond Averhart and tight ends Aiden Hvorcik, Xavier Smiley, and Cory Truty.

A team co-captain who goes about 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Gatses also tries to emulate another part of his brother’s game — “starting to run through some people,” he said.

Through eight games for the Panthers (3-5), Gatses had carried the ball 191 times for 1,236 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging about 24 carries and 154 yards per game.

He ran for 288 yards against Geneva, 196 against Lake Park and 174 against Batavia. Gatses enters Week 9 against Wheaton North after 31 carries for 170 yards last week against St. Charles North.

Also occasionally lining up at receiver, Gatses is a two-way starter, playing cornerback on defense. He also returns kickoffs and punts.

“I can’t say enough about him. He never leaves the field,” said Glenbard North coach Justin Kerwin, a 2001 Panthers graduate in his first season as head coach.

“I think he had a little bit more of an opportunity to learn last year,” Kerwin said. “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 Bebar, Magana, Smiley, quarterback Logan Kramer, and linebacker Mikey Santiemmo.

Like Gatses, Smiley is a Panthers legacy. His brother Alonzo graduated in 2020.

“I feel like my brother pushed me a lot to be the player who I am today,” said Smiley, also a defensive end.

“I just want to kick it back to Angelo, being a team captain — he has very good energy, he pumps everyone up around him,” Smiley said.

Kerwin noted Gatses’ positivity not just on the football field but also in Glenbard North’s classrooms and hallways.

In fact, Truty, a safety and tight end, said Gatses inspired him to return to the football program after Truty didn’t initially 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,” Truty said.

Gatses enjoys the game so much that after playing both offense and defense, plus special teams, “after a game I want to play another one,” he said.

That makes sense. One good Gatses brother deserves another.

“Last year it was kind of setting up for Donato,” Angelo Gatses said. “Blocking for him, running my routes, just knowing my role.

“Now this year I feel like I’m getting the work load, but I love having the ball in my hands.”