With lofty expectations, Penn-Trafford football team expects more in ’24

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, November 12, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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When you have recently won the WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A football titles, expectations for future remain high.

You get spoiled. Once you break through that barrier, you expect another, and the next one should be easier to obtain because you know how it’s done.

For Penn-Trafford, after winning those titles in 2021, things haven’t gone as planned.

The Warriors were 6-5 in 2022 and 5-6 in 2023. Both seasons ended with first-round playoff losses.

Veteran coach John Ruane said he, his staff, his players and the fans were disappointed with the outcome the past two seasons.

The Warriors played tough schedules the past two seasons that featured as many as eight playoffs teams. The schedule included games against Class 3A WPIAL and PIAA champion Belle Vernon, Class 5A WPIAL and PIAA champion Pine-Richland and Class 6A WPIAL champion North Allegheny.

Ruane spent Nov. 6 collecting equipment and talking to players. He would have rather been preparing for another game.

The 2023 season started with close losses to Canon-McMillan and McKeesport. The tone of the season was set because the Warriors committed costly turnovers.

The Warriors finished second to Gateway in the Big East Conference with a 4-1 record. They defeated Franklin Regional, 27-14, in the regular season finale to clinch second and secure a playoff berth.

“Yes, we played a very tough schedule and against some very good teams,” Ruane said. “But when you play good teams, you can’t turn the ball over, and we did that too many times.

“Turnovers get magnified against good teams. We have to learn to value the football better. We can’t be content with just making the playoffs and being mediocre.”

In the 63-28 playoff loss to Penn Hills, the Warriors turned the ball over six times.

“For the most part, I was pleased with how the offensive line played and how our running game evolved,” Ruane said. “Tasso (Whipple) was the top rusher in 5A and Ben (Grabowski) played well.

“I thought the defense did a great job all season keeping us in games. No one was happy with the overall result, and that’s all on me.”

Whipple rushed for 1,338 yards and 14 touchdowns while Grabowski rushed for 779 yards and 10 touchdowns. Quarterback Jonny Lovre completed 102 of 193 passes for 1,314 yards and eight touchdowns. He threw, however, 13 interceptions.

Penn-Trafford graduates 19 players this season but returns numerous skill players. The key losses include wide receiver Carmen Metcalfe, tackle Zach Tomosovich, tackle Matt Sarnowski, tight end Mark Jollie and linebacker Paul Darragh.

Heading the list of top returning players are Whipple, Grabowski and Lovre. Also back is quarterback/safety Derek Carr, who missed the season with an injury.

“We had young guys and first-year players step up,” Ruane said. “But we all must do better. I didn’t feel we played a complete game in all phases this season. We have to be more consistent and more disciplined. We committed too many penalties.”

In many of the games the Warriors lost, mistakes cost them wins.

That’s something Ruane said the team will emphasize in the offseason.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford