Penn-Trafford out to challenge for Big East Conference title
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Thursday, August 7, 2025 | 6:01 AM
Penn-Trafford’s Nick Ponko pulls in a catch against Hempfield in the finals during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Penn-Trafford head coach John Ruane during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Penn-Trafford head coach John Ruane watches during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Penn-Trafford’s Tyler Boss pulls in a touchdown pass against Hempfield in the finals during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Penn-Trafford quarterback Nate Desmond throw during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Penn-Trafford quarterback Nate Desmond throws during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Penn-Trafford’s Ben Grabowski pulls in a touchdown pass against Hempfield in the finals during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Penn-Trafford’s Jamison Yurt during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Penn-Trafford head coach John Ruane watches quarterback Nate Desmond throw during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
During his 15 seasons as Penn-Trafford’s football coach, John Ruane has been known to run plays to make his opponents prepare for anything, whether it be trick plays, fake punts or onside kicks.
This year is no different. Ruane has numerous tricks up his sleeves.
Penn-Trafford is coming off a 9-3 season when it finished second in the Class 5A Big East Conference and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals before falling to Peters Township.
The Warriors are again a team favored to challenge for the conference title among a group that includes Woodland Hills, Gateway, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area, Latrobe and Armstrong.
“We expect to be competitive in a conference that returns a lot of great players from great teams,” Ruane said. “We have good depth at most positions and a lot of good, young players who will push the veterans.”
Ruane said he may use as many as three quarterbacks to replace the duo of Jon Lovre and Derek Carr, who graduated. Senior Nate Desmond and sophomore Cody Yacamelli may split time with junior running back Ben Grabowski, who could work out of the wildcat formation.
“Nate and Cade have had a good summer,” Ruane said, “and Ben is a special talent. He’ll get the ball a bunch, and he can throw the ball too.”
Grabowski rushed for 779 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman, but a foot injury limited him to 20 carries for 110 yards last year. Senior Nico Cox and senior Alex Nicolette are expected to get time spelling Grabowski.
Ruane must replace all his statistical leaders at the skill positions: Lovre threw for 1,414 yards and 10 touchdowns, Tasso Whipple rushed for 1,716 yards and 14 touchdowns, and wide receiver Jack Weishaar caught 34 passes for 470 yards and seven touchdowns. Whipple is now at IUP, and Lovre is playing at Washington & Jefferson.
Some of the offensive weapons Ruane will use are junior wide receiver Nick Ponko, senior wide receiver Ty Boss, running back Colton Tyburski and senior tight end Jacob Briggs.
Ponko caught 11 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, and Boss had seven catches for 62 yards a year ago. Ruane said he expects more production from both receivers.
“We have to find creative ways to get the ball to Ponko and Boss,” Ruane said.
Up front, senior Lucah Butler will play tackle, senior Bryce Ruby is back at center and senior David Dzeidzic returns at guard. Ruane also mentioned juniors Aiden Corbett, Aiden McCaw, Travis Moorhead and Mario Robinson Jr. as possible starters along the line.
“We have a number of candidates for the other line positions,” Ruane said. “Aiden (Corbett) has shown a lot of improvement.”
The defense is usually a strong point for the Warriors, and that should not change this fall.
Ruane has a strong group of linebackers returning, headlined by three-year starter Jamison Yurt, a rising senior who led the team in tackles. Others back are middle linebacker Butler and junior outside linebacker Landyn Stikkel.
Briggs is back at one of the defensive end spots, and Ruane is looking for 6-foot-5 senior Nick Laskey to anchor the other end position.
“We like the team we have,” Ruane said. “We have a mix of grade levels and experience. We need to stay healthy in a rigorous 5A.
“Most of our experience is at linebacker and the offensive line. We will rely on those guys heavily.”
Also back on defense is senior tackle Aiden Toth and three-year starter Boss in the secondary.
Ruane said Grabowski, Tyburski and Ponko also see time in the secondary.
Other newcomers include junior wide receiver/defensive back Trent Brown, senior wide receiver/defensive back Ben Lenart and senior wide receiver/defensive back Nico Casciato.
Penn-Trafford opens the season Aug. 22 at home against Norwin. The first conference game is Sept. 12 at Woodland Hills.
Penn-Trafford
Coach: John Ruane
2024 record: 9-3, 5-1 in Class 5A Big East Conference
All-time record: 340-209-10
SCHEDULE
Date, Opponent, Time
8.22 Norwin, 7
8.29 at Mt. Lebanon, 7
9.5 at Moon, 7
9.12 at Woodland Hills*, 7
9.19 Kiski Area*, 7
9.26 at Plum, 7
10.3 Gateway*, 7
10.10 at Franklin Regional*, 7
10.17 Armstrong*, 7
10.24 Latrobe*, 7
*Conference games
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Jon Lovre*
108-197, 1,414 yards, 10 TDs
Rushing: Tasso Whipple*
217-1,716 yards, 14 TDs
Receiving: Jack Weishaar*
34-470 yards, 7 TDs
*Graduated
FAST FACTS
• Penn-Trafford was a PIAA and WPIAL Class 5A champion in 2021. The Warriors defeated Moon, 24-21, in the WPIAL final, and stunned favorite Imhotep Charter, 17-14, in overtime in the PIAA final.
• John Ruane has coached at Penn-Trafford since 2010, compiling a 130-44 record.
• Penn-Trafford lost in the WPIAL finals in 1997 and 2015. The Warriors lost to Upper St. Clair, 28-27, in 1997 and Central Catholic, 24-17, in 2015.
ROSTER
No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.
1, Tyler Boss, WR/DB, 5-10/175, sr.
2, Colton Tyburski, WR/DB, 5-10/180, sr.
3, Nico Casciato, WR/DB, 5-9/165, sr.
4, Alex Nicolette, RB/LB, 5-9/190, sr.
5, Cody Yacamelli, QB/DB, 6-1/175, so.
6, Daniel Lisbon, RB/DB, 6-1/170, so.
7, Nate Desmond, QB/DB, 6-2/190, sr.
8, Ben Grabowski, RB/DB, 6-0/205, jr.
9, Jonaven Klemm, WR/DB, 5-9/150, sr.
10, Nick Laskey, TE/LB, 6-5/215, sr.
11, Will Sarsfield, WR/DB, 5-7/145, jr.
12, Nathan Jarosz, RB/LB, 6-0/180, so.
13, Logan Hunter, K/P, 5-9/165, jr.
14, Mason Driskill, WR/DB, 5-10/160, sr.
15, Ben Miller, WR/DB, 6-2/180, jr.
16, Cal Doughty, WR/DB, 5-9/160, jr.
17, Jacob Campbell, HB/LB, 6-0/195, jr.
18, Anthony Lawson, QB/DB, 5-9/145, so.
19, Gino Pecora, QB/DB, 5-9/165, so.
20, Jayden Connelly, WR/DB, 6-1/160, jr.
21, Ben Lenart, WR/DB, 6-0/175, sr.
22, Jacob Briggs, TE/DL, 6-5/245, sr.
23, Nathan Kravetz, HB/LB, 5-11/190, jr.
24, Reese Radocay, HB/LB, 5-9/185, sr.
25, Trent Brown, WR/LB, 6-0/175, jr.
26, Nick Ponko, WR/DB, 6-2/185, jr.
27, Jamison Yurt, RB/LB, 6-1/220, sr.
28, Parker Wensel, RB/LB, 5-9/195, jr.
29, Landon Thomas, WR/DB, 5-10/160, so.
30, Ian Savering, WR/LB, 5-10/165, jr.
31, Kason Offield, WR/DB, 5-10/145, so.
32, Chris Conte, RB/LB, 6-0/175, jr.
33, Landyn Stikkel, HB/LB, 6-0/205, jr.
34, Dominic Panigal, RB/LB, 5-11/180, so.
35, Nico Cox, RB/DB, 5-11/190, sr.
36, Orlando DeOrio, HB/LB, 5-11/170, so.
37, Brayden Desantis, TE/LB, 5-10/175, jr.
38, Landon Sabo, WR/DB, 5-10/140, so.
39, Wesley Stahl, WR/DB, 5-9/154, so.
40, Daniel Oslosky, HB/LB, 5-10/175, so.
41, Cash Fetty, RB/LB, 5-6/155, so.
42, Jack Miller, WR/DB, 6-1/165, so.
43, Vincenzo Botti, TE/LB, 6-1/185, so.
44, Eli Demeri, HB/LB, 6-1/185, so.
45, Evan Sadler, K/P, 5-8/150, sr.
46, Evan Lawson, RB/LB, 6-0/180, sr.
47, Seth Pochiba, HB/LB, 5-10/175, so.
48, Jake Harcarik, TE/DE, 6-2/175, so.
49, Blaise Burrell, TE/LB, 6-3/220, sr.
50, Dominic Pagac, OL/LB, 5-10/195, so.
51, Lucah Butler, OL/LB, 6-1/220, sr.
52, Bryce Ruby, OL/DL, 6-0/235, sr.
53, Grant Burk, OL/DL, 6-2/230, jr.
54, Santino Moio, OL/DL, 6-2/240, sr.
55, Aiden McCaw, OL/DL, 5-11/245, jr.
56, Travis Moorhead, OL/DL, 5-10/255, jr.
57, Russell Oslosky, OL/DL, 5-10/205, so.
58, Dylan Ridley, OL/DL, 5-10/225, jr.
59, Jamison Kelley, OL/DL, 5-10/195, so.
60, John Zarod, OL/DL, 6-1/290, sr.
61, Aiden Corbett, OL/DL, 6-2/230, jr.
62, Garrett Meyers, OL/DL, 6-0/240, sr.
63, David Dziedzic, OL/DL, 6-3/270, sr.
64, Aiden Toth, OL/DL, 6-1/265, sr.
65, Rocco Giovannitti, OL/DL, 5-11/190, so.
68, Mason Taylor, OL/DL, 5-10/225, so.
70, Joseph Boulware, OL/DL, 5-11/225, sr.
71, Robert Volovic, OL/DL, 6-0/225, sr.
72, Dontavian Bennett, OL/DL, 6-2/240, so.
73, Nathan Delsignore, OLD/DL, 5-11/215, so.
75, Marlo Robinson, OL/DL, 5-11/265, jr.
77, Matthew Mosser, OL/DL, 6-4/315, so.
81, Evan Awai, WR/DB, 5-8/140, so.
82, Madi Painter, K/P, 5-6/125, so.
83, Maverick Fuller, HB/OLB, 5-10/175, so.
84, Triston Hite, WR/DB, 5-9/145, so.
85, Nathaniel Casey, TE/LB, 6-0/180, so.
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
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