Penn-Trafford’s dynamic duo becoming a trio

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, August 24, 2019 | 8:41 PM

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It was only one game, but a new name is emerging as a potential star on the Penn-Trafford football team.

It’s junior Ethan Carr.

The two players drawing most of the attention in the preseason were senior quarterback Gabe Dunlap and senior running back Caleb Lisbon.

Both put on a show Friday as Penn-Trafford opened the season with a 42-7 victory against neighboring rival Norwin at Warrior Stadium.

Dunlap rushed for a 131 yards and a touchdown, and completed 3 of 7 passes for 133 yards and two TDs. Lisbon rushed for 172 yards and two scores and turned a 39-yard screen pass into his third score.

But Carr also stood out. A year ago, he opened the season as the starting quarterback against Norwin.

As Carr described, ‘It didn’t go my way at all. I told coach (John Ruane) I‘d do anything to help the team win. I’ll play defense and special teams whatever. I told them after Norwin last year.”

Dunlap replaced Carr at halftime of that game and rallied the Warriors. Norwin held on for the win and Carr knew if he still wanted to be a contributor it would be at a new position — wide receiver.

Carr played well in Friday’s opener. He scored on a 19-yard run out of the wildcat in the second quarter and caught an 82-yard touchdown pass on seam route from Dunlap in the third quarter. He finished with two catches for 95 yards.

While Dunlap is the starting quarterback, you will see Lisbon and Carr taking snaps in the wildcat.

“I felt I did all right. I still have some left in the tank,” Carr said. “I still have to bring it on offense. We’re going to mix it up this season. We all can run the ball really well. Teams have to prepare for all of us.”

That’s what Penn-Trafford did Friday against Norwin: run the ball. The Warriors rushed for 378 yards and had 511 total yards.

“We’re going to get a lot more people involved.” Ruane said. “Ethan is going to do a lot for us. His role is going to continue increase. You saw Friday that he’s deadly with the ball in his hands.

“He’s going to return punts, kicks. We can throw him the ball and he can go in at quarterback and run the ball. And we’re going to find out that he can throw the ball pretty well too, and he’s a heck of an outside linebacker. He’s going to be all over the field, and he put himself on the map for sure.”

Lisbon said he was impressed on how Carr reacted after losing his job last year.

“He didn’t get upset about it,” Lisbon said. “He’s a very athletic kid. He excepted the wide-out spot and made some plays.”

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