Lisbon, Penn-Trafford run over Latrobe

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 5, 2018 | 10:51 PM

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Penn-Trafford kept its gameplan simple by relying on the run and playing tough defense as the Warriors extended their win streak to five games at Warrior Stadium.

Junior running back Caleb Lisbon led Penn-Trafford with 178 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries, helping the Warriors to a 27-7 win over Latrobe in Class 5A Big East Conference action.

“Our defense kept giving us the ball back with a lot of three-and-outs, especially early in the game,” Penn-Trafford coach John Ruane said. “We wanted to establish the run. I thought we did it early in the first few drives.”

Penn-Trafford (5-2, 4-1) scored on three of the first four possessions. After the defense forced a three-and-out, senior Keaton Hier started the scoring with a 22-yard field goal to cap an eight-play drive.

On the following Warriors possession, Lisbon’s 1-yard touchdown capped eight consecutive runs and led to a 10-0 lead.

Lisbon’s second 1-yard touchdown came on the Warriors’ fourth possession.

The drive was highlighted by a Latrobe pass inference and a 15-yard run by Lisbon.

The Wildcats (1-6, 1-4) were held to 45 yards in the first half, but Latrobe cut the lead to 17-7 before the half when Tucker Knupp picked off Penn-Trafford’s junior quarterback Gabe Dunlap for a 55-yard interception return.

“It was huge. Tucker not only made the pick, but he did some work to get the ball in the end zone when we were struggling to find points and we took all the momentum into halftime,” Latrobe coach Jason Marucco said. “I think the kids were believing,”

After a scoreless third quarter, Hier made a 41-yard field goal to extend the Warriors lead to 20-7 early in the fourth quarter.

Lisbon scored his third rushing touchdown when he capped a 12-play, 74-yard drive with a 5-yard run with less than 3 minutes remaining.

After losing its first two games, Penn-Trafford has held opponents to 22 points in the five-game win streak. Penn-Trafford will look to extend its win streak when they travel to Trinity next Friday.

“They play great as a team,” Ruane said. “They run to the football. We had a lot of gang tackles. We’re communicating really well.”

Marucco said: “They’re very well-coached. They have a great gameplan every week and take away the other teams best stuff.

“They’ve been very physical, that’s the key.”

To qualify for the WPIAL playoffs, Latrobe needs to win its final two conference games at Plum next Friday and at home against Albert Gallatin the following week.

“Our playoffs start tomorrow morning. … We have everything right in front of us,” Marucco said.

Andrew John is a freelance writer.

Tags: Latrobe, Penn-Trafford