By Michael Sciulli, Sports Editor
The Penn-Trafford football team is once again off to a solid start with a 5-2 overall record and a 3-2 section mark. However, the past two weeks have turned an undefeated beginning into a race for a playoff spot. After losses to Gateway and Franklin Regional, the Warriors now sit in sixth place in the Big East Conference.
The Warriors, who compete in the WPIAL 5A Class this season, kicked off their year with a thrilling 17-14 victory over the 6A Norwin Knights. The game was close throughout, and the Warriors grabbed the lead after a late touchdown by junior running back John Gay.
Following this win the Warriors went on a roll, defeating their next several opponents without a hiccup. One of these teams was the Woodland Hills Wolverines, who came into the matchup highly rated.
After giving up a touchdown on the first drive, the Warrior defense silenced the Wolverines for the rest of the game. On the other side of the ball the Warriors offense played well the entire night. With the exception of a few turnovers the final score could have been much higher than 26-7.
Next up for P-T was the Latrobe Wildcats in a game where many thought that a blowout in favor of the Warriors was a guarantee. However, after the first half of the game it was only at two possession game with the score at 27-14, and the Wildcats had momentum after a late touchdown.
P-T head coach John Ruane mentioned that the first half was “sloppy” and took blame for his players having “a lack of focus.” He continued to say that this was something the team needed to work on moving forward.
After their lackluster first half the Warriors came out of the locker room in the second half ready to play. P-T’s defense allowed just a field goal, while the offense put up three more touchdowns including a 94-yard run by senior running back Christian Jantz.
Following the game, Jantz credited his offensive line for his success.
“They love going out there and blocking for us. They’re a big part of this,” Jantz said.
Senior offensive lineman Andrew Wisniewski credited the time spent watching film as one of the key factors to the offense. He also added that taking proper steps and staying engaged are keys to a strong line.
As for the entire team, Wisniewski thinks that the team needs to “pay attention to details,” such as running the right routes, making good steps and knowing your assignments.
“We need to play with high energy every game,” Wisniewski added.
Last Friday, against the Gateway Gators the Warriors lost their first game of the season, 23-6. This marks the first time P-T lost a regular season game since Oct. 11, 2013.
P-T had the opportunity to bounce back against Franklin Regional but failed to do so. The Warriors fell behind in the first half, but they fought hard in the second to make the game close. However, P-T fell short in the end, 21-16.
The loss dropped P-T to sixth place, and the top four teams make the playoffs. Ahead for the Warriors is Armstrong and then Kiski, before they return home to conclude the regular season against McKeesport.
These may now all be must-win games as P-T looks to keep its playoff streak alive.