TRIBUNE-REVIEW • SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2018 • 15
Warriors confident after runner-up finish
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skill position top loaded the team’s
list of priorities heading into
training camp.
A pair of quarterback candidates
— junior Gabe Dunlap and
sophomore Ethan Carr — were
competing to fill the void left by
two-year starter Cam Laffoon, a
dual-threat who accounted for
2,310 yards and 23 touchdowns
last season. Ruane called him a
“fullback at quarterback.”
“Both make each other a lot
better,” Ruane said of Dunlap and
Carr. “And the thing is, they support
each other all the way. It’s a
good, healthy battle.”
Big-play running back John
Gay IV is another key loss. Gay is
at Air Force. But Ruane won’t lose
too much sleep over his trimmed
backfield because junior Caleb
Lisbon returns. The speedster ran
for 814 yards and 12 touchdowns.
He also is a Division I prospect.
“Caleb will be the man to start,”
Ruane said. “We expect big things
from him.”
Junior Sam Fanelli and sophomores
Brad Ford, Ben Karazsia
and Nate Frye are other options
at running back.
Senior Jon Peduzzi will be a key
H-back.
“The expectations are always
high,” Fanelli said. “Last year’s seniors
taught uswhat we have to do
to live up to those expectations.”
Receiver could be a strong suit
with senior Dimitri George back.
He led the Warriors last year with
30 catches for 406 yards—and six
interceptions on defense.
“He’soneof the fewguyswhogot
to play on Friday nights,” Ruane
said. “He’s an all-conference kid,
and he’s put in the time in the
offseason.”
Another impact player and
leader is senior Dominic Rosso,
a two-way starter at tight end and
linebacker. He missed the playoffs
with an injury.
“We’ll rely on him big,” Ruane
said.
Other key losses include linemen
Logan Hawkins (Akron) and
Will Mayr (IUP), but a spirited
competition to be their fill-ins was
expected.
“That’s the thing about summer,”
Ruane said. “You see the
skill guys, but the linemen only
have walk-throughs. They’re not
lining up against anyone until
camp. We do have some depth
there, though, with 20 linemen.
But we won’t know our starting
five until after camp.”
Those include relatively experienced
players in center Dylan
Schmidt and guard Josh Cheplick,
both juniors.
Senior Jake Cardiff returns to
help anchor a new-look group of
linebackers.
Standout kicker Nick Tarabrella,
who graduated with numerous
school records and went to
Ashland, is another key loss. But
Ruane said senior Keaton Hier is
showing promise.
Ruane expects Gateway to be
the clear favorite in the eightteam
Foothills Conference, with
McKeesport and Franklin Regional
within earshot.
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