When Penn-Trafford football captured its first and only state championship in 2021, Brett Laffoon was in attendance. Six years earlier, Laffoon was the starting quarterback for the Warriors when they played for the WPIAL title in the highest classification. While Laffoon never captured gold at PT, he was integral in setting the standard of success for future teams. While Laffoon’s college career ended earlier than expected, he’s now thriving in a demanding career. Laffoon is under the microscope in this installment of Westmoreland Where Are They Now?

After barely seeing the field as a freshman in 2012, Laffoon emerged as the Penn-Trafford starting QB the next season. He completed 100-of-184 throws for 1,430 yards, with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Laffoon also rushed for 225 yards and four scores on the ground.

Early that season, the Warriors suffered a pair of losses, including a lopsided setback to a fellow Westmoreland County opponent that put the campaign on the brink.

“We had a lost to Kiski and, really, things could have went two directions,” Laffoon detailed. “We played Gateway that next week, and we battled back and ended up (winning) and having a good run to the semifinals that year. That was kind of a turning point of that season.”

The triumph at Gateway came in dramatic fashion, as Laffoon connected with John Guzik on an 18-yard touchdown with just 16 seconds remaining. Trailing by one point, the Warriors went for two, and Laffoon hooked up with Devin Austin to give PT a 35-34 victory against the previously-undefeated Gators.

As a result, the Warriors finished the season with a mark of 8-4, including 6-2 in the conference. After ousting Penn Hills in the opening round of the WPIAL Quad-A playoffs, the Warriors bested McKeesport Area in the quarterfinals. However, their season ended in the semifinals with a blowout loss against Pittsburgh Central Catholic

With a season of starting experience under his belt, Laffoon took a big step forward in 2014. He completed 106-of-160 attempts for 2,005 yards, with 26 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Moreover, he rushed 60 times for 409 yards, scoring six times on the ground.

“Heading into junior year, it was just build off the year that we had previously, and continue to get better,” he noted. “I definitely progressed that year; definitely more steady of a player.”

The team also made notable strides, posting an undefeated regular season, including 8-0 in conference action. In the WPIAL Quad-A postseason, the Warriors rolled past Fox Chapel Area in the first round, and edged North Allegheny in the quarterfinals. However, PT came up short once again in a semifinals clash against Central Catholic, ending the year with a mark of 11-1 overall.

As a senior in 2015, Laffoon helped engineer one of the greatest seasons in team history. Individually, Laffoon hit on 137-of-207 passing attempts for 2,471 yards, compiling 32 touchdowns and four interceptions. On the ground, he notched 76 carries for 518 yards, scoring 10 times.

Collectively, the Warriors enjoyed another unblemished record during the regular season, including another conference title at 8-0. It was during the postseason, however, that Laffoon and the Warriors solidified their place in program history.

In the first round of the WPIAL Quad-A playoffs, PT steamrolled North Hills, 56-7.

In the quarterfinals, though, the Warriors trailed upset-minded McKeesport Area for most of the game. Facing an 11-point deficit against the Tigers, the Warriors rallied to force overtime, keyed by a Nick Tarabrella field goal and a late touchdown pass from Laffoon to Tyler Bruno, followed by a 2-point conversion. In overtime, PT faced a fourth-and-21, but Laffoon connected with Tim Vecchio for a TD that ultimately proved the difference in the 39-32 triumph.

The semifinals was even more dramatic, as the Warriors battled heavyweight Pine-Richland with a trip to Heinz Field at stake. The teams exchanged the lead eight times, including when the Rams scored to go up by three points with just 52 seconds left in regulation.

Laffoon and the Warriors quickly marched down the field, reaching the PR 20-yard line with 13 seconds remaining. From there, Laffoon delivered a touchdown pass to Tyler Bruno with seven seconds left to give the Warriors the thrilling 38-34 victory.

“It was pretty much whoever had the ball last, and we were lucky to score with just a handful of seconds left in the game,” explained Laffoon, who threw for 292 yards and rushed for 109 yards in the triumph.

“It felt like we had a lot of opportunities where we could’ve quit…our tight-knit group found ways to win,” he added of the postseason run.

As a result, the Warriors reached the WPIAL Championship for the second time in program history, setting up another clash against Central Catholic. Compared the semifinals matchups from the two previous seasons, however, the atmosphere of the title game was drastically different.

“Leading up to the game, you could feel the importance of it,” Laffoon noted. “I felt like the entire community was out watching that game. It was cool to see our side compared to their side.”

Despite playing competitively from start to finish, the Warriors lost to the Vikings for the third year in a row, suffering a 24-17 defeat.

“It was a fun ride. We just couldn’t get over the Central Catholic hump,” Laffoon said.

“They had some really talented players, and they were the best team in the state. We just came up a little short,” he added, highlighting that Central Catholic defeated Parkland for state gold a few weeks later.

While Laffoon and his teammates failed to bring home the first district crown in Warriors football history, the team finished the campaign at 12-1, helping to set the blueprint that would yield gold years later.

“We played together since we were 7-years old and worked pretty much our entire football careers together to try to win a championship. It was a fun ride with a bunch of good friends,” he said. “It was cool to be part of the building blocks, and definitely cool to see them finally climb the mountain top and actually win the WPIAL title and state title.”

Although Laffoon’s football career at PT was over, he continued on the gridiron at the next level, joining Grove City College for the 2016 campaign.

Laffoon immediately earned the starting nod at quarterback, playing in all 10 games. He connected on 158-of-293 throws for 1,694 yards, amassing 10 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, while adding three rushing touchdowns.

While his individual statistics were impressive for a true freshman, Laffoon’s play did not yield team success, as the Wolverines went 0-10 for a third season in a row.

“It was definitely a tough experience, having had success in high school and being on the other end of it,” he revealed.

Laffoon appeared poised for a big season in 2017, as he went 19-of-27 passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns in the first game of the campaign. Late in that contest, however, he suffered a concussion, which had been a recurring problem for Laffoon during his football career.

As a result, he made the difficult choice to retire from football.

“I talked it through with my family and figured it was the best decision,” he explained. “I didn’t think it was inevitable, but as a quarterback, you take hits, and sometimes, you’re kind of hung out there to dry.”

For the rest of his time at Grove City, Laffoon served as a student coach, working with the other QBs and helping to signal plays to the team.

“I was lucky to learn a lot of football under Coach DiDonato,” Laffoon said.

Although Laffoon was unable to suit up again, he was part of the program’s turnaround. Grove City snapped a 33-game skid in 2017, finishing the year with a mark of 4-6. In Laffoon’s senior season of 2019, the Wolverines went 9-2, including a victory in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) James Lynah Bowl.

“It was a cool experience to witness the early stages of building a program and seeing what it is today,” Laffoon noted.

While Laffoon stayed involved in football from the sidelines, he also joined the track and field team at Grove City in 2018, competing in the javelin. He finished in fifth place in the event at the Bob Khan Invitational, despite no previous experience in the sport.

“Just went and did it because one of my buddies did it,” he explained. “I wasn’t that great, but it was fun.”

Despite his involvement in two college sports, most of Laffoon’s time and energy went toward his degree in mechanical engineering. He graduated in the spring of 2020, and quickly transitioned into his career with AJC Professional Services.

That company was then absorbed by Barton & Loguidice, which is based in Syracuse but has an office in Monroeville.

Laffoon, who also previously spent time working in Harrisburg, focuses on MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) design, creating commercial HVAC systems.

“I would say my competitiveness is more career oriented. I’m trying to be the best I can be as an employee,” said Laffoon, noting that he doesn’t have the itch to return to athletic competition.

While his playing days are long in the past, Laffoon still enjoys watching football, particularly the Steelers and the Penn State Nittany Lions. He has accepted that his career will not allow him to pursue a path to coaching, although it’s an area where he’d likely excel.

“If I had the possibility, I would consider it,” he intimated. “It was a lot of fun being a part of the game. The thing I enjoyed most was the X’s and O’s.”

To that point, he still reflects on his high school coach, John Ruane, who has led the Warriors to continued success, on and off the field, for nearly a decade after Laffoon’s playing days.

“His leadership and the entire coaching staff’s leadership has made a positive impact on a lot of their players’ lives,” he commented.

After Laffoon graduated from PT, his younger brother, Cam, took the reins as the Warriors QB. In Cam’s senior season in 2017, Penn-Trafford reached the WPIAL Class 5A Championship, but fell to rival Gateway.

“It was cool to see him have his own career and have success, as well, and continue what our group built,” Brett said.

While Laffoon’s legacy at Penn-Trafford is significant, it may pale in comparison to that of his wife. Maria Palarino, who Laffoon dated during their time in high school, won a WPIAL crown with the Warriors, played at the Division I level at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, and then parlayed that success into a professional career in Ireland.

The couple was married in May 2024, and they reside in Penn Township.