Banner year for Fox Chapel sports started with WPIAL gold in the fall

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, May 31, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Carson Kittsley’s consistency at the Penn State White Course last fall was the headliner of a busy sports year at Fox Chapel. The sophomore golfer shot an 8-under par 136 to win the PIAA Class 3A title.

Kittsley, who missed the state tournament by a few strokes as a freshman, rebounded by winning the whole thing during his second go-round.

Back in October, Kittsley said it was important he pick up a win before the calendar flipped to 2025.

“I wanted to go in and win it,” Kittsley said. “I haven’t won anything big this summer. I wanted to win something big before the year ended.”

Kittsley became the second PIAA champion in Fox Chapel history. Frank Fuhrer III was the Foxes’ first champion when he won in 1976.

Here’s a look at some of the other top moments from this school year, starting with the fall. Check back next week for a roundup of the best moments of the winter and spring.

Boys soccer on top again

Senior Carson Krushanky hit the shot that put the Foxes on top of the WPIAL mountain in Class 4A. Krushanky scored 70 minutes into the finals to help the Foxes topple Plum, 1-0, at Highmark Stadium.

It was the Foxes’ sixth WPIAL crown and first since 1995.

“Amazing game. I know everyone on this team is so excited for this win. We worked so hard this season. I’m really happy for everyone that we were able to get this final win,” Krushanky said.

Fox Chapel (14-5-2) finished in a tie for first place with North Allegheny for the section title. The Foxes bowed out in the state quarterfinals with a 2-1 loss to Warwick.

Vaughan claims gold

Ethan Vaughan’s senior season proved to be a validation of all of his persistence. Injuries limited Vaughan during his previous seasons. During the WPIAL Class 3A cross country championships, a healthy Vaughan ran away with the title last fall.

Vaughan beat his personal best by 12 seconds and won the WPIAL with a time of 15 minutes, 26.5 seconds.

“To be honest, the entire race I was a bit nervous, especially at the end,” Vaughan said. “I felt like they were starting to catch up to me. The second mile, I was a bit nervous. During the first mile, there was a comfortable gap where I wasn’t too nervous. But you don’t want to get too comfortable because everyone is such a good runner.”

Vaughan finished seventh at states, while David Black finished 15th.

Girls soccer in WPIAL final

The Fox Chapel girls soccer team didn’t slow down when it dropped down to Class 3A. The Foxes, who claimed the 4A crown two seasons ago, went unbeaten in the section at 10-0 and reached the 3A title game.

Fox Chapel (19-4-1) lost to South Fayette in the championship game.

Football snaps streak

The Fox Chapel football team didn’t find a way to return to the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs, but the Foxes put their long string of futility behind them. Victor Nernberg ran for 122 yards and scored a touchdown to help Fox Chapel knock off Baldwin and end a 22-game losing streak.

Andrew John contributed to this report.

Tags: Fox Chapel