Fox Chapel cross country teams have high expectations

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, September 6, 2018 | 11:15 PM

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The Fox Chapel girls cross country team brought home the top prize in the state last year as PIAA Class AAA team champion.

The state title came on the heels of a runner-up finish at the WPIAL championships.

The Foxes said goodbye to graduate Caelen Miller, last year’s individual fourth-place finisher at WPIALs, but the Foxes return the remainder of the team which hopes to make another charge to gold this fall.

“We are working really hard and are pretty confident we can do well again,” said senior Sarena Seeger, who placed eighth individually at WPIALs and then seventh at states.

Seeger won the individual title at last Saturday’s season-opening Gateway Invitational at Boyce Park in Plum, and Fox Chapel captured its third straight team title.

“We’ve all looked forward to this season since last season ended,” she said. “We’re always looking back and talking about how good it felt to win states. But we know there is so much great competition now that is pushing us. We know what we need to do to be ready.”

Also back are senior Annika Urban, fifth at WPIALs last year; juniors Brooke Krally and Grace Sisson; senior Anna Folkerts and junior Isabelle Doerr.

“These girls are pretty even keeled, and we don’t talk too much right now about trying to win a WPIAL title or defending the state title,” Fox Chapel coach Tom Moul said. “I know it sounds cliché, but they’re just focused on working hard and enjoying the journey.”

The Fox Chapel boys return all but one from last year’s WPIAL fifth-place team, and it hopes to move up and challenge for a trip to states.

“We have all the pieces to make a run at states,” said junior Christian Fitch, 10 ^th individually at WPIALs last season. “It’s just a matter of us all coming together at the same time.”

Senior Ian Brown placed 22 ^nd at WPIALs last year and also punched his ticket to states.

The Riverview boys joined the Fox Chapel girls as WPIAL runners-up a season ago as the Raiders ran to second place in Class A.

Despite losing four from the team to graduation, including individual top-10 finishers Ben Barnes (second) and Michael Komaniak (10th), sophomore Gideon Deasy, 17 ^th at WPIALs last year, says the team has the talent to get back into the top four and make a return to states.

“Everyone is running together as a tight group,” Deasy said. “We have some nice runners back and some who are ready to step up.”

Junior Jacob Sullivan also returns for the Raiders after taking 36 ^th at WPIALs last October.

Sophomore Mason Ochs, who didn’t run with the varsity at WPIALs or states last year, was third in the boys varsity race at the Gateway Invite.

There is excitement surrounding the Riverview girls squad which returns all seven WPIAL runners from last year. The Raiders finished sixth in the Class A standings, two spots away from a trip to states.

“We got some good foundation times at the Gateway Invitational, and I see us really improving throughout the season,” said junior Marina Pietz, 21 ^st individually at WPIALs last year.

Pietz and senior Izzy Komaniak, 13 ^th at WPIALs in 2017, also are hoping for individual returns to the PIAA championships.

Other storylines to watch:

*In addition to those from Fox Chapel and Riverview, three other Alle-Kiski runners — Kiski Area senior Kierra Shreffler, Knoch junior Samantha Jo Barnes and Highlands junior CJ Thimons — hope for a return to states.

Shreffler placed 20 ^th in the WPIAL Class AAA girls race last year. She will attempt to qualify for the PIAA meet in Hershey for the third consecutive season.

“Kierra is really excited for this season,” Kiski Area coach Tom Berzonsky said. “She had a really good summer of training. The fourth-place finish (at the Gateway Invite) gave her a lot of confidence.”

*After many seasons at Cooper’s Lake Campground near Slippery Rock, the WPIAL boys and girls championships now will be at Roadman Park at Cal (Pa.).

The six races will be Oct. 25.

*Some of the top teams in Western Pennsylvania and throughout the state will descend on Schenley Park in Pittsburgh on Saturday for the 16 ^th annual Red, White & Blue Classic.

The varsity races begin at 8:30 a.m.

Alle-Kiski Valley teams taking part will be Fox Chapel, Highlands, Riverview, Kiski Area and St. Joseph.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-388-5825, mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MLove_Trib.

Tags: Fox Chapel