Fox Chapel football’s next challenge: Beating a blue blood

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, September 13, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Blue blood season is coming up for the Fox Chapel football program.

Coach Dave Leasure is excited to see his program measure up to some of the WPIAL Class 5A programs that make up the cream of the crop of the Northeast Conference.

The Foxes, which entered a road matchup Sept. 12 riding a two-game winning streak, took their first shot at a resume burnishing win against Penn Hills.

Home games with North Hills and defending district champion Pine-Richland will follow.

“You talk about blue blood programs. Pine-Richland, North Hills and Penn Hills have won state titles,” Leasure said. “I told the kids for the next three weeks, it’s blue blood season in Western Pennsylvania. We want to try and bag a blue blood. … We haven’t been competitive in these games during the past two years.”

The Foxes (2-1) equaled their win total from last season by beating Knoch, 20-18, in Week 2. Fox Chapel won despite allowing Knoch to surge ahead with 1 minute, 25 seconds remaining on a 2-yard scoring run by Carter Beres.

Foxes receiver and kick returner Nathan Johnson said the Foxes weren’t worried about what they had to do.

“It felt different than in years past,” Johnson said. “We would have put our heads down and said ‘OK, it’s over.’ We were picking each other up. We knew there was still time on the clock.”

Johnson ran the ensuing kick back 41 yards. He was confident the kick block team was going to open a hole. Johnson and teammate Gianni Fusaro set up some extra space by faking a pitch during the return.

“They were kicking it to the same spot every time,” Johnson said. “We tried the pitch earlier in the game, and their entire team crashed on the pitch. We decided we were going to try it again. They fell for it again, and it set up a great alley. It doesn’t matter now, but I was upset we didn’t run it all the way back.”

Joey Geller then found Max Melocchi for a 32-yard completion to help set up the winning field goal. Melocchi finished with 165 receiving yards on five catches.

Georgia recruit Harran Zureikat kicked a 22-yard field goal with nine seconds left to clinch the win.

Leasure said picking up wins in the nonconference schedule has been important to Fox Chapel’s growth.

“We treat every game the same,” Leasure said. “We’re trying to win football games. Obviously, our section is difficult and will provide more difficult challenges. We outgained Knoch 322-100. We did some things to make it closer than they had to be.”

Johnson said winning back-to-back games has led to a different vibe in the hallways at school.

“It gives our team phenomenal confidence and belief,” Johnson said. “I think the school has felt that as well. In the past, people might ask us how many we are going to lose by or can you keep it a game in the first quarter. They’ve been asking if we are going to win this week.”

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