Fox Chapel Herald notebook: Winter teams learn section assignments

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, May 23, 2026 | 11:01 AM

The Fox Chapel and Shady Side Academy winter sports teams got a peak at the sections they will compete in for the next two-year enrollment cycle when the WPIAL announced realignment May 19.

The Foxes’ wrestling program will be in Group 2 of Section 2, along with Armstrong, Fox Chapel, Hampton, Indiana and Kiski.

For swimming, Fox Chapel will be in Section 3 of Class 3A along with Franklin Regional, Gateway, Penn Hills, Plum and Woodland Hills. Shady Side Academy will be in Section 3 of Class 2A along with Deer Lakes, Freeport, Hampton, Highlands, Valley and Knoch.

As expected, Fox Chapel’s girls basketball program will be making the leap to Class 6A. The Foxes will be in a section with Butler, North Allegheny, North Hills, Norwin, Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley.

The Bulldogs will be in Section 2 of Class 3A along with Deer Lakes, Derry, Greensburg Central Catholic, Ligonier Valley, Propel Braddock Hills, South Allegheny and Southmoreland.

Fox Chapel’s boys basketball will stay in Section 1 of Class 6A, along with Butler, Central Catholic, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley.

The Bulldogs will be in Section 3 of Class 3A along with Apollo-Ridge, Ligonier valley, Propel Braddock Hills, South Allegheny and Steel Valley.

Bulldogs clean up

The Shady Side Academy track team found plenty of space on the podium during the WPIAL Class 2A track championships at Slippery Rock University. The Bulldogs’ excellent 3,200-meter relay team — consisting of Rhyley Bendel, Charlotte Barker, Josie Lenart and Ella Van Norman — reached the top of the podium with a time of 9 minutes, 41.20 seconds.

Barker, who was the WPIAL champion in cross country in the fall, also picked up an individual gold medal in the 3,200 run.

On the boys’ side, Javon Johnston returned to the top of the medal stand in the triple jump, winning the event with a leap of 46 feet, 6.74 inches.

In addition to the gold medals, the Bulldogs also had a number of athletes place in the top 10.

Brennan Kaminski placed second in the 800 run with a time of 1:58.20. Cam Mallory placed seventh in the shot put (43-9).

Bendel and Van Norman placed third and fourth in the 800 with times of 2:20.89 and 2:20.91, respectively. In the 1,600 run, Lenart (second), Barker (third) and Bendel (eighth) all came in the top 10. Lenart placed third in the 3,200.

Maria Ravotti finished third in the high jump with a leap of 5-2, while Reese Kearns was third in the triple jump with a 35-2 ¼.

Fuhrer helps George Mason

David Fuhrer, a Fox Chapel graduate, helped the Patriots to a program-best second place finish as a team at the Atlantic 10 championships recently. Fuhrer shot a 218 across three rounds to finish tied for 16th.

Fuhrer’s best round was a 1-under with a 71 he shot on the first day of the tournament in Orlando. George Mason finished behind Richmond. This was the Patriots best finish in the conference tournament since joining the Atlantic 10 for the 2013-14 season.

When the Patriots were in the Colonial Athletic Association, their best finish was third place in 2011.

Tags: Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy