Plenty of potential on Fox Chapel track teams

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, April 1, 2023 | 11:01 AM

The Fox Chapel track and field programs hope to find a way to bring put the puzzle pieces together at some point. The Foxes have plenty of potential on both the boys and girls side but will need things to fall right in order to find success.

For the boys team, Fox Chapel is eagerly awaiting the possible return of Mason Miles. As a sophomore, Miles finished second in the shot put at the Class 3A WPIAL meet to earn a trip to Shippensburg. However, the Foxes will have to wait for Miles’ return to the lineup.

“He tore his ACL during football season,” Fox Chapel coach Thomas Moul said. “However, he’s eyeing a comeback for April. We will be excited to get him back.”

Fox Chapel lost a pair of dual meets to Butler on March 28.

“I was proud of how we did against Butler,” Moul said. “They have a big program and we are trying our best to compete with them.”

While the Foxes wait for Miles’ return, Fox Chapel also has a number of athletes who would like to earn spots at the WPIAL and state meets. Anna Troutman is coming off a big indoor track season where she set a number of school records.

Troutman was injured last spring and didn’t have an opportunity to qualify for outdoor states.

“She’s one of our team captains,” Moul said. “She’s able to do the high jump, triple jump, hurdles and relays. She’s a super athlete and great teammate.”

The Foxes will be able to count on Alyssa Quackenbush in speed events. Freshman Claire Conti has established herself as a strong thrower and will be throwing in all three events: the javelin, shot put and discus.

Rowan Gwin is another Fox Chapel athlete who will contribute in the distance races. The Foxes will also be looking for contributions from Damian Blum. Gwin and Blum teamed with Jordan Gwin and Jack Lawrence to finish sixth in the 4-by-800 relay at WPIALs last season.

Rowan Gwin also captured an individual medal by placing seventh in the 1,600 with a time of 4 minutes, 27.75 seconds.

Fox Chapel has also seen some success with athletes coming out for track for the first time. George Taber and Elsie Smith both participated in track for the first time last year. Taber ended up excelling at the jumps, while Smith found a home with the hurdles.

Taber would end up medaling in two events at WPIALs. He finished sixth in both the long jump, with a leap of 21 feet, 3 inches, and the triple jump (42-7).

“Taber was a soccer guy. He came out last year for the first time as a junior,” Moul said.

Moul said that he doesn’t have to do much recruiting to get other athletes to come out for the track team.

“They came out because they had friends on the team,” Moul said. “That seems to help get people interested.”

Tags: Fox Chapel