As Fox Chapel Area track & field coach Tom Moul looks at the roster for his 17th season as track coach, he sees a lot of names of kids who have had a lot of success on the track and expects more of the same in 2025.
“I’m hopeful,” he said on the first day of practice. “We have some good returning athletes and some up-and-comers. Having a lot of quality returning is helpful, especially from a leadership standpoint. We have kids who have been to WPIALs before and have been to states before. They understand what it takes as far as work ethic and being diligent with their training.”
Some of those good returning athletes include senior sprinter Alyssa Quackenbush and senior sprinter/jumper Anna Kintner. The pair composed half of the 4 x 100 relay team that set a new school record in 2024, placed seventh in the WPIAL championships and 24th in the PIAA meet. Anna also placed 14th in the long jump in the PIAA meet. She set a school record with a jump of 17’11” in the prestigious Pine-Richland Invitational.
Senior Maya DiPasquale also returns to run the 400 and 800, the latter of which saw her place eighth at Pine-Richland. Maya also was a member of the 4 x 800 relay team that placed eighth at that meet.
Talented junior thrower Claire Conti also returns. She has qualified for the PIAA meet each of the last two years in the discus, placing eighth in 2024 after taking second in the WPIAL meet.
“She had a really good indoor season for us throwing the shot put,” coach Moul said of Conti. “She’s just a real hard worker. She loves the sport, trains all year round. She’s a leader for all the other girls and a positive presence on the team. She has good technique and works really hard at her craft. She’s diligent in the weight room. She’s just good. She’s the total package.”
The boys have some quality distance runners returning. Senior Ethan Vaughan has won a WPIAL championship in cross country and placed sixth in the mile at Pine-Richland. He also was a member of the 4 x 800 relay team that took fourth in the Butler Invitational.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do,” coach Moul said.
Ethan and fellow seniors Nicky Clump and David Black all were members of the cross country team that placed third in the WPIAL and the 4 x 800 relay team that tasted success at the Butler meet. Junior Michael Costello also is looked upon to contribute in distance runs.
“The boys’ team strength seems like distance,” Moul said.
As for the up-and-coming talent, the coach spoke of freshman sprinter Max Youkers who had a successful indoor season.
“He just kind of came on the scene this year during the indoor season,” coach Moul said. “We knew he was good in middle school but that doesn’t always translate to high school. He’s a young kid, but he’s pretty big and strong already. He seems to love the sport, and I think he’s going to be a hard worker and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
Depth is expected to be provided by junior Deniko Agurs.
A talented newcomer on the girls side is freshman Ella Shevchuk, who also is a member of the Fox Chapel Area girls basketball and cross country teams.
“We think she can help us in sprints, as well as distance,” coach Moul said. “She can be a rare kid who excels in short distances as well as long distances. We’re going to try her in the 100 as well as the 3,200. That’s unheard of.”
The team is coming off of last year’s season that saw quite a few members qualify for the WPIAL and PIAA meets, while also competing well in meets against other schools. After all, that’s the main goal each season.
“A program our size, the goal is always to perform well and confidently in the meets as a team,” coach Moul said. “But mostly it’s to maximize the number of kids we get to the WPIAL qualifiers and ultimately to the state meet. It’s a long road, and we just have to do the little things to hopefully get back to that level.”