Entering each Fox Chapel Area indoor track season, coach Tom Moul said there are two main goals that he would like team members to achieve.
The first one is qualifying – then winning – a medal at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association (TSTCA) Championship at PennWest Edinboro. The second, which is the ultimate goal, is qualifying for the state meet at Penn State University.
“Last year, we had three kids who medaled at Penn State,” said coach Moul, who officially started Fox Chapel Area’s indoor track program in 2017. “That was a great season for us.”
Those who were the state medalists last season – Rowan Gwin (eighth in 3,000 meters), Mason Miles (fourth in shot put, breaking a school record), and Anna Troutman, (sixth in the high jump) – all graduated.
But coach Moul thinks the established goals can be attained by a number of members of this season’s team.
“I am optimistic,” he said. “I’m looking forward (to the season). The roster looks pretty good. We’ve got a lot of kids, a lot of whom we know from previous years. They’re hard workers and good kids, so I’m excited.”
Three members of the team won WPIAL medals in the recently completed cross country season. Ethan Vaughan, a senior, captured the WPIAL championship with an outstanding performance at White Oak Park in which he shattered his personal best by 12 seconds and finished 11 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. He also finished ninth in the PIAA meet.
Senior David Black finished fourth in the WPIAL meet, and sophomore Ceci Ressler placed ninth in the WPIAL girls meet. Both of these runners also qualified for the PIAA cross country championships.
“Ceci is certainly geared up to have a good season,” coach Moul said. “So, from a distance standpoint, I’d say Ethan, Ceci, and David have a good opportunity for success. We have others, but those will be our top three.”
Topping the sprinters are a couple members of the Fox Chapel Area girls soccer team that advanced to the Class 3A WPIAL championship game, seniors Maya DiPasquale and Alyssa Quackenbush.
Maya was a member of the 4 x 800 meter relay team last season that placed seventh in the TSTCA meet. Alyssa was a member of the 4 x 200 relay team that set a school record last season.
Another sprinter expected to contribute is sophomore Taylor Wilkinson, who also was a member of the record-setting 4 x 200 relay team.
Senior Anna Kintner will be counted on in a number of running and jumping events. She already is the indoor and outdoor record holder in the triple jump and the long jump, and is another member of the record-setting 4 x 200 relay team and the 4 x 100 team that has the school’s outdoor record. She placed seventh in the long jump in the Tri-County meet last season.
Junior Claire Conti leads the throwers. Of course, with indoor track, she will only participate in the shot put.
“Her best event outdoors is the discus, but she’s also good at shot and has been working real hard,” coach Moul said. “So, she should be good for us this year.”
“We’ve had some kids doing some preseason things on the track,” coach Moul added. “But, for the most part, most of the kids played a fall sport, so we’re not worried. We’ll work them into shape when we start practice.”
For this to be a successful season on the indoor track, there are a couple of keys, such as staying healthy. Another key is the weather.
“Getting outside in the winter is difficult,” coach Moul explained. “Last year, we had a very mild winter, so we were able to get outside pretty frequently. So, that might be a key. You get better work in outside. If you can’t get outside, you’re in the gym doing work, and you’re just not as effective.”