By:
Saturday, October 22, 2022, TRIB-LIVE
This season has been a struggle for the Fox Chapel football team, one year after posting a WPIAL Class 5A playoff victory.
After eight games, the Foxes were still looking for their first victory.
But one of the bright spots has been the play of wide receiver/cornerback Ty Samuels.
The 6-foot-1, 160-pound junior leads the team in receiving with 36 catches for 522 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, he is among the team leaders in tackles with 27 – 23 unassisted.
Offensively, a relationship has been built with Samuels and quarterback Ben DeMotte.
DeMotte, like Samuels a first-year starter, has completed 86 passes for 988 yards.
“We’ve been playing since the seventh grade. We’ve definitely built some chemistry,” Samuels said. “Our defense is different every game because we don’t expect the same thing every game.”
Not that anybody at Fox Chapel is making excuses, but the schedule has been grueling.
First of all, there’s too many hills – North Hills, Penn Hills and Woodland Hills all played in consecutive weeks.
The Foxes have played perennial powers such as Upper St. Clair, which has made the WPIAL playoffs 36 of the past 37 seasons. Woodland Hills has qualified for the postseason 24 of the last 25 seasons.
“There’s a lot of good players out there,” Samuels said. “Everybody’s beatable, but we’ve just got to get better.”
Fox Chapel has been unable to generate a running offense to compliment the passing game.
“We’ve had injuries at the tailback spot,” said Foxes coach Tom Loughran. “That’s has negated our run game. We at times throw the ball very well. But we’re working, trying to get better.”
A microcosm of the team’s problems were on display against Woodland Hills in a 43-14 loss.
“At times we played OK against Woody High, but at times, we played poorly,” Loughran said. “We’re working to try and improve defensive. We still have issues at tailback.”
DeMotte had 150 passing yards and connected with Samuels for an 8-yard touchdown.
“He’s been playing very well for us,” Loughran said of Samuels. “Due to some issues in the secondary, we had to move him to safety for a couple games, which is not his natural position. We moved him back to corner, which is his natural position and he can cover guys very well. He has a head for the ball and a good football IQ and he’s a good tackler. We’re happy to have him back in his natural spot.”
Even with the losses, Samuels enjoys playing the game.
Said Loughran: “On offense, he runs very good routes and catches the ball very, very well. He’s become Benny’s favorite target. He’s been our most consistent route-runner.”
Fox Chapel will conclude the season against long-time rival Shaler on Oct. 28.