Photo Courtesy Gordon Snyder Photography.
“We knew that win or lose, we would learn valuable lessons in
those games that could come into play during the playoffs,”
he told Mr. O’Brien. “You don’t get that training from playing
inexperienced teams.”
Out of the 16 teams that ended up qualifying for the WPIAL
Class AAAA playoffs, the Foxes played 11 of them during
section or nonsection games, or at their scrimmages. Plus, every
nonsection opponent they put on the schedule was a WPIAL
playoff-qualifier. The difficulty of their schedule didn’t bring
them all wins, but that was less important to Coach Torres than
what they learned, and the fact that he was able to weave so
many girls into the rotation.
His strategy led the Foxes to a 9-1 section record and they
were the co-section champions. Most importantly, the team
qualified for the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs and advanced
to the semifinals. They lost to an undefeated Norwin High
School team 1-0, but all was not over yet – they got a second
chance to work their way into the PIAA playoff lineup if they
defeated Mt Lebanon in the WPIAL consolation match, which
they did 1-0. That victory earned the girls’ soccer program its
first appearance at a PIAA playoff since 1999. By the luck of
the draw (or rather not so much luck), they were pitted against
Norwin again in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. Again,
they suffered a heartbreaking outcome to Norwin in a second
1-0 loss.
In recognition of their outstanding achievements, seven
members of the starting lineup received WPIAL Class AAAA
all-section honors. Additionally, seniors Deena DeBaldo,
an all‑state pick last year, and Dixon Veltri were named
all‑state and all-WPIAL for 2016. Coach Torres also received
recognition as Co-Section 3 Coach of the Year.
REMAINING FALL SPORTS WRAP-UP
Photo Courtesy Hill’s Studio
N
o team had a losing fall season in section play
this year, which is a tribute to the fortitude
and hard work exhibited by the Foxes’ student
athletes.
Football made
some real strides
this season,
including earning
the program’s best
record in nearly
20 years. The fact
that they won
five consecutive
games in the
second half of the
season and junior
Micah Morris gained more than 1,200 yards rushing, were clear
evidence that the program is definitely on the upswing. The
season also ended positively for a
number of players named to
all-conference teams. Five
times as many players were
voted to those teams this
year as compared to last year.
Girls’ golf also set some milestones of their own when
four players advanced to the WPIAL individual playoffs, the
most-ever in program history. The players were seniors Ursula
Meyer and Kerstin Nestel and juniors Hanna Conroy and Cara
Levicoff.
Boys’ soccer had a very young team, which gave a lot of
underclassmen valuable experience to take with them next year.
The team advanced to the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs.
Girls’ volleyball also advanced to the WPIAL Class AAA
playoffs.
Fox Chapel Area | Winter 2016 | icmags.com 23
FOX C HAP E L ARE A SC HOOL N E WS
W
hen the 2016 fall sports schedules were
being coordinated months before the school
year started, girls’ soccer coach Peter Torres
met with Athletic Director Mike O’Brien,
and asked that his schedule include the best teams in the
WPIAL.
Fox Chapel Area
GIRLS’ SOCCER REACHES STATE PLAYOFFS FOR
FIRST TIME SINCE 1999