TRIBUNE-REVIEW • SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2018 • 7
adno=6605003_v7 Foxes optimistic despite graduation losses
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who finished 6-5 overall and fell to WPIAL
finalist Penn-Trafford, 28-21, in the first
round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Junior Shane Susnak takes over under
center for Fox Chapel.
“Nick was a special kind of athlete as a
runner,” Loughran said. “Shane might not
be the runner that Nick was, but he sure
is capable. He’s really showing his skill as
a passer.”
Morris carried the ball 196 times last
year for 1,322 yards and 14 touchdowns. He
had a season-best five touchdowns against
Hampton.
Loughran said several candidates have
competed for the featured running back
spot, including seniors TJ Johnston and
Caleb Holt and junior Sam Brown.
Johnston,who tied for fourth on the team
in tackles (55) from his outside linebacker
spot last year, is one of the two defensive
starters returning. He added three sacks
over eight games.
“We could also use TJ as a tight end,”
Loughran said. “He could even be a wildcat
quarterback for us. He’s a versatile young
man in terms of his skill set.”
The other starter returning is senior
defensive back Korey Simmons. He ranked
third on the team with 59 tackles and
produced an interception and 11 passes
defensed.
“We definitely have a good chance to
make it back to the playoffs,” Simmons
said. “I think the guys stepping in to those
starting spots will do fine. I’ve seen what
they can do for a long time. They’ve been
waiting for their chance.”
Senior wideout Cole Waxter is the lone
returning starter on offense. Hehauled in a
team-best 23 passes for 406 yards (17.7 avg.)
and three touchdowns.
“We are looking forward to him being the
leader of our receiving corps this season,”
Loughran said.
“We expect Korey to help us out at receiver,
too.”
The entire offensive line graduated, and
several were two- or three-year starters.
Loughran said the offseason has been
key to getting the starting linemen on the
same page.
Senior Tyler Kelly and junior Ryan Billings
played in reserve roles last year, and
senior Ethan Self and junior Eddie Farrell
hope to make an impact in 2018.
“We’ll have to see howeverything shakes
out as towho gets playing time,” Loughran
said.
Loughran said senior Bryce Zacharias,
who played running back last year, could
move to tight end, and junior wideoutsWarnerMacklin,
AlexWecht and Joey D’cunha
also hope to be strong contributors.
Defensively, Loughran said Waxter (defensive
back), Zacharias (linebacker),
Billings (defensive line), Farrell (defensive
line/linebacker), Brown (linebacker),
Wecht (defensive back) and sophomore
Tom Golembiewski (defensive line) are
among those hoping to be in the mix.
Everyone is chasing defending Class 5A
champion Gateway. The class expanded in
the offseason from 18 to 24 teams, from two
to three conferences and from a playoff
field of eight to 16.
The WPIAL Class 5A title game is set for
the weekend of Nov. 24 at Norwin.
The Foxes will be in the Northern Conference
with 5A holdovers Armstrong,Hampton,
Kiski Area and North Hills, as well as
Mars (up from 4A), Penn Hills (down from
6A) and Shaler (down from 6A).
“It will be a battle every week,”Simmons
said.“We can’t afford to lose any gamesthat
we shouldn’t. We need every game we can
to get back to the playoffs.”
FOX CHAPEL · FROM 6
TJ JOHNSTON
NORTHERN