A year after fire destroyed his home, Knoch senior Wyatt Foster is leading in more ways than one

August 15, 2024 Last Updated: August 16, 2024 11:09 AM Sports

Knoch football players Wyatt Foster and Kaden Spencer hold up Codi Mullen with Coach Tim Burchett for a group photo during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football players Codi Mullen, front, and Wyatt Foster, back left, Coach Tim Burchett and Kaden Spencer poses for a group photo during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football players Wyatt Foster, Codi Mullen and Kaden Spencer pose for a group photo during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football player Codi Mullen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football coach Tim Burchett during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football coachTim Burchett and Wyatt Foster chat while waiting to be interviewed during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football player Kaden Spencer poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football player Wyatt Foster poses for portrait during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football player Codi Mullen poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football coach Tim Burchett poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football player Kaden Spencer poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football player Wyatt Foster poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch Football Player Codi Mullen poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, back left and Wyatt Foster, and Codi Mullen, front left and Colt Sprankle, front right, pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

THIS IS THE COVER SHOT CHOSENKnoch football players Kaden Spencer, front left, and Codi Mullen, and Colt Sprankle, back left, and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, front left, and Codi Mullen, and Colt Sprankle, back left, and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, back left, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster, front, pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen and Colt Sprankle hold Wyatt Foster for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle, Kaden Spencer and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Knoch football players Wyatt Foster and Kaden Spencer hold up Codi Mullen with Coach Tim Burchett for a group photo during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football players Wyatt Foster and Kaden Spencer hold up Codi Mullen with Coach Tim Burchett for a group photo during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football players Codi Mullen, front, and Wyatt Foster, back left, Coach Tim Burchett and Kaden Spencer poses for a group photo during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football players Wyatt Foster, Codi Mullen and Kaden Spencer pose for a group photo during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football player Codi Mullen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football coach Tim Burchett during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football coachTim Burchett and Wyatt Foster chat while waiting to be interviewed during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football coach Tim Burchett during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football player Codi Mullen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football player Codi Mullen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football player Codi Mullen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football player Kaden Spencer poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football player Kaden Spencer poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football player Kaden Spencer poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football player Wyatt Foster poses for portrait during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football player Codi Mullen poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football player Codi Mullen poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football coach Tim Burchett poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football player Kaden Spencer poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football player Wyatt Foster poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Butler Eagle sports reporter Brendan Howe interviews Knoch football player Codi Mullen during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch Football Player Codi Mullen poses for a headshot during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day at Butler High School on Friday, August 9. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/9/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, back left and Wyatt Foster, and Codi Mullen, front left and Colt Sprankle, front right, pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
THIS IS THE COVER SHOT CHOSENKnoch football players Kaden Spencer, front left, and Codi Mullen, and Colt Sprankle, back left, and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, front left, and Codi Mullen, and Colt Sprankle, back left, and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, back left, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster, front, pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen and Colt Sprankle hold Wyatt Foster for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen and Colt Sprankle hold Wyatt Foster for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, back left, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster, front, pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen and Colt Sprankle hold Wyatt Foster for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen and Colt Sprankle hold Wyatt Foster for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Colt Sprankle, Codi Mullen and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle, Kaden Spencer and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)
Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen, Colt Sprankle and Wyatt Foster pose for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium on Monday, August 12. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (8/12/2024)

Wyatt Foster immediately knew something wasn’t right when he opened his eyes to a haze in the middle of the night.

“I woke up and I couldn’t see across my room,” said Foster, a standout senior offensive and defensive lineman for Knoch’s football team.

His immediate thought was to go downstairs to check that the fireplace in his family’s Penn Township home wasn’t the cause, but was greeted in the hallway by flames grabbing at his room.

“As soon as I saw that, I started yelling, ‘Fire! Fire!’” Wyatt said. “I went in my sister’s room, woke her up and I just kept on yelling, ‘Fire!’”

Along with Wyatt, his parents, Lacie and Bryon, his sisters, Livie and Lexie, and one of their boyfriends, all made it out of the log cabin home uninjured. So did the family pets.

“Wyatt is the reason our whole family got out safe,” Lacie said. “He was smart. He didn’t just go back to sleep, what a normal teenage kid would maybe do.”

The family helplessly watched the blaze engulf their home as they called 911. Wyatt and his siblings stayed with their grandparents, Lisa and Robert Henry, for a day before the family relocated to a Cranberry hotel and later a rental home in Saxonburg.

Wyatt didn’t see his house — or what was left of it — until the week after.

“We went back there (and) it was kind of like an unreal kind of feeling,” he said. “You realize that things you had, (they) didn’t matter as much. ... It’s hard to always grasp that something like that could happen.”

Knoch's Wyatt Foster (54), an emotional and physical leader of last year’s 8-3 Knights team, lost his home to a fire last year. Butler Eagle file photo

The Fosters rebuilt their home in the same location and moved back in, in April.

But that first day the family settled into the hotel, Foster, then a sophomore, headed back to offseason football workouts. Lacie said keeping a routine provided Wyatt and his siblings a distraction.

“I wanted to be with my team,” Wyatt said. “That’s who my brothers are. That’s who support me. I wanted to support them. ... Being able to go and continue to do that, even though I was going through something hard, helped a lot.”

As soon as Knights coach Tim Burchett heard what happened at school that morning, he cared only that Foster and his family were alright.

“He missed one day of workouts in our offseason program,” Burchett said, still in awe. “When he came back ... I probably yelled at him a little bit to go home and take care of what’s important.

“That’s Wyatt. You don’t replicate that. You don’t replace that when he leaves. There will be a hole in this team. There will be a hole in my coaching career when he leaves.”

Burchett collected any team apparel he knew would fit the Foster family. Teammates’ families offered food and essentials, and the team’s boosters held a spaghetti dinner.

“It showed how much the team really cared about me,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt has given back just as much — if not more — to the program, according to his head coach.

Knoch football players Kaden Spencer, left, Codi Mullen and Colt Sprankle hold Wyatt Foster for a group photo outside Knoch High School's football stadium Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

“When you try to build a program, you build around kids that you don’t have to ask a lot of because they just want to do it,” Burchett said. “He’s the heartbeat of the team. He’s been through a lot.”

Wyatt’s strength and smarts are evident. He’s played two ways since he was a freshman, bulking up from 170 pounds then to 250 now. He was named a team captain this season.

“Power is your ability to move heavy weight,” Burchett said. “He has that. That’s a check. He’s almost a 500-pound squat, he’s over a 300-pound bench, he power cleans over 225. Every lift that we track, he’s No. 1 or No. 2 in. ... His ability to get off the line: check, on both sides of the ball. His aggressiveness: check.

“Every box that you put in for an offensive lineman ... he has it.”

As Knoch aims to build off last year’s 8-3 record, Foster will put those skills to use this fall, hoping to give back to the coaches and teammates who have had his back.

“My life is always going to be on the line for them, no matter what,” Foster said. “I’m going to do whatever I can to protect those boys.”