Follow @pbrpennsylvania

By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

And then there were sixteen. The first round of the 2016 PIAA Class AAA state tournament starts tomorrow at various sites across the state. Below is a preview of each participating team (listed in bracket order, separated by first-round match-up) with notes on players to watch and how each team's season has progressed.

Notes:
X-Y before a school name = District-Bid (e.g. 3-2 is the runner-up from District III).
If multiple districts are listed before a school name, those districts combined to form a sub-regional to determine that bid.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

1-1 Radnor Red Raiders (13-10)
Held their own in the predominantly 4A Central League following an 0-5 start to the season and won three tight contests to capture the program's first district crown. Have won nine of their last 11 games, which roughly coincides with the return from a heart ailment of table-setting speedster Connor Wilson, a Dayton signee who has hit .447 over the second half of the season. Despite an injury to live-armed junior RHP Charlie Connolly (who has been cleared to return for bullpen duty this week), the rotation has solidified around the LHP tandem of junior Will Hoysgaard and senior Andrew Austen, who was born without a right hand or wrist.

3-4 Bishop McDevitt Crusaders (15-9)
It has been a banner year for the Mid-Penn Keystone, as the Crusaders are one of three of the division's 3A members to have qualified for the state tournament. Gwynedd Mercy-bound RHP Joe Mione (44 IP, 12 H, 17 BB, 41 K) fronts a spread-the-wealth pitching staff (four others have logged between 14.1 and 33.1 innings) that isn't overpowering, but has gotten the job done of late. Handling the pitching staff and leading the offense is Coppin State-bound catcher Cole Gerula (.407 AVG, 9 XBH), while junior Joe Pensiero (.356 AVG) is the only other regular to be hitting over .288. Junior Jake Leibig and Anne Arundel CC-bound Kevin Johnson bring an element of speed to the line-up with 12 SB each.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2-1 North Pocono Trojans (13-9)
Despite enduring two four-game losing streaks during the regular-season, the Trojans got hot at the right time, capping a nine-game unbeaten stretch with three straight wins in the district tournament. Pitching has been the key, as coach Brian Jardine's staff only allowed two runs in 25 innings during the tournament run, including a 1-0, 11-inning win over favorite Valley View. Freshman RHP Ryan Deom (44.2 IP, 40 H, 12 BB, 20 K) and senior RHP Charlie Lamparter (35.2 IP, 33 H, 18 BB, 23 K) front the staff, while sophomore RHP Cory Wall (19.2 IP, 24 H, 6 BB, 21 K) solidifies the back-end of games. The offensive spark comes from Monmouth-bound outfielder J.P. Walsh (.455 AVG, 11 XBH, 15 SB), whose solo home run was the championship clincher, and junior infielder Pat Kravitz (.366 AVG, 10 XBH, 8 SB). Five losses came by a single run (seven by three runs or less), while seven losses came against 4A schools.

4-1 Selinsgrove Area Seals (16-5)
The Seals earned their first district title since 2009 with two one-run wins in the tournament. This was no fluke, however, as they upended five-time defending district champ Jersey Shore Area three times throughout the spring. Team is playing shorthanded on the mound, but with extra motivation in the dugout, as talented freshman LHP Logan Hile, the number two starter for most of the spring, has been sidelined due to serious complications from the flu. Arcadia-bound RHP Tyler Showers (69 IP, 55 H, 27 BB, 52 K) is the staff workhorse and has accounted for ten of the team's wins. Junior Morgan Fisher (.429 AVG), senior Zac Broome (.375 AVG, 14 SB), and junior Kyle Mertz (.340 AVG, 27 SB) lead an offense that has drawn more BB+HBP than strikeouts on the season.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11-1 Palmerton Area Blue Bombers (14-10)
There's getting hot at the right time and then there's what Palmerton just pulled off. The Blue Bombers entered district play having lost six of their last eight games before ripping off three straight one-run wins in the district tournament, the semifinals and championship of which they trailed in the seventh inning. Junior infielder Garrett Perschy (.369 AVG, 8 XBH) and Clarkson-bound outfielder Johnathan Schwartz (.378 AVG, 24 SB, 17 BB vs 8 K) are the thunder and lightning of a line-up that has averaged just over 4.5 runs/game. Pitching staff features five who have logged double digit innings, led by senior RHPs Zachary Buck (47 IP, 42 H, 18 BB, 14 K) and Toby Sander (43.1 IP, 44 H, 13 BB, 29 K), plus RHP Perschy (35 IP, 24 H, 15 BB, 33 K).

3-2 Palmyra Area Cougars (17-7)
Had a ten-game winning streak snapped in the district title game. Junior Isaac Blatt (52.1 IP, 40 H, 10 BB, 9 K) has been a workhorse on the mound, having logged more than twice as many innings as the next most-used member of the staff, senior Zach Yingst (24.2 IP, 28 H, 11 BB, 33 K), who split starting duties with Blatt during the district tournament. Blatt (.478 AVG) and Yingst (.396 AVG) also power the offense, along with senior Evan Hallowell (.361 AVG).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12-1 Archbishop Wood Vikings (16-5)
The Vikings have a stranglehold on this bid and have now advanced to the state tournament three years in a row. Solid trio of arms -- U.S. Merchant Marine Academy-bound LHP Ryan Logan, plus junior RHPs Sean Hughes and Kody Cracknell -- are capable of spearheading a deep run (staff as a whole has allowed less than three runs per game), especially given the return of power-armed junior RHP Joey Lancellotti (a North Carolina commit) late in the season from injury. Also a slugging outfielder, Lancellotti is dangerous with the bat in his hands. Leadoff man Logan and a trio of other college-bound position players -- catcher Sean Kelly (Mount St. Mary's), infielder Matt Cummiskey (Chestnut Hill), and outfielder Bobby Heck (Gwynedd Mercy) -- also help power the offense, along with physical sophomore first baseman Mike Ferarra.

3-3 Susquehanna Township Indians (16-8)
It's been a season of streaks for the Indians, which won eight of their first ten games before dropping four of six and then finishing by winning six of eight. The senior RHP tandem of Austin Dressler (57 IP, 37 H, 14 BB, 65 K) and Dan Warshawsky (32.1 IP, 32 H, 12 BB, 42 K) front a pitching staff that has allowed three runs or less in 18 games. The offense is sparked by La Salle-bound speedster Christian Ciotti (.425 AVG, 16 BB+HBP vs 5 K, 20 SB) with his fellow seniors Ben Moser (.388 AVG, 8 XBH) and Jake Pae (.321 AVG, 8 XBH) providing some pop.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3-1 Hamburg Area Hawks (16-8)
The Hawks were on their way to a fairly nondescript season, predominantly losing to playoff-caliber teams and beating those that would not end up qualifying, even dropping five of six games as the calendar rolled from April to May. However, all but one loss had come by three runs or less and they flipped the script on those close contests for a six-game winning streak entering the state tournament that included sweeping through the district tourney by a combined score of 24-6. Pitching has been steady pretty much all season, while finding some consistent offense will be key, as they have scored three runs or less in six of their losses. IUP-bound RHP Nick Kuhn fronts a pitching staff that also got complete game efforts from senior LHP Janson Youndt and senior RHP Ryan Smith during the tournament run.

12-2 Franklin Towne Charter Coyotes (10-11)
The Coyotes senior class, which is highlighted by pitcher Zack Brown (45 IP, 48 H, 31 BB, 28 K), Cristian Diaz (.300 AVG, 6 XBH), and Kyle Camm (.300 AVG), will be participating in their fourth straight state tournament. Sophomore Edgardo Correa has made his presence felt on the mound (41 IP, 39 H, 11 BB, 31 K) and at the plate (.327 AVG, 14 BB vs 6 K). Brown and senior outfielder Matt Schlernitzauer both earned all-Philadelphia Public League Division A 2nd-team honors this spring.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8-1/9-1 Punxsutawney Area Chucks (18-4)
The dynasty continues, although an argument could be made that there's something amiss with a system that allows a team to win just one post-season game to earn a state tournament berth, while some qualifiers from other districts must win three, four, or, in a rare case, five. Nonetheless, the talented Chucks occupy this spot for the 13th straight year and will continue to lean on the senior trio of Kent State-bound RHP/SS John Matthews, Penn State-bound outfielder Braxton Giavedoni, and senior LHP/OF Lance Pennington. Three of the team's four losses came on its season-opening out-of-state trip, with the only in-state loss coming in extra innings against a solid 4A Williamsport Area club.

7-2 Blackhawk Cougars (18-5)
WPIAL Section 1 champ went 2-3 to start the year, but won 16 of its final 18 games, with both of those losses coming by a single run. Talented sophomore infielder Michael Turconi (.443 AVG, 11 XBH, 9 SB, 11 BB vs 6 K) highlights an offense that also gets significant contributions from senior Adam Robinson (.377 AVG, 12 XBH), junior outfielder Jimmy Nixon (.343 AVG), and infielder Mark Engel (.328 AVG), a Radford commit. The duo of Engel (62 IP, 21 BB, 59 K) and sophomore Andy McClymonds (41.1 IP, 14 BB, 31 K) has combined to throw nearly 70% of the staff's innings and should continue to carry the load while talented junior RHP Jon Pence continues to work his way back from an extended absence.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7-1 Chartiers Valley Colts (16-7)
Stormed out of the gate in a strong WPIAL Section 3 before losing four straight mid-season, but righted the ship in time to sweep through the WPIAL playoffs. Point Park-bound RHP Cole Horew was a workhorse during the WPIAL title run, starting three of the Colts four games and logging 19.2 of the team's 28 innings. Horew also anchors the middle of the line-up with Gulf Coast State-bound Joe Sibeto, while senior Brady Gulakowski ably mans the leadoff spot. Toolsy sophomore Konnor Corchado (7-12, 2B, 3B in playoffs) and junior Dante Panucci (6-15, 4 2B in playoffs) also contribute to run production.

5-1/6-1 Bellefonte Area Red Raiders (12-11)
Lost seven of eight to start the season, but turned things around in time to take full advantage of earning the final berth to this sub-regional. Senior duo of Morehead State-bound Dom Masullo (52.1 IP, 33 H, 39 BB, 69 K) and Clarion-bound LHP Kyler Mellott (34 IP, 35 H, 23 BB, 31 K) have been ably supported by sophomore LHP Adam Armstrong (31 IP, 25 H, 17 BB, 32 K). The offense is powered by junior Liberty commit Logan Mathieu (.387 AVG, 15 XBH, 9 BB vs 4 K) and senior Nick Jabco (.417 AVG, 7 SB), plus juniors Tanner Helms (.355 AVG) and Tyler Kreger (.378 AVG, 17 BB, 7 SB).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10-1 Cathedral Prep Ramblers (20-3)
Rarely challenged during the regular-season, the Ramblers have not lost a game against an in-state opponent yet this spring. Quality wins include 13-2 over WPIAL runner-up Blackhawk, plus 3-2 and 2-0 over 4A state qualifier McDowell. The pitching staff boasts five members who have logged double digit innings, although the unquestioned ace is Nebraska-bound RHP Carter Cross (47 IP, 27 H, 13 BB, 61 K). Also an athletic outfielder, Cross (.411 AVG, 9 XBH, 13 SB) drives the run production, along with Seton Hill-bound catcher Austin Braendel (.339 AVG, 7 XBH, 8 HBP), plus the physical duo of sophomore Matt Bauer (.362 AVG, 7 HBP) and junior Nick Hess (.382 AVG, 9 XBH).

7-3 Mars Area Fightin' Planets (15-6)
First state tournament appearance in over two decades. Of four losses against in-state opponents, one each came against the other two District VII qualifiers, while a third came against the defending state champ (which Mars beat two of three times, including to earn this bid). Grace College-bound Dave Anderson (50 IP, 37 H, 29 BB, 63 K) and junior Dylan Rotz (42.2 IP, 34 H, 10 BB, 23 K) are the primary rotation duo, while senior Nico Romano (27.1 IP, 29 H, 8 BB, 15 K) is the presumptive closer. An offense that has only two regulars hitting below .300 is highlighted by a trio of sluggers in sophomore Northwestern commit Jack Anderson (.429 AVG, 8 XBH, 15 BB vs 3 K), Dave Anderson (.436 AVG, 11 XBH), and junior Brandon Wetherholt (.311 AVG, 12 XBH).

•