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By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

Today marks the seventh installment of our season preview content, which will run for four weeks up to the first official PIAA competition date on March 24. Each article includes a list of top prospects from amongst the cohort of schools, as well as write-ups of a number of teams in the cohort. The number in parenthesis after each header is the number of state tournament bids allotted to that district or sub-region. Today's grouping looks 2A schools on the far western edge of the state.

We received inquiries in the past regarding how we decide which teams to detail. A team profiled in the article is less an indication of what type of season we expect it to have and more a function of how much information we are able to compile. For example, if we have not recently seen a team in person (there are over 600 baseball-playing high schools in the state), stats are not available on-line, and a school district spam filter gobbled up our e-mails to the coach that contained the questionnaire, we might not have enough information to write a full paragraph on that school.

District VII (3 bids)

Top Prospect: Mark Black, 2020, C, Serra Catholic

A junior-laden roster should give Serra Catholic a chance to make a push for its second straight WPIAL title and third straight state tournament berth. A deep, experienced pitching staff will lean on the RHP quartet of Ben Visnesky, Nate Piontka, Zack Bowen, and Ben Bowen, who combined for 21 of the Eagles 24 wins last spring. Those four also comprise the primary infield for coach Brian Dzurenda's line-up that welcomes back two-thirds of its starters. Despite a veteran roster, keep an eye on Black, who has an advanced hit tool and quality defense skill set, to make an impact early in his career.

After missing out on the state tournament for the first time since 2011, California Area welcomes back eight of nine line-up regulars this spring, led by the senior quartet of shortstop Johnny DeFranco, third baseman Alex Adams, catcher Nate Luketich, and outfielder Tyler Jacobs. Coach Nick Damico's pitching staff that features Luketich and junior RHP Brandon Powell will get a boost from the return of senior RHP Drake Johnson, who missed almost the entirety of last season due to injury after fronting the rotation as a sophomore.

The line-up card for Our Lady of the Sacred Heart coach Phil McCarren will look awfully familiar this spring, as the Chargers return two-thirds of their regular position player starters, as well as the entirety of the pitching staff. The bulk of the mound work will again be handled by senior RHP Dylan Osheka and junior RHP Scott Symons, while junior RHP Patrick Brogan could assume a larger role. Infielders Osheka and Brogan will also fuel run production, along with senior first baseman Kiefer Bishop and senior outfielder Dante Trombetta.

After twice coming up just short with a chance to earn a state tourney berth in last season's WPIAL playoffs, Shenango must now replace two of its top three pitchers as well as five line-up regulars. Junior RHP Jake Merkel is the only pitching staff holdover to have logged more than six innings last spring, while sophomore catcher Anthony Ryan and the senior infield tandem of Ron Esposito and Ryan Owrey are the top returning hitters for the Wildcats.

Bishop Canevin coach Dale Checketts will be tasked with replacing his top two pitchers and three of his top run producers this spring. A young pitching rotation will feature the sophomore trio of LHP Ryan Eisenbeis and RHPs Josh Gmys and Michael Aches. The Crusdaers should be solid in the middle of the diamond behind the senior tandem of shortstop Tyler Lampus and catcher Rocky Rauterkus, plus sophomore center fielder Brian Deschon.

Just five upperclassmen will dot the roster this spring for Freedom Area, which graduated eight from last year's team. Pacing the team on the mound and at the plate will be the senior duo of Util/RHP Nick Henderson and IF/RHP Zach Greene. Sophomore Util/RHP Noah Henderson got his feet wet as a rookie, while junior RHP Jason Norman should push for a larger role under coach Dan O'Leary.

With just one senior who saw playing time as a junior, Fort Cherry welcomes back an experienced, but still fairly young roster. The junior RHP tandem of Nate Higham and Cameron Schaub (each of whom logged nearly 30 innings last spring) will be joined by sophomore RHP Hunter Terpack, as they attempt to help replace last year's staff ace. Those three, along with junior IF/C Jacob Baird and senior C/3B Nick Cook, will spark a line-up for coach Bob Sawhill that must replace five regulars.

With a young roster getting a year of experience under its belt last season, Laurel will look to translate that experience into a push up the WPIAL standings. Senior second baseman Joshua Fennick and senior catcher Ryan Stewart will spark the offense, while Stewart will shepherd a pitching staff for coach Todd Fennick that features the RHP trio of senior Coltin Esposito, junior Lance Hill, and 6-foot-2 freshman William Shaffer.

Bethlehem-Center will sport a young roster under coach Frank Pryor, albeit one led by the senior trio of RHP Jacob Knizer, outfielder Nick Pryor, and second baseman Tyler Zelenik.

Frazier graduated three of its four primary pitchers, but welcomes back two-thirds of its starting line-up, four members of which saw significant playing time as underclassmen last season.

The expansion to six classifications brings renewed optimism at Northgate under coach Brandon Hogle. Sophomore outfielder Anthony Barbarino will again be the catalyst for the offense, while the pitching staff will be fronted by the senior RHP tandem of Caleb Turner and Austin Farmiere.

District X (2 bids)

Top Prospects:
1. Travis Perry, 2018, RHP/IF, Rocky Grove
2. Steven Kokoski, 2017, C, Lakeview
3. Josh Kirwin, 2017, OF/RHP, Rocky Grove (Clarion)
4. Noah Ross, 2019, C, Cochranton

Rocky Grove graduated just one player off its district title and state quarterfinalist team in the old 1A classification. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound Perry, who sports a mid-80s fastball and is a very good athlete for his size, will be the bellcow for the pitching staff and the line-up. A pair of RHP, junior Conner Curran and senior Brady Wilson, also return after logging significant innings last spring. Sophomore infielder Scott Perry, Clarion-bound outfielder Josh Kirwin, and junior outfielder Hunter Bruner will again be primary run producers (and possibly see mound time) for coach Bill Wilson.

After falling one win short of a state tournament berth in the old 2A last season, the top of the rotation returns for Lakeview in the persons of junior RHP Zack Urey and senior RHP Wyatt Armstrong. Putting down the signals for them will be recently back-on-the-market senior catcher Steven Koskoski, who possesses big time raw power and arm strength to match. Coach Bill Beith will also again turn to Urey and junior infielder Trent Novak for offensive production. Keep an eye on speedy freshman OF/LHP Brett Beith to make an immediate impact for the Sailors.

Three of the four primary pitchers and most of the major run-producers are back for West Middlesex, which fell by a single run to Rocky Grove in the old 1A district title game last year. Junior LHP Chase Staunch is set to reprise his role as staff ace, while senior LHP Dustin Murray and junior RHP Marshall Murray also return after logging double-digit innings. Sophomore 1B/OF Jake Bowen was an on-base machine as a rookie, while senior outfielder Josh Porterfield and outfielder Staunch also help power the offense.

Cochranton welcomes back virtually its entire roster and will feature a senior-laden group in coach Geoff Sanner's first season. The senior trio of LHPs Tyler Freyermuth and Logan Shreve, plus RHP Nat Ross, are slated to log the bulk of the innings. First baseman Freyermuth and utility Ross will anchor the line-up along with senior infielder Peter Jamieson and junior outfielder Cam Snyder.

Wilmington Area welcomes back virtually its entire roster from last season. Senior infielders Reese Bender and Brendan Presnar will again be joined in powering the offense by sophomore outfielders Cameron Marett and Nathaniel Luu, each of whom acquitted himself well as a rookie. Junior RHP Jack Litzenberg and Presnar struggled with command, at times, last year, but return as experienced leaders of coach James Gerimita's pitching staff.

Coming off a 17-5 season, Reynolds has a number of holes to fill on its roster. Three of the Raiders top four innings-eaters graduated, which means coach Bob Foust will turn to senior RHP Grey Deciancio and junior RHP Devin Weaver to pick up more of the workload this spring. Also keep an eye on freshman RHP Garrett Etford to carve out a role for himself. A line-up that graduated five regulars will be led by junior shortstop Noah Fuchs and first baseman DeCiancio.

Following the graduation of nine players, Iroquois coach B.J. Moon will be breaking in a largely inexperienced group this spring. Seniors Zach Laniewicz and Tyler Barone, both 1st-team all-region performers, are among the few who saw significant action last year and will set the tone on offense and on the mound. Sophomore Michael Jackula could also soak up some of the available innings.

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