2015 PIAA Class AAA Preseason Super 16 Revealed
March 19, 2015
By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting
We are trying something a little different with our team "rankings" this season. Instead of going down a rabbit hole by attempting to order teams from various parts of the state who play against vastly different levels of competition, we are going to try to compare apples to apples a bit more. Each week, we will present the schools we think are in the best position to earn state tournament berths out of their respective districts. Below are our predictions, in bracket order, for how we see the PIAA class AAA state tournament shaping up.
A couple of notes:
1. X-Y under "Berth" = [District]-[Bid]. For example, 3-2 is the runner-up from District III.
2. If multiple districts are listed on one line, those districts will form a sub-regional to determine that bid.
3. Don't kill the messenger. This is a PBR staff effort.
4. If you don't like that your team isn't included, you've got the next three months to prove us wrong!
| Berth | School | Notes |
| 1-1 | Holy Ghost Prep |
Fifteen players, including five Division I commits, return for a Firebirds team that had its season ended by the eventual state champ the past two years (both close, low-scoring games). Line-up and pitching staff are deep and talented. |
| 3-4 | Northeastern |
Under-the-radar state quarterfinalist due to eight regular-season losses by one or two runs. Return most of last year's team, including 4 of 5 primary pitchers. Asst Coach took over for head coach, who resigned three weeks ago. |
| 2-1 | Abington Heights |
Back-to-back district champ returns a big-game pitcher and solid infield in a district that may be more up for grabs that in years past, as no school has an as yet dominant 1-2 rotation punch like the past couple of seasons. |
| 4-1 | Jersey Shore Area |
With the departure of their top three pitchers, the Bulldogs may have come back to the pack a bit, but the benefit of the doubt goes to the four-time defending district champ, which brings back five members of its starting line-up. |
| 11-1 | Tamaqua Area | Back-to-back district champ. Reached state semifinal last year. Return four experienced pitchers and seven starting position players. |
| 3-2 | Middletown Area | A trio of college-bound pitchers, including two who pitched in the Blue Raiders upset of back-to-back state champ West York Area, are back. |
| 12-1 | Archbishop Wood | Last year's district champ aims to repeat with the return of two of its primary pitchers and two-thirds of its line-up. |
| 3-3 | West Perry | Three experienced pitchers, including a bona fide ace, and more than half of the line-up returns for last year's district runner-up. |
| 3-1 | Greencastle-Antrim | Two experienced pitchers, including a bona fide ace, return for a Blue Devils team that ripped off 16 straight wins last year (the last two over eventual state tournament participants) before a stunning 1st round exit from district play. |
| 12-2 | Franklin Towne Charter | The Coyotes welcome back their top three pitchers and seven starting position players from the defending Philadelphia Public League champ, which has reached this point in three of the past four seasons. |
| 5-1/ 6-1 |
Somerset Area | Despite returning only one experienced pitcher, the back-to-back district champ should still have enough in place with the return of five line-up regulars. |
| 7-2 | Montour | The Spartans return three experienced arms, who combined for a better than 3:1 K:BB ratio last spring, and two-thirds of their regular starting line-up. |
| 7-1 | West Allegheny | The defending district champ is the overwhelming favorite to capture its second straight WPIAL crown. The Indians return three college-bound arms and the bulk of their starting line-up. |
| 8-1/ 9-1 |
Punxsutawney Area | The Chucks have earned this state bid every year since the advent of the four-classification system in 2005 (plus the last year of the 3-class system). They will do it again this year. |
| 10-1 | Cathedral Prep | Defending district champ and state semifinalist returns a good chunk of its offense, along with a bona fide ace and young talents ready to assume larger roles. |
| 7-3 | West Mifflin Area | Coming off a first-ever state tournament appearance, the Titans welcome back ten players, including a workhorse on the bump, one of seven who led West Mifflin Legion to an unbeaten regular-season and 4th place finish in the state. |
Other Contenders
District I: Bishop Shanahan, Phoenixville Area, Radnor, Sun Valley, Upper Moreland
District II: Berwick Area, Dallas, North Pocono, Scranton Prep, Valley View, Wyoming Area
District III: Berks Catholic, Bishop McDevitt, Donegal, Lampeter-Strasburg, Northern York, Shippensburg Area, West York Area
District IV: Athens Area, Midd-West, Mifflinburg Area, Skikellamy
District V/VI: Hollidaysburg Area, Huntingdon Area
District VII: Belle Vernon Area, Elizabeth Forward, Hampton, Knoch, Laurel Highlands, New Castle Area, South Fayette, South Park, Thomas Jefferson
District VIII/IX:
District X: General McLane, Grove City, Slippery Rock Area, Warren
District XI: Blue Mountain, Pottsville Area
District XII: Bonner-Prendergast, Nueva Esperanza
Season Preview Schedule
2/27-3/15: District Previews Archive
March 16: PAISAA Preseason Fab Four
March 17: PIAA Class A Preseason Super 16
March 18: PIAA Class AA Preseason Super 16
March 19: PIAA Class AAA Preseason Super 16
March 20: PIAA Class AAAA Preseason Super 16
