2015 PIAA Class AAAA Preseason Super 16 Revealed
March 20, 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 AAAA 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 | Spring-Ford |
State semifinalist remains loaded, with three experienced, Division I-bound pitchers and six college-bound line-up stalwarts returning. |
| 3-3 | Governor Mifflin |
A college-bound duo atop the rotation and a senior-laden line-up with seven returning starters put the Mustangs in position to give the BCIAA only its second state bid from this cohort in the last decade...if they can tighten up their defense. |
| 11-1 | Parkland |
Back-to-back district champ returns a bevy of talented arms. Run-scoring has been the Achilles' Heel for the Trojans at this level, but they don't need to score a ton with their staff. |
| 1-3 | Council Rock North |
The Indians will feature a solid starting rotation and an experienced offense that returns six starters, has very good left-right balance, and a number of college-bound members. |
| 2-1/ 4-1 |
Hazleton Area | The Cougars return two Division I-bound arms and two-thirds of the starting line-up from last year's state quarterfinal squad. |
| 3-2 | Cedar Cliff |
More than half of the starting line-up returns for the defending district champs, who have some arms ready to ascend the depth chart and keep the Colts in the mix. |
| 12-1 | La Salle | After winning two of the past three state titles, the defending champs will be breaking in a new head coach and starting rotation, but have plenty of talent in all phases of the game to get back here for the fourth straight year. |
| 1-4 | Pennridge | A deep and experienced line-up and pitching staff return for the Rams, who fell one win short of a state bid last year after reaching the state semifinals in 2013. |
| 3-1 | Hempfield | All but one contributor is back for last year's district runner-up. Pitching staff returns its top three starters, in addition to a high-profile transfer who adds to the Black Knights enviable depth. |
| 1-5 | Penncrest | Three experienced senior arms, including two southpaws atop the rotation, will be supported by a Lions offense that returns eight senior starters. |
| 1-2 | Hatboro-Horsham | A number of college-bound players are among seven returning line-up regulars and a virtually intact pitching staff for a Hatters club that was dominant at times last season (over one seven-game stretch, they allowed four total runs). |
| 12-2 | Central | An ace southpaw and four line-up regulars are back to lead a Lancers club looking to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2009 & 2010. |
| 7-1 | Shaler Area | The bulk of the line-up as well as a strike-throwing duo atop the rotation, including a bona fide ace, are back to power the Titans. |
| 7-3 | Penn-Trafford | Five college-bound position players should provide plenty of run support for a solid Warriors pitching staff. |
| 6-1/ 8-1/ 9-1/ 10-1 |
Central Mountain | The most experienced team among the contenders in this sub-region, the Wildcats return their top four pitchers and seven line-up regulars from a talented squad that was two outs away from winning this berth last year. |
| 7-2 | Bethel Park | The experience of two college-bound pitchers and seven line-up regulars could be what the Black Hawks, who graduated only three players, need to flip the script on six one-run losses from last season. |
Other Contenders
District I: Boyertown Area, Central Bucks South, Conestoga, Garnet Valley, North Penn, Pennsbury, West Chester East [and, based on recent history, any other PAC-10, SOL Continental, or SOL National team that reaches the district tournament]
Sub-Region II/IV: Delaware Valley, Wyoming Valley West
District III: Dallastown Area, Elizabethtown Area, Lower Dauphin
Sub-Region VI/VIII/IX/X: McDowell, Mifflin County, State College Area
District VII: Central Catholic, Fox Chapel Area, Franklin Regional, Hempfield Area, Mt. Lebanon, Plum, Seneca Valley
District XI: Stroudsburg
District XII: George Washington, Father Judge, Frankford
One final (non-baseball) thought. For those of you out there who are interested in socio-economics, there is probably a research paper that can be written, in the context of tracking state baseball tournament berths, about population trends in Pennsylvania. Only four of the 16 berths in this "big school" bracket are from the western half of the state. There were five the last two years, which indicates eastern areas are getting denser and/or western cities are losing people. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to figure out why.
One final (baseball) thought. Happy PIAA Opening Day!
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
