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By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

Today we foray into the southwestern corner of the state for the first time in our district preview series, which will run for three 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.

We received inquiries last year 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 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.

[mouse over pics for player names]

PIAA District VII Class A Top Prospects

1. Joe Gunn, 2016, OF, Union Area (Ball State)
2. Christian Fedko, 2017, SS, Vincentian Academy (Connecticut)
3. Jack Anderson, 2018, C, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (Northwestern)
4. Tommy Pellis, 2016, SS, Greensburg Central Catholic (Penn)
5. Louden Conte, 2016, SS/SHP, California Area
6. Jacob Kinsell, 2016, RHP, Carmichaels Area
7. Kyler Fedko, 2018, SS/RHP, Vincentian Academy

[editor's note: post-publication it came to our attention that Anderson transferred to Mars Area and is no longer in class A]

Section 1

A veteran group will look to propel California Area to its fifth straight state tournament appearance, the most recent of which ended in a gut-wrenching nine-inning quarterfinal defeat. Two junior all-section selections -- infielders Johnny DeFranco (.500 AVG, 12 SB) and Nathaniel Luketich (.552 AVG, 12 BB vs 6 K) -- will team with Conte (career .418 AVG w/ 56 SB), senior OF/C Casey Zajicek (career .352 AVG) and junior infielder Alex Adams (.302 AVG, 12 SB) in powering the Trojans offense. Coach Nick Damico's pitching staff will feature returning switch-pitcher (yes, you read that right) Conte (15 IP, 0 BB, 12 K) and junior RHP Drake Johnson (23 IP, 10 BB, 19 K), with reinforcements provided by sophomore Brandon Powell and Luketich, who was unable to pitch last year due to injury.

The backbone of the pitching staff returns for Carmichaels Area in the senior RHP duo of Kinsell, an all-section honoree who made a big velocity jump this off-season, and Michael Ludrosky. Another all-section selection, senior infielder Jacob Wamsley (.401 AVG), returns to pace coach Richard Krause's line-up, which also will feature junior first baseman Joel Spishock (.368 AVG), senior outfielders Darren Krause and Reed Long, and senior DH Tyler Martin.

Other schools and returning all-section players
Bentworth - senior outfielder Hunter Neely, junior pitcher Riley Nickeson
Jefferson-Morgan - none
Mapletown - none
West Greene - none

Section 2

Coming off a season in which it started five underclassmen and still made a run to the state tournament, Serra Catholic has added a pair of senior transfers from Norwin -- third baseman Jason Cerniglia and C/2B Ryan Anselmino -- to a largely intact roster. The sophomore duo of RHP/SS Nate Piontka (.360 AVG) and RHP/1B Ben Visnesky (.350 AVG) will have a significant impact on the mound and at the plate, as will senior RHP/3B Ben Davis (.400 AVG; 22 IP, 1 BB, 32 K). They will be joined in coach Brian Dzurenda's line-up by senior outfielder Noah Kinzer (.308 AVG, 22 SB) and senior C/OF Jake Eged (.298 AVG).

In order to defend its district crown, Greensburg Central Catholic must replace five line-up regulars (four from graduation, one via transfer) and one of the top pitchers in the WPIAL regardless of school size. All-section Pellis (.507 AVG, 12 XBH, 16 BB vs 4 K) and junior second baseman Jack Liberatore (.266 AVG, 11 BB vs 10 K) will form the keystone combo and spark an offense that hopes to get a late-season boost from the return of senior outfielder Scott Riley (.303 AVG) from a broken wrist. First-year coach Nick LoNigro's pitching staff lost more than half its innings, but welcomes back significant contributors in senior LHP J.P. Pellis (18 IP, 8 H, 9 BB, 20 K) and junior RHP Neal McDermott (27.1 IP, 22 H, 14 BB, 32 K), while Liberatore (8.2 IP, 12 H, 5 BB, 11 K) will take on an expanded role.

Other schools and returning all-section players
Clairton - none
Geibel Catholic - none
Jeannette - junior outfielder Michael Pompei
Monessen - none

Section 3

Western Beaver welcomes back three primary pitchers -- senior RHP Adam Brozich, sophomore RHP Jeddy Young, and sophomore LHP Nate Hepler -- from a team that dropped a tight WPIAL quarterfinal to eventual tourney runner-up California Area. The middle infield duo of Brozich and Young, plus outfielder Hepler, join senior infielder Corey Chaffee in anchoring coach Chad Miller's line-up.

The senior double-play duo of shortstop John Nagel and second baseman Steven Klemash will join senior utilityman Drew Zbihley and the all-section duo of junior catcher Derek Littlefield and senior outfielder Martin Tancer in anchoring the line-up for Sewickley Academy. There is a gaping hole atop the rotation for coach Andrew Heck, who will turn to a group that includes junior RHPs Joey Straka and Littlefield, plus senior RHPs Adam Snyder and Nagel, to step up and fill the void.

Eight starters return to a Union Area line-up that has added senior transfer Gunn, who was all-section in AAA last year and could terrorize class A pitching this spring. Also aiding in primary run production will be the senior trio of shortstop Tim Summer, utilityman Cole Gorgacz, and outfielder Garrison Bell, along with sophomore infielder Matt Costello. First-year coach Mike Gunn will have a senior-laden staff at his disposal as well, led by RHPs Randy DeJohn and Logan Schuller, and LHP Evan Torsello.

First-year Rochester Area coach Brian Verrico will be tasked with managing an inexperienced pitching staff that graduated its top two starters and will feature junior RHPs Tyler Vargon and Lucas Mansueti, plus senior RHP Mason Robson. The Rams line-up will be anchored by senior shortstop Hunter Valent, senior OF/1B Zach Smith, outfielder Vargon, second baseman Mansueti, and senior third baseman Mitchell Kilmer.

Other schools and returning all-section players
Aliquippa - none
Quigley Catholic - junior outfielder Matt Evans

Section 4

If Vincentian Academy is to retain its section championship, it will need to replace its one-two combo atop the rotation, both of whom are now on a college roster. Likely to get the first crack at a major role are senior RHP Nick Kempa and senior LHP Mark Cyterski, each of whom logged a decent number of innings last year. Although it has some pieces to replace, coach Paul Quarantillo's offense is a little more settled, with all-section Christian Fedko (.660 AVG, 17 XBH, 16 BB vs 1 K, 11 SB) doing a little bit (well, a lot bit) of everything for the Royals. Returning to aid in primary run production are sophomore infielders Garret Barto (.500 AVG) and Kyler Fedko (.443 AVG), while junior OF/1B Anthony Milicia, a transfer from Seneca Valley, could play his way into a large role as well.

Springdale will sport a senior-laden roster this spring. The offense will be led by  all-section shortstop Alex Pane (.396 AVG, 10 SB) and catcher Zach Simcic (.325 AVG, 16 SB), while coach Jim Hastings will look for increased production from utilityman Andy Armour, first baseman Josh Lepish, and infielder Dante Mahlmeister. Pane (21 IP, 27 H, 9 BB, 17 K) will also front the pitching staff, with the senior RHP trio of Tyler Robbins, Armour, and Lepish all expected to have their roles grow.

Sophomore shortstop Brodey Cowan (.526 AVG, 6 BB vs 1 K, 12 SB) and junior C/Util Jordan Van Thiel (.361 AVG, 8 BB vs 5 K) are the leading returning hitters for a Saint Joseph offense that has five line-up holes to fill. Cowan (28.2 IP, 27 H, 16 BB, 27 K) and Van Thiel (15 IP, 27 H, 1 BB, 12 K) will also be called upon by first-year coach Mike Van Thiel to front a pitching staff that will look for senior RHP Brandon O'Hara and junior RHP Austin O'Hara to log more innings.

Other schools and returning all-section players
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic - senior outfielder Robert Schad
Leechburg Area - none
Riverview - senior infielder Shayne Siebrich

Section 5

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart coach Phil McCarren welcomes back all but two line-up regulars to an offense that should create some havoc on the bases. Primary run production duties will be shouldered by the quintet of junior outfielder Dom Davis (.328 AVG, 13 SB), sophomore 2B/OF Patrick Brogan (.314 AVG, 8 SB), senior shortstop Adam Pace (.255 AVG, 14 SB), junior infielder Dylan Osheka (.291 AVG, 9 SB), and Chatham-bound outfielder Mike Roussey (.344 AVG, 11 SB). Osheka (34.2 IP, 26 H, 10 BB, 26 K) assumes the role of ace following the graduation of the team's other two pitchers to log at least twenty innings, while reinforcements arrived with the transfer of his fellow junior RHP Luke Gapinski from Sto-Rox. Two more junior RHPs -- Tyler Talerico and Matous -- both performed well in limited action last year and should have the opportunity to grab a larger share of the workload.

Bishop Canevin came agonizingly close to a state tournament berth last spring, dropping a one-run game in the WPIAL semis before being ousted in the 3rd-place game. The Crusaders graduated one all-section two-way performer, but return two others in the senior duo of 3B/RHP Justin Dix and OF/RHP Sam Smallhoover. They will be rejoined in the line-up by the middle infield tandem of senior second baseman Austin Liebro and junior shortstop Tyler Lampus. Junior catcher Rocky Rauterkus should get a crack at increased playing time, while Lampus and junior Mitchell Kind look to carve out roles on coach Dale Checketts' pitching staff.

It has been a tough couple of seasons at Cornell, which is looking to pick up its first win since 2013. Freshman RHP/C Hayden Hoffman will join senior RHP/Util Derrik Dillard and sophomore RHP/IF Stefan Blackstone as two-way contributors, while junior RHP Billy Welsh and sophomore infielder Tony Piccolo on a roster for coach Kevin Quigley that is still quite young.

Other schools and returning all-section players
Avella Area - none
Brentwood - senior outfielder Brandon Mayfield
Eden Christian - senior outfielder Dave Williams

Season Preview Schedule

3/2 - PAISAA
3/3 - PIAA District V
3/4 - PIAA District IX
3/5 - PIAA District VI
3/6 - PIAA District IV
3/7 - PIAA District X
3/8 - PIAA District III (Class A & AA)
3/9 - PIAA District VII (Class A)
3/10 - PIAA District VII (Class AA)
3/11 - PIAA District II
3/12 - PIAA District XI
3/13 - PIAA District I (Class A, AA & AAA)
3/14 - PIAA District III (Class AAA)
3/15 - PIAA District VII (Class AAA)
3/16 - PIAA District I (Class AAAA)
3/17 - PIAA District III (Class AAAA)
3/18 - PIAA District VII (Class AAAA)
3/19 - PIAA District XII