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By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

and PBR staff

Pennsylvania calls itself a Commonwealth, not a state, which means we like to eschew the norm. Our team rankings aren't a standard Top 25, but rather an effort to predict what everyone is striving for: state tournament berths. 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 update, 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 5A state tournament shaping up. A Watch List for each district is also included, with the teams on it (and undoubtedly a few we overlooked) absolutely in the mix to make the March to Medlar.

Note: X-Y under "Berth" = [District]-[Bid]. For example, 3-2 is the runner-up from District III.

2017 Preseason PIAA Class 5A Super 16

Berth	School	Notes
1-1	Wissahickon	The Trojans have been building up to this for a few years, with a now veteran roster that welcomes back all of its its pitching and seven of nine position player starters
3-3	Cedar Cliff	The bulk of the roster returns for a Colts team that twice was one win away from a state tournament berth last spring. A trio of experienced pitchers who logged nearly 80% of the staff's innings are back, while the offense has a chance to really drive the baseball.
2-1	Wallenpaupack Area	Three college-bound pitchers are a good starting point for the Buckhorns in the first year of the pitch-count era. The line-up also welcomes back seven position player starters.
1-4	Strath Haven	The always competitive and well-coached Panthers welcome back a trio of experienced pitchers, including the staff ace, along with six position players who saw significant action last spring.
12-1	Archbishop Wood	The Vikings are gunning for their fourth straight state tournament appearance after three straight in 3A in the old four-class system. Deep pitching staff likely won't require much run support from a relatively inexperienced offense.
1-3	Marple Newtown	The 2016 class 4A state semifinalist will need to overcome the graduation of the team's two-way sparkplug, but has a pair of college-bound pitchers, a dynamic top-of-the-order table-setter, and some thump in the middle of the line-up.
11-1	Whitehall	The Zephyrs went from one of the smaller schools in the old 4A to one of the largest in the new 5A. Aiding that transition will be a pitching staff that goes five deep with experience from last season.
3-2	Northern York	Dropped a close opening-round district game last spring to the eventual 3A state runner-up. More than half the line-up is back, along with four pitchers who logged 80% of the team's innings.
1-2	Harriton	The Rams welcome back an experienced, senior-laden line-up and return their entire starting rotation that features two college-committed arms and a third that undoubtedly will join them before his prep career ends.
12-2	Franklin Towne Charter	The Coyotes are the overwhelming favorite for this bid, having earned four straight state tournament berths in the old class 3A (and five of the last six) out of the Philadelphia Public League.
3-1	Daniel Boone Area	Fell one win shy of a state berth after dropping a close contest to the eventual district 3A champ in last year's quarterfinals. Senior-laden offense is deep, while pitching staff returns four (including two college commits) who saw significant innings last spring.
7-2	Greater Latrobe	A trio of senior two-way performers highlight the roster for a Wildcats team that fell to the eventual big school WPIAL champ in last year's quarterfinals.
6-1/ 8-1/ 9-1/ 10-1	Hollidaysburg Area	The Golden Tigers feature a physical offense and will be dangerous on the state level, not just in this sub-region, if a talented pitching staff can harness its collective command this spring.
7-3	West Allegheny	Perennial contender welcomes back seven line-up regulars and two college-bound southpaws, while also bringing into the fold one of the top freshman talents in the nation.
7-1	Montour	The Spartans have some holes to fill on offense, but will be able to run three physically imposing Division I-bound pitchers out to the mound.
3-4	Lower Dauphin	Many schools would love to post a 12-8 record and district tourney appearance as the Falcons did in 2016, but the first-round exit and most losses since 2008 qualified as a down year by this program's standards. Nonetheless, the bulk of the roster returns with an experienced pitching staff supported by a veteran offense with speed and power, plus good left-right balance.

Watch List
District I: Radnor, Holy Ghost Prep, Springfield, Bishop Shanahan, Upper Moreland, West Chester East, West Chester Rustin, West Chester Henderson
District II: Wyoming Valley West, Abington Heights, North Pocono, Pittston Area
District III: Red Land, Spring Grove Area, Elizabethtown Area, Manheim Central 
Sub-region VI/VIII/IX/X: Cathedral Prep, DuBois Area, Central Mountain
District VII: North Hills, Chartiers Valley, Franklin Regional, Mars Area
District XI: Southern Lehigh, Blue Mountain
District XII: Archbishop John Carroll, Boys' Latin

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