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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 6A state tournament shaping up. A Watch List for each district is also included, with the teams on it absolutely in the mix to make the March to Medlar.

Note: X-Y under "Berth" = [District]-[Bid]. For example, 7-2 is the runner-up from District VII.

2017 Preseason PIAA Class 6A Super 16

Berth	School	Notes
1-1	Spring-Ford	Tremendous amount of talent on the roster with thirteen committed to college baseball programs, including four Division I-bound pitchers. Offense is loaded with college-bound players as well and should be able to drive the baseball consistently.
11-2	Pocono Mountain East	The Cardinals return an impressive collection of talent on the mound, including a staff ace committed to the defending NCAA Division I national champ, as well as two-thirds of a physical starting line-up.
2-1/ 4-1	Williamsport Area	The Millionaires dropped a close game to the eventual district champ in last year's semifinals, and return virtually the entire roster this season. Two very experienced arms atop the rotation backed by a veteran offense.
1-4	Perkiomen Valley	Vikings dropped two close district tourney games (vs eventual state champ Boyertown Area and eventual state semifinalist Marple Newtown) and welcome back a supremely talented pairing atop the rotation. Line-up has some holes to fill, but may not need to score a ton.
11-1	Parkland	Trojans should be motivated after having string of three straight district titles snapped. Deep staff has three college-bound arms and at least two others who will likely join that group in the next year or two. Solid line-up core returns featuring three college committed players.
3-2	Penn Manor	The Comets have the most polished pitcher in the district atop an experienced staff, although will need to boost offensive production to achieve the post-season success they have had during the regular-season the past two years.
12-1	La Salle	Roster is littered with players who are already committed to college programs or will be by the time their high school careers end. The Explorers feature a deep staff, stud catcher, and an athletic line-up with good left-right balance.
1-3	Boyertown Area	Defending state champ suffered some attrition on the mound and at the plate, but is rarely short on talent in the pipeline. Bears will feature a solid mound trio and, as always, an offense that specializes at putting pressure on the defense.
1-2	Downingtown West	2016 state qualifier graduated one of its three aces, but still has a talented, strike-throwing duo fronting the staff. Offense is deep and disciplined, and features a number of college-bound performers.
12-2	Olney Charter	Like the other Philadelphia Public League 6A contenders, the Trojans have some holes to fill, but return a solid core from a team that captured the first district title for the PPL in decades last spring.
3-1	Cumberland Valley	2016 state semifinalist graduated its staff ace, but still has a solid collection of ams and an offense with the potential to put up some runs.
1-5	Pennridge	Defending district champ welcomes back a quality college-bound tandem atop the rotation as well as a senior-laden offense.
6-1/ 10-1	McDowell	One dozen seniors return looking to defend last season's sub-region championship. Pitching staff is virtually intact, with three who logged significant innings last spring, and another key cog returning from injury.
7-2	Pine-Richland	Rams will roll out three college-bound senior pitchers backed by a talented, albeit somewhat unproven, offense that has four college committed members.
7-1	Canon-McMillan	Was one win away, twice, from a state tournament berth last spring. Talented trio atop the rotation includes one college committed member and two who undoubtedly will as well. Line-up lacks significant senior presence, but has a strong group in the middle classes.
3-3	Dallastown Area	This one may look a little questionable early in the season as the Wildcats persevere without their staff ace (who can also swing the bat) for the first few weeks, but the otherwise unproven staff will be backed by a line-up that returns two-thirds of its starters and is strong in the middle of the diamond.

Watch List
District I: Conestoga, Pennsbury, Neshaminy, North Penn, Hatboro-Horsham, Garnet Valley, Coatesville Area, Souderton Area, Central Bucks South
Sub-region II/IV: Delaware Valley, West Scranton 
District III: Governor Mifflin, Red Lion, Central Dauphin, Warwick, Wilson
Sub-region VI/X: Mifflin County, State College Area, Altoona Area
District VII: Plum, Bethel Park, Butler Area, Norwin, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Penn-Trafford, Hempfield Area, Peters Township 
District XI: Pocono Mountain East, Emmaus, Stroudsburg, Liberty, Freedom
District XII: St. Joseph's Prep, Frankford

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