Conference Preview: Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association
March 14, 2014
By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting
Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association
Returning all-Berks
'14 RHP/IF Joey Cominsky, Hamburg Area (Pittsburgh)
'14 RHP/IF Nick Distasio, Oley Valley (Penn State)
'15 OF Niko Hulsizer, Governor Mifflin
'14 RHP/IF Michael Hunter, Brandywine Heights (Marist)
BCIAA Division I
1st-team | Honorable Mention | |
Daniel Boone | '14 RHP/OF Justin Herring '14 Util/LHP Doug Schilling |
|
Exeter Township | '14 IF/RHP Corey Rowley | |
Governor Mifflin | '15 RHP/3B John Catchmark | '14 RHP/IF Tanner DeLucia (Felician) |
Muhlenburg | '14 IF/P Josh Kline '14 LHP/OF Ty Sassaman (Immaculata) |
'14 OF/P Antoine Galloway '15 1B/OF Brock Stoudt |
Reading | '14 IF/C Francisco Reyes | '14 RHP/IF Zabdiel Parilla |
Wilson | '14 IF Kyle Gaynor (Bloomsburg) | '14 P/OF Doug Kunkle |
- Governor Mifflin features a talented trio of RHP in Catchmark (right), DeLucia, and 6-foot-3, 210-pound '15 Eric Mock. It will be fun to watch the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Hulsizer try to top a sophomore year during which he hit .482 with a .566 OBP. Coach Chris Hole will also call on DeLucia and '14 C/IF Doug McFarland (East Tennessee St) to help generate offense. Two physical youngsters to keep an eye on are '16 IF Hunter Reeser and '17 LHP/1B Austin Baker.
- High hopes abound in Birdsboro, as Daniel Boone sports an intriguing 1-2 punch in '14 RHP Zach Heffner (Indiana U of PA) and the 6-foot-5, 185-pound Herring. '14 OF/RHP Christian Henderson, '16 Util Bryce Stout, and '16 3B/RHP Bryant Schwoyer will spark coach Jason McCord's offense.
- Exeter Township is facing a season during which it must replace six starters from a team that reached the class AAAA state tournament. Rowley, '14 RHP/IF Derrick Jackson (Millersville), '14 OF Andrew Hertzog, and '14 OF Hunter Hart will lead the way for coach Justin Freese.
- A veteran group, led by Reyes and Parilla, that also includes '14 Util Maicol Parilla, '14 1B/RHP Tyler Keller, and '15 RHP Wandy Brito will lead coach Jason Zeigler's speed- and defense-based Reading club.
BCIAA Division II
1st-team | Honorable Mention | |
Berks Catholic | '15 IF Patrick Causa | '15 IF/P Matt Dekker '15 IF Nick Perilli |
Conrad Weiser | '14 RHP/Util David Gerhart | |
Fleetwood Area | '15 OF Tyler Emge | '14 OF/RHP Wes Hawkins '16 OF/RHP Jake Wapinsky '14 RHP/1B Clay Weidemoyer |
Hamburg Area | '14 IF/RHP Ryan Atkinson | '14 OF Austin Bashore '15 IF Robby Henne '14 IF Tyler Seidel |
Schuylkill Valley | '14 IF/RHP Tanner Mish '14 RHP Tyler Rosenberger |
|
Twin Valley | '15 OF Gabe Witmer |
- Following his spring with Fleetwood Area, Wapinsky (right), the only freshman in the division to receive post-season recognition, will represent Team PA at the PBR Future Games over the summer.
- A strong junior class will buoy Berks Catholic this spring. In addition to the three players listed above, '15 OF Franklin Ramirez and '15 IF Emmanuel Lacey (a three-sport athlete who transferred from Daniel Boone) could also have the opportunity to contribute.
- Twin Valley's Witmer (right) used his plus wheels to spearheaded a run for Twin Valley Legion to a runner-up finish in the state tournament and an appearance in the Mid-Atlantic regional.
- With five returning players who garnered post-season recognition, including a potential ace in Cominsky, Hamburg Area should be considered one of the favorites in a division that saw the top four teams all finish within one game of the top spot last spring.
BCIAA Division III
1st-team | Honorable Mention | |
Antietam | '15 RHP/1B Mitch Esser '14 IF Cameron Koller '16 P/IF Ledwin Nunez '14 RHP/IF Jake Wortman |
|
Brandywine Heights | '14 OF Bryce Galczynski | |
Kutztown Area | '16 3B/RHP Kyle Hartman '14 IF Austin Isamoyer '14 Jordan Loeb '15 OF Kody Reichart |
|
Oley Valey | '14 OF/RHP Hunter Renninger (East Stroudsburg) |
'14 3B/RHP Craig Eidle '16 IF/RHP Matt Fisher |
Tulpehocken | '14 OF/RHP Aaron Schneck | '14 OF/LHP Brandon Hartranft '14 LHP/1B Eric Hartranft (Kutztown) '15 RHP/OF Matt Martin |
Wyomissing Area |
- Coach Chris Cole hopes that a healthier season will help his Brandywine Heights club climb back toward the top of the division. Lanky and athletic, Hunter will give the Bullets a chance to win every time he toes the rubber. Galczynski and '15 RHP/IF Bryson Turner (right) will also help the cause.
- Oley Valley looks to repeat this spring with stud two-way performer Distasio leading the way. Renninger, Eidle, and Fisher will join Distasio in the line-up, along with '14 C Damian Mace and '14 1B Ryan Krall (who has garnered attention as a soccer goalie). Coach Rick Harrison's biggest task will be developing arms to fill in the rotation behind Distasio.
- A strong defender, '15 C Ben Carter (left) returns from injury to try to jump-start Wyomissing Area, which lost its one potential returning all-Division performer when '15 Henry Peguero moved out of the area. '15 OF/RHP Scott Kuczala (right) and '14 2B Jay Rosario will also be key position player cogs. 6-foot-2, 190-pound '14 RHP/3B Sean Smith (a three-sport athlete for the Spartans) could develop into the ace of coach Zach Milch's staff.
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