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By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

Today's look at the WPIAL and District IX in class 4A marks the 15th installment of our season preview content, which will run for four 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.  The number in parenthesis after each header is the number of state tournament bids allotted to that district or sub-region.

We received inquiries in the past 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 recently 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.

District VII (3 bids)

Top Prospects:
1. Dominick Bucko, 2017, OF, Knoch (Kent State)
2. Mike Turconi, 2018, IF, Blackhawk (Wake Forest)
3. Mark Engel, 2017, IF/RHP, Blackhawk (Radford)
4. Trajan Jones, 2018, RHP, Indiana Area
5. Jordan Zilka, 2017, C, Belle Vernon Area (Mercyhurst)
6. Jon Pence, 2017, RHP, Blackhawk
7. Jake Callaway, 2017, 3B/RHP, Belle Vernon Area (Potomac State)
8. Bo Haines, 2018, OF, Ringgold
9. Jake Herrit, 2018, RHP/IF, Knoch (Army)
10. Joey Rock, 2018, LHP, Hopewell

Coming off a WPIAL runner-up finish and state tournament appearance, Blackhawk appears well-positioned to make another strong run. The pitching staff is virtually intact, as senior RHPs Engel and Pence comprise the rotation with junior RHP Andy McClymonds, while Turconi returns as the closer. Engel and Turconi form a stellar left-handed hitting double play combo in a line-up that returns seven upperclass position player starters, including Harford CC-bound outfielder Jimmy Nixon.

A senior-laden roster will power Belle Vernon Area, which graduated just a handful of significant contributors from last spring. An experienced senior RHP quartet of Joel Engstrom, Callaway, Pitt-Greensburg-bound Evan Johnston, and Gannon-bound Deven Judy logged 60% of the staff's innings last year. Another quartet of seniors -- first baseman Tim Labuda, Zilka, outfielder Judy, and Callaway -- will power the offense, with sophomore infielder Joshua Hoffman coming off a solid rookie season as an everyday player.

First-year Knoch coach Sean O'Donnell will be tasked with replacing the horses atop his pitching rotation, a group that led the Knights to a 2015 state title. A veteran offense does return, sparked by the toolsy Bucko and also featuring the power potential of junior catcher Dylan Swarmer, John Carroll-bound infielder Mike McCarty, and senior first baseman P.J. Gourley. Bucko and the 6-foot-3 Gourley will attempt to bolster the pitching staff, along with Herrit, who attacks the zone and exhibits a good feel for a three-pitch mix.

South Park welcomes back a senior-laden roster this spring, with an offense powered by Penn State Behrend-bound third baseman Josh Wagner, outfielder Adam Morris (a Clarion football commit), Alderson Broaddus-bound catcher Bryce Groff, plus junior first baseman Mike Kentzel and junior infielder Tyler Bywalski. Coach Steve Bucci's pitching staff will again feature the RHP duo of senior Kyle Thompson and Bywalski, while sophomore Kevin Vaupel could see his role grow.

A good chunk of a now senior-laden line-up returns for Quaker Valley, including the middle infield tandem of Jack Hendricks and Yender Almanzar, plus the outfield trio of Joey Hess, Collin Jackovic, and Nic Saladino. Hess, Saladino, Hendricks, and senior Clayton Glas will top the pitching staff for coach Dave Bogats, who also has a group of sophomores ready to take advantage of any available opportunities.

Makeover time at Indiana Area, which graduated two-thirds of its regular line-up and its top two pitchers, plus lost a third significant mound contributor who transferred out of state. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Jones will front a pitching staff that otherwise lacks experience and could see senior RHP Tommy Budash and 6-foot-2, 160-pound freshman RHP Alec Petroff assume large roles. The senior duo of OF/C Thomas Budash and IF/C Brayden Lorelli, along with outfielder Jones are the only line-up holdovers for coach Larry Cadile, who welcomes back senior infielder Bobby Bell, an everyday player as a sophomore who missed last season due to injury.

Hopewell will be undergoing its own roster overhaul after losing two-thirds of its line-up and most of its pitching staff, including last season's ace, to graduation or injury. 6-foot-4, 210-pound Rock is the only healthy pitcher with any significant varsity experience, while the junior tandem of catcher Mitch Heranic and OF/IF Tyler Sabo are the lone returnees with more than a smattering of at-bats. Coach Michael Shuleski will ask Heranic to pull double-duty on the mound, while the sophomore duo of RHP/OF Alec Kunzmann and infielder Josh Miklos could earn large roles.

Time to reload for 2016 state tourney qualifier Keystone Oaks, which graduated the five position players who appeared in every game last spring, while junior RHP Jerry Volpe is the lone returner from a trio of pitchers who combined to log 90% of the team's innings.

A big junior class will set the tone for Uniontown Area coach Ken Musko, with RHPs Connor DeMoss and Jeremy Saliba joining senior LHP Aaron Skinner atop the pitching staff depth chart. Also a third baseman, DeMoss and junior shortstop Trent Uphold anchor the left side of the infield and will lead the offense with junior outfielder Kaine Frye and sophomore infielder Wyatt Lepley.

First-year Freeport Area coach Ed Carr will be tasked with rebuilding the Yelowjackets pitching staff, along with a line-up that returns just two regulars: junior outfielder Nevin Decroo and senior OF/IF James Flemm. Senior IF/RHP Tyler Hettich is the leading returning innings-eater and should assume a larger role on offense, while junior transfer IF/RHP Brody Cowan is expected to make a two-way impact. Junior RHP Sean Furlong and RHP Flemm should also log innings.

A pair of two-way performers in toolsy OF/LHP Haines and junior RHP/SS Ryan Varley should help ease first-year Ringgold coach Jim Coulter's transition. Senior catcher Matt Morgan will manage the staff and aid in run production along with junior outfielder Luke Winterbottom and sophomore infielder Kobe Bubash.

Following the departure of six significant contributors, the senior trio of Penn State Behrend-bound shortstop Dom Charletta, his double-play partner Ryan Everly, and catcher Dylan O'Rourke (a Pitt-Greensburg commit), will be tasked with buoying the line-up for Yough, which will also count on junior infielder Scott Houseman to help put runs on the board. With four pitchers graduated, coach Craig Spisak will turn to Everly, sophomore LHP Jarett Bach, and senior LHP Nathaniel Roebuck to soak up the available mound work.

District IX (1 bid)

Top Prospects:
1. Brandon Matthews, 2018, RHP/IF, Punxsutawney Area (Youngstown State)
2. Nathan Beimel, 2019, LHP/1B, St. Marys Area
3. Michael Beimel, 2017, C, St. Marys Area (St. John Fisher)
4. Jeff Wehler, 2017, IF, St. Marys Area (Youngstown State)
5. Tim Beimel, 2018, OF/RHP, St. Marys Area

Punxsutawney Area made it a baker's dozen of consecutive state tournament appearances in 2016 before ultimately bowing out in the state quarterfinals. Coach Mike Dickey will be developing a less experienced roster that normal, but will be able to lean on the gangly, projectable 6-foot-2 Matthews to front the pitching staff and provide production with the bat. Joining Matthews in powering the offense will be the Penn State DuBois-bound duo of second baseman Lucas Burkett and catcher Joey Dipietro.

St. Marys Area coach Tony Azzato can practically reprint his line-up card from last season, as just one contributor departed via graduation. 6-foot-2, 185-pound Nathan Beimel is set to reprise his rookie-year role as staff ace, with junior RHPs Tim Beimel and Jared Groll also back after logging at least 17 innings apiece last spring. Wehler is the engine that makes the offense go, while the trifecta of Beimels, plus junior outfielder Aaron Piccolo and junior infielder Hayden Tettis, will again anchor the line-up.

Season Preview Content