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Preseason Spotlight: William Penn Charter School (Inter Academic League)

January 8, 2013

By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

Kenny KoploveThe only bad thing about having the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year on your roster is that eventually he will graduate. That is the case for the William Penn Charter Quakers and Head Coach Jon Cross. This past season, SS/RHP Kenny Koplove was selected as Pennsylvania's Gatorade Player of the Year after going 9-2, with a 2.22 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 56.6 innings, and he was a three-time all-state selection who hit .340 with 20 RBIs, 23 runs scored, with 14 walks and 12 stolen bases. Koplove is now a Duke Blue Devil and Cross is left trying to figure out how to replace his production on the mound and in the lineup.

Don't feel too bad for the Quakers. Although they will be young, with only three seniors on the roster, they bring back a talented group of underclassmen that should be hungry to equal or better last year's 25-7 finish.

The Quakers compete in the Inter-Academic League and for a Pennsylvania Independent Schools State Championship on a regular basis. Past Quakers Ruben Amaro (General Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies) and Matt Ryan (quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons) are just a couple of the premier athletes who have spent time at William Penn Charter.

Cross formerly coached at the University of Pennsylvania (2007-2011) and Assistant Coach David Miller coached at William & Mary and Villanova. Miller is a former 1st round draft pick out of Clemson University.

This year's Quaker lineup will be bolstered by a group of underclassmen who saw significant playing time in 2012 and should compete favorably with the top teams in the Inter-AC League. Following is a breakdown of the talent remains to make another run at a league title.

CohenSteven Cohen, SS/2B, Class of 2014
Cohen was a 1st Team Inter-AC League selection in 2012. He finished the season hitting .340 with 10 doubles, two triples and 22 RBI. Cohen is ranked No. 67 in the PA Class of 2014.

Jordan DellaValle, C, Class of 2014
DellaValle was a 2nd Team Inter-AC League selection in 2012. He hit .330 with 10 doubles and 14 RBI. Dellavalle is ranked No. 87 in the PA Class of 2014.

T.J. Pagan, RHP/1B, Class of 2014
Pagan is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound prospect that went 4-1 with 37 strikeouts in 2012. He is ranked No. 56 in the PA Class of 2014.

Zach Kurtz, OF/3B, Class of 2014
Kurtz is a 5-foot-11, 170-pound prospect that hit .344 in 2012 with four doubles and 12 RBI.

Demetrius Isaac, 2B, Class of 2014
Isaac started eight games in 2012 and should help solidify the middle infield in 2013.                                                            
                                                      
Zach WielgusZach Wielgus, LHP, Class of 2015
Wielgus is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound lefty that went 4-2 as a freshman with 26 strikeouts. Wielgus tops out at 84 mph with command of a 73 mph curveball and a 74 mph changeup. Wielgus is ranked No. 6 in the PA Class of 2015.

Gabe Smith, RHP/OF, Class of 2015
Smith is a 5-foot-9, 180-pound RHP/OF who went 3-1 on the mound while also driving in 16 runs at the plate as a freshman. Smith is ranked No. 24 in the PA Class of 2015.      

Kenny Bergmann, OF/C, Class of 2015
Bergman played in 21 games as a freshman. He is versatile and could see action at several positions in 2013.

Send all Pennsylvania recruiting information to PA Director of Scouting - Greg Williams.

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