2015 WPIAL SOFTBALL PREVIEW

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, March 26, 2015 | 2:09 PM

With a new season upon us and WPIAL section play underway for the select few that have been able to play on their soaked fields, MSA Sports takes a look at some of the softball players and the teams to watch for this 2015 campaign. Obviously, there are a lot of good players who did not crack the below list, but we will be hearing about them and their diamond successes as the campaign rolls on from the chill of March through the heat of late May. Four teams enter the season looking for back-to-back WPIAL softball titles as Shaler, Thomas Jefferson and Beaver (now in AAA) look to repeat while Neshannock shoots for a third straight district title having moved up from Class A to Class AA.

MSA Sports will have weekly rankings every Tuesday during the regular season, plus broadcasts and updated standings daily leading up to our exclusive coverage of the 2015 WPIAL Softball Playoffs sponsored by Carlow University only here on the MSA Sports Network.

Also, don’t miss Hometown Softball Broadcasts during the regular season only here on the MSA Sports Network.

WPIAL CLASS AAAA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1.     SHALER TITANS

2.     CANON-McMILLAN BIG MACS

3.     HEMPFIELD SPARTANS

4.     NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS

5.     LATROBE WILDCATS

6.     PENN-TRAFFORD WARRIORS

7.     BALDWIN HIGHLANDERS

8.     NORWIN KNIGHTS

9.     GATEWAY GATORS

10.   SENECA VALLEY RAIDERS

WPIAL CLASS AAAA PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Ashley Dubovich – Albert Gallatin
Maddy Wensel – Norwin
Christina Skrabak – Norwin
Megan Butler – Connellsville
Taylor Hoffman – Hempfield
Taylor Bartlow – Hempfield
Michaela LeDonne – Hempfield
Meredith Carr – Latrobe
Nicole Smith – Penn-Trafford
Ufuoma Ogagon – Gateway
Cali DiLucente – Gateway
Madison Lewis – Gateway
Angela Buccilli – Franklin Regional
Hannah Adamski – Plum
Jess Neill – Seneca Valley
Haley Dengler – Shaler
Brianna Dobson – Shaler
Madi Beining – North Allegheny
Jaimie Schleicher – Baldwin
Ana Hale – Baldwin
Haley Reid – Bethel Park
Linda Rush – Canon-McMillan
Abby McCartney – Canon-McMillan
Kellyn Perich – Peters Township
 

WPIAL CLASS AAA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1.     BEAVER BOBCATS

2.     THOMAS JEFFERSON JAGUARS

3.     GREENSBURG-SALEM GOLDEN LIONS

4.     SOUTH FAYETTE LIONS

5.     ELIZABETH FORWARD WARRIORS

6.     MARS FIGHTING PLANETS

7.     WEST MIFFLIN TITANS

8.     AMBRIDGE BRIDGERS

9.     KEYSTONE OAKS GOLDEN EAGLES

10.   TRINITY HILLERS

WPIAL CLASS AAA PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Heather Mueller – Ambridge
Kelly Haslett – Ambridge
Casey Farkasovsky – Beaver
Tayven Rousseau – Beaver
Jen Kondracki – Beaver
Ashley Kondracki – Beaver
Heather Barrett – Blackhawk
Bridgette Shaffer – Blackhawk
Jordan Uhling – Central Valley
Nicole Houk – New Castle
Sara Jubas – South Fayette
Marissa France – South Fayette
Ashley Iagnemma – South Fayette
Leah Vith – Montour
Marissa DeClemente – Montour
Candace Drzik – Keystone Oaks
Laura Poliziani – Keystone Oaks
Lauren McMillan – Keystone Oaks
Marla Kirkpatrick – West Allegheny
Olivia Gray – Trinity
Delaney Elling – Trinity
Alyssa Cairns – West Mifflin
Nicole Ashcraft – Belle Vernon
Rachael Bowers – Thomas Jefferson
Lacie Lautner – Thomas Jefferson
Caitlyn Arico – Elizabeth Forward
Lexi Ribarchak – Elizabeth Forward
Vanessa Falce – McKeesport
Allie Harvey – Yough
Brianna Brunner – Southmoreland
Lauren McLaughlin – Greensburg-Salem
Claire Oberdorf – Greensburg-Salem
Victoria Forsythe – Uniontown
Leighlyn Guthrie – Uniontown
Haley Wedon – Derry
Rachel Pletz – Hampton
Olivia Graff – Highlands
Adrian Smith – Indiana
Niki Schlegel – Mars
 

WPIAL CLASS AA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1.     DEER LAKES LANCERS

2.     NESHANNOCK LANCERS

3.     SETON-LaSALLE REBELS

4.     BURGETTSTOWN BLUE DEVILS

5.     ELLWOOD CITY WOLVERINES

6.     CHARLEROI COUGARS

7.     STEEL VALLEY IRONMEN

8.     SOUTH ALLEGHENY GLADIATORS

9.     WAYNESBURG RAIDERS

10.   RIVERSIDE PANTHERS

WPIAL CLASS AA PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Jordan Melko – Carlynton
Elaina Tkaczenko – Avonworth
Caley Ritts – Burgettstown
Sami Scopel – Burgettstown
Cassie Carnes – Burgettstown
Morgan Ellek – Burgettstown
Katie Tarr – Burgettstown
Natalie Graff – Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Taylor DiPerna – Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Connor McGaffic – South Side Beaver
Cheyenne Seik – South Side Beaver
Aubree Yates – Bentworth
Casey Hite – Bentworth
Abby Gustovich – Beth-Center
Allie Lint – Brownsville
Morgan Riley – Charleroi
Jen Tilghman – Charleroi
Sammie Weiss – McGuffey
Hannah Gibbons – Waynesburg
Emma Lowry – Carmichaels
Erica Burns – Carmichaels
Sarah Blinn – Deer Lakes
Katie Gozzard – Deer Lakes
Maureen Hutchinson – Deer Lakes
Tiffany Edwards – Deer Lakes
Jessica Kelley – Freeport
Morgan McCarthy – Freeport
Lexi Turek – Ford City
Abby Nitkowski – Burrell
Alyssa Ruffini – Valley
Danielle Dadig – Seton-LaSalle
Lauren Zola – Seton-LaSalle
Chelsea Rohan – Steel Valley
Maddie Cotter – Steel Valley
Spencer Lawson – South Allegheny
Brenna Pribanic – South Allegheny
Marissa Kirkwood – Neshannock
Marissa DeMatteo – Neshannock
Cassidy Burrelli – Neshannock
Madison Shaffer – Neshannock
Laurel Stiles – Ellwood City
Susie Blyth – Ellwood City
Sam Carr – Mohawk
Leah Woytek – Mohawk
Logan Snyder – Riverside
Jaelyn Kirby – New Brighton
Kristen Fedrizzi – Laurel

WPIAL CLASS A PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1.     CHARTIERS-HOUSTON BUCCANEERS

2.     JEFFERSON-MORGAN ROCKETS

3.     SHENANGO WILDCATS

4.     SEWICKLEY ACADEMY PANTHERS

5.     GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC CENTURIONS

6.     RIVERVIEW RAIDERS

7.     BISHOP CANEVIN CRUSADERS

8.     WEST GREENE PIONEERS

9.     LEECHBURG BLUE DEVILS

10.   JEANNETTE JAYHAWKS

WPIAL CLASS A PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Megan Kraushaar – Chartiers-Houston
Kassie Kesneck – Chartiers-Houston
Reagan Rush – Jefferson-Morgan
Madison Ludrosky – Jefferson-Morgan
Camryn Dugan – Jefferson-Morgan
Bailey Bennington – West Greene
Carolyn Appleby – Greeensburg Central Catholic
Monica Joseph – Frazier
Cara Grogan – Monessen
Scarlett Stein – Jeannette
Tayjah White – Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic
Kelsey Hunter – Vincentian Academy
Miranda Reesman – Leechburg
Hannah Larkin – Riverview
Sadie Buscher – Riverview
Shannon Franks – Springdale
LaSha Clark – Union
Alyssa White – Shenango
Macy Rubin – Shenango
Sarah Manzinger – Sewickley Academy
Olivia Henry – Sewickley Academy
Chandler White – Sewickley Academy
Savannah Henry – Sewickley Academy
Alexandra Taylor – Serra Catholic
Lexi Pilch – Bishop Canevin
Kylee Sonson – Bishop Canevin