WPIAL Baseball – 2011 Season Preview

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, March 28, 2011 | 12:00 AM

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The first pitch of the 2011 WPIAL baseball season is set to be tossed on Friday, March 25th. While there were no state champions from the district in 2010, Pine-Richland, Hopewell, Beaver Falls and Serra Catholic now begin defense of their WPIAL titles. Here is a rundown of the Preseason Top Ten and players to watch in each classification.

WPIAL CLASS AAAA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1) PETERS TOWNSHIP INDIANS (15-7)

2) NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (19-6)

3) PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (20-4)

4) NORWIN KNIGHTS (17-5)

5) UPPER ST. CLAIR PANTHERS (13-7)

6) PITTSBURGH CENTRAL CATHOLIC VIKINGS (12-7)

7) PLUM MUSTANGS (14-6)

8) MOUNT LEBANON BLUE DEVILS (7-12)

9) SHALER TITANS (13-8)

10) BETHEL PARK BLACK HAWKS (8-11)

WPIAL CLASS AAAA PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2011:

Max McDowell – Norwin

Jason Shirley – Norwin

Johnny Leonard – Connellsville

Brian Tougher – Woodland Hills

Russell Clark – Pine-Richland

Zac LaNeve – Pine-Richland

Taylor Schmidt – North Hills

Cody Gaertner – North Allegheny

Tanner Wilt – North Allegheny

Brice Nikithser – North Allegheny

Zack Schramm – Shaler

Ian Happ – Mount Lebanon

Austin Hancock – Peters Township

Brady Sheetz – Peters Township

Justin Bianco – Peters Township

Ryan Minteer – Peters Township

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WPIAL CLASS AAA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1) MOON TIGERS (18-6)

2) TRINITY HILLERS (12-6)

3) HOPEWELL VIKINGS (23-2)

4) CENTRAL VALLEY WARRIORS (na)

5) ELIZABETH FORWARD WARRIORS (21-6)

6) MOUNT PLEASANT VIKINGS (16-6)

7) CHARTIERS VALLEY COLTS (7-11)

8) BLACKHAWK COUGARS (13-8)

9) HAMPTON TALBOTS (9-11)

10) GREENSBURG-SALEM GOLDEN LIONS (13-6)

WPIAL CLASS AAA PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2011:

Matt Emge – Blackhawk

G.J. Senchak – New Castle

Matt Rubino – Hopewell

Logan Urtz – Central Valley

J.R. Deweese – Central Valley

Johnny Rossi – Central Valley

Christian Herstine – Beaver

Brett Hoffman – Moon

Dan Altavilla – Elizabeth Forward

Nick Riotto – Trinity

Anthony Marks – Montour

John O'Neill – Chartiers Valley

Luke Horew – Chartiers Valley

Bryan Leipold – Chartiers Valley

David Kucenic – South Park

Greg Schneider – Thomas Jefferson

Adam Rzepniak – East Allegheny

Carmen Barone – East Allegheny

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WPIAL CLASS AA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1) BURRELL BUCCANEERS (14-6)

2) BISHOP CANEVIN CRUSADERS (12-7)

3) SHADY SIDE ACADEMY INDIANS (18-3)

4) FREEPORT YELLOWJACKETS (15-2)

5) LAUREL SPARTANS (15-5)

6) FREEDOM BULLDOGS (13-6)

7) BEAVER FALLS TIGERS (19-4)

8) BROWNSVILLE FALCONS (11-7)

9) ELLWOOD CITY WOLVERINES (13-8)

10) WAYNESBURG RAIDERS (11-6)

WPIAL CLASS AA PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2011:

Mike DelSardo – Seton-LaSalle

Matt Zerishnek – Bishop Canevin

Derek Lehocky – Freedom

Steve McCaw – Waynesburg

Alex Swauger – Waynesburg

Joe Monica – Waynesburg

Zach Hibbs – Brownsville

Gage Nichols – Brownsville

Julien Anderson – Washington

Tyler Pavan – Burgettstown

Dylan Prutz – Southmoreland

Mark Wesolek – Deer Lakes

Dylan Wolsonovich – Ford City

Danny Russo – Ford City

Dave Yakopec – Burrell

John Fetchko – Freeport

Ben Hartz – Shady Side Academy

Cayman Hoggard – Riverview

Ben Bobick – Steel Valley

Greg Lynn – Ellwood City

Kyle Bonner – New Brighton

Rick Jones – Laurel

Daniel Mioni – Mohawk

Johnny Beatty – Mohawk

Dane Gecina – Shenango

Anthony Kosciuszko – Shenango

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WPIAL CLASS A PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1) SERRA CATHOLIC EAGLES (24-2)

2) NESHANNOCK LANCERS (17-6)

3) CALIFORNIA TROJANS (21-4)

4) BETH-CENTER BULLDOGS (11-6)

5) CARMICHAELS MIGHTY MIKES (7-13)

6) VINCENTIAN ACADEMY ROYALS (14-10)

7) NORTH CATHOLIC TROJANS (6-11)

8) ROCHESTER RAMS (5-11)

9) BENTWORTH BEARCATS (17-4)

10) CORNELL RAIDERS (10-7)

WPIAL CLASS A PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2011:

Matt Sabatini – Beth-Center

Austin Smith – Beth-Center

Mike Bodnar – Beth-Center

Nick Clarke – Carmichaels

Jon Krall – Carmichaels

Dakota Conway – California

T.D. Conway – California

Brandon Kozich – Jefferson-Morgan

Chris Miller – Serra Catholic

Alain Girman – Serra Catholic

Josh Chaussinand – Monessen

Tyler Delval – Bentworth

John Sansone – Neshannock

Chris Tsangaris – Neshannock

Alex Strittmatter – Neshannock

Andre Jones – Union

Alente Johnson – Rochester

Bryan Korzen – Cornell

Zach Chinchilla – Quigley

Adam Dian – Vincentian Academy

Will Hogan – Sewickley Academy

Tags: Beaver Falls, Bentworth, Beth-Center, Bethel Park, Bishop Canevin, Blackhawk, Brownsville, Burrell, California, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, Carmichaels, Central Valley, Chartiers Valley, Elizabeth Forward, Ellwood City, Freedom, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Hampton, Hopewell, North Catholic, Vincentian Academy, Waynesburg Central