WPIAL Baseball – 2016 Season Preview

By: Bruce Markey
Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 10:52 AM

Every Monday during the regular season, MSA Sports will rank the Top Ten teams in each of the WPIAL Baseball classifications. We rank the Preseason Top Ten here, along with Players to Watch in each class and teams to beat in each section. Follow the high school baseball campaign with with weekly rankings and daily broadcasts and updated standings before exclusive coverage of the 2016 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs in May only here on the MSA Sports Network.

WPIAL CLASS AAAA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1.     NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS

2.     PLUM MUSTANGS

3.     SHALER TITANS

4.     CANON-McMILLAN BIG MACS

5.     PITTSBURGH CENTRAL CATHOLIC VIKINGS

6.     FOX CHAPEL FOXES

7.     BUTLER GOLDEN TORNADO

8.     SENECA VALLEY RAIDERS

9.     HEMPFIELD SPARTANS

10.   NORWIN KNIGHTS 

WPIAL CLASS AAAA PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Austin Hoffman – Moon
Nathan Kibbie – Butler
Keegan Phillips – North Allegheny
Ryan Okuda – Pine-Richland
Nick Amendola – Norwin
Austin Puskar – Connellsville
Matt Tarabek – Hempfield
Zach Kokoska – Latrobe
Jared Kollar – Latrobe
Eli Hickman – Armstrong
Zane Dudek – Armstrong
Josh Anderson – Fox Chapel
Patrick Monteverde – Fox Chapel
Alex Ficorelli – Shaler
Nick Fugh – Shaler
R.J. Harris – McKeesport
Matthew Frey – Franklin Regional
Luciano Bush – Franklin Regional
Alex Kiriloff – Plum
Ethan Winseburgh – Plum
Tanner Piechnick – Canon-McMillan
Jon Kozarian – Baldwin
Chris Eisel – Baldwin
Eddie Jenkins – Mount Lebanon
Dante Dalesandro – Mount Lebanon
Bo Williams – Bethel Park

WPIAL CLASS AAAA SECTION TEAMS TO BEAT:

Section 1 – North Allegheny Tigers

Section 2 – Hempfield Spartans

Section 3 – Shaler Titans

Section 4 – Plum Mustangs

Section 5 – Canon-McMillan Big Macs

WPIAL CLASS AAA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1.     KNOCH KNIGHTS

2.     MONTOUR SPARTANS

3.     CHARTIERS VALLEY COLTS

4.     HOPEWELL VIKINGS

5.     WEST ALLEGHENY INDIANS

6.     WEST MIFFLIN TITANS

7.     BLACKHAWK COUGARS

8.     MARS FIGHTING PLANETS

9.     SOUTH PARK EAGLES

10.   LAUREL HIGHLANDS MUSTANGS

WPIAL CLASS AAA PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Adam Robinson – Blackhawk
Jimmy Nixon – Blackhawk
Joe Pence – Blackhawk
Joe Gunn – New Castle
Tim Sabo – Hopewell
Scott Hughes – Central Valley
Cole Shaffer – Indiana
Zach Schultz – Indiana
Doug Leighty – Southmoreland
Jared Kristoff – Mount Pleasant
Jeremy Paul – Mount Pleasant
Josh Bauer – Derry
Kailen Grimm – Montour
Frankie Guerra – Montour
Trent Vietmeier – Montour
Cole Horew – Chartiers Valley
Zach Uhazie – Laurel Highlands
Troy Kiper – Laurel Highlands
Jacob Callaway – Belle Vernon
Evan Hannan – Belle Vernon
Mikey Fine – Belle Vernon
Anthony Winkler – South Park
Adam Morris – South Park
Zach Lubick – Deer Lakes
Ryan Petrone – Deer Lakes
Cole Shinsky – Knoch
Dominick Bucko – Knoch
Alex Stobert – Knoch

WPIAL CLASS AAA SECTION TEAMS TO BEAT:

Section 1 – Hopewell Vikings

Section 2 – Indiana Little Indians

Section 3 – Montour Spartans

Section 4 – West Mifflin Titans

Section 5 – Knoch Knights

WPIAL CLASS AA PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1.     NESHANNOCK LANCERS

2.     KEYSTONE OAKS GOLDEN EAGLES

3.     RIVERSIDE PANTHERS

4.     SHADY SIDE ACADEMY INDIANS

5.     QUAKER VALLEY QUAKERS

6.     SETON-LaSALLE REBELS

7.     BROWNSVILLE FALCONS

8.     NEW BRIGHTON LIONS

9.     SHENANGO WILDCATS

10.   AVONWORTH ANTELOPES

WPIAL CLASS AA PLAYERS TO WATCH:

John Medich – Quaker Valley
Nathan Slenska – Avonworth
Brad Herzig – Avonworth
Justyn Francona – New Brighton
R.J. Debo – New Brighton
Sam Miceli – Charleroi
Lane Zekir – Beth-Center
Hunter Robinson – Waynesburg
Devin Fairman – West Shamokin
Eric Yoest – Shady Side Academy
Timmy Ali – Keystone Oaks
Nick Riggle – Keystone Oaks
Jake Seitz – Carlynton
Nico Popa – Seton-LaSalle
Kolby Wolf – Riverside
Jason Dambach – Riverside
Vince Retort – Mohawk
Richie Serigenese – Neshannock
Frank Fraschetti – Neshannock

WPIAL CLASS AA SECTION TEAMS TO BEAT:

Section 1 – Quaker Valley Quakers

Section 2 – Brownsville Falcons

Section 3 – Shady Side Academy Indians

Section 4 – Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

Section 5 – Neshannock Lancers

WPIAL CLASS A PRESEASON TOP TEN:

1.     CALIFORNIA TROJANS

2.     GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC CENTURIONS

3.     SERRA CATHOLIC EAGLES

4.     OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART CHARGERS

5.     VINCENTIAN ACADEMY ROYALS

6.     BISHOP CANEVIN CRUSADERS

7.     BENTWORTH BEARCATS

8.     CARMICHAELS MIGHTY MIKES

9.     CARDINAL WUERL NORTH CATHOLIC TROJANS

10.   WESTERN BEAVER GOLDEN BEAVERS

WPIAL CLASS A PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Nate Luketich – California
John DeFranco – California
Hunter Neely – Bentworth
Riley Nickeson – Bentworth
Jacob Wamsley – Carmichaels
Jacob Kinsell – Carmichaels
Michael Pompei – Greensburg Central Catholic
Derek Littlefield – Sewickley Academy
Martin Tancer – Sewickley Academy
Matt Evans – Quigley Catholic
Christian Fedko – Vincentian Academy
Shayne Siebrich – Riverview
Alex Pane – Springdale
Robert Schad – Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic
Justin Dix – Bishop Canevin
Mitch Taufer – Bishop Canevin
Sam Smallhoover – Bishop Canevin
Dave Williams – Eden Christian
Brandon Mayfield – Brentwood

WPIAL CLASS A SECTION TEAMS TO BEAT:

Section 1 – California Trojans

Section 2 – Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Section 3 – Western Beaver Golden Beavers

Section 4 – Vincentian Academy Royals

Section 5 – Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers