From the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"Published: Monday, June 4, 2012, 12:30 a.m.
Updated 8 hours ago
The classifications’ four-round, 16-team tournaments begin today. The quarterfinals are Thursday with the semifinals June 11. The championship games are June 15 at Penn State.
Class AAAA
Defending champion: Conestoga
The favorites: Council Rock South (20-2) enters the PIAA tournament as the second seed from District 1 but remains one of the teams to beat. The Golden Hawks, who advanced to the quarterfinals in 2011, fell to 12th-seeded Central Bucks South (16-6) in the District 1 title game, 2-0, but feature a deep rotation in Brett DeStefano, Brian Donnelly and Jeff Miller, along with West Virginia recruit Billy Fleming, a four-year starter at shortstop.
Seneca Valley (18-4) reached the semifinals last year after winning the District 7 crown but fell to eventual champion Conestoga. The Raiders, led by pitcher Matt Smith (11-1) and five hitters batting over .350 — Sam Fragale, Joe Dorogy, Zach Spangler, Austin Bream and Jason Martin — won their second straight WPIAL title and have higher aspirations this time around.
La Salle College (20-3) convincingly defeated Frankford to win the District 12 title after falling to Neumann Goretti in the Philadelphia Catholic League championship game. The Explorers are trying for their first PIAA title.
The WPIAL: District 7 runner-up Mt. Lebanon (14-9) is making its first PIAA tournament appearance since 2006, when it won the District 7 title and lost in the state quarterfinals to Cathedral Prep. The Blue Devils are paced by Ian Happ (.500, 28 RBI) and Luke Hagy (.382, 15 RBI).
Don’t overlook: Wyoming Valley West (15-1), led by hard-throwing righty Tommy Alexander, has won 14 straight games, including a 4-1 win over Scranton in the District 2 title game last week.
Nazareth (21-4) and pitcher Dan Shepherd defended the District 11 championship last week with a win over Liberty. The Blue Eagles reached the quarterfinals last year.
Prediction: Council Rock South over La Salle College
Class AAA
Defending champion: Northern York
The favorites: WPIAL champion Blackhawk (21-1), which gets a first-round bye because the City League won’t have a representative, is rated fifth in the state in the latest ESPN Powerade rankings, thanks to five straight shutout wins. The Cougars last qualified for the PIAA tournament in 2008, when they lost to Hickory in the first round. Runs have been hard to come by for Blackhawk, evidenced by three straight 1-0 victories in the WPIAL playoffs, but ace Brendan McKay (8-1) made those victories hold up. McKay and catcher Matt Emge are batting over .400.
Jersey Shore (17-2-1) has won back-to-back District 4 titles and could contend for a state title thanks to a strong rotation of Tellef Notevarp (1.28 ERA), Travis Eiswerth (1.56 ERA) and Caleb Barnhart (1.75).
District 2 champion North Pocono (16-1) has won 11 straight, including a 10-0 win over Berwick in the district title game.
The WPIAL: Led by Adam Ferita and Joe Simsic, who are hitting better than .400, Belle Vernon (18-5) has scored almost seven runs per game.
Thomas Jefferson (16-5) will be tested by District 10 champion Warren (16-3) but could earn a rematch with Blackhawk in the quarterfinals. The Cougars edged TJ, 1-0, in 11 innings in the WPIAL semifinals.
Don’t overlook: Neumann-Goretti (18-3) won the Philadelphia Catholic League title and knocked off Philadelphia Electric in the District 12 title game for its third championship in the past four years.
Lampeter-Strasburg (20-6) knocked off top-seeded Hershey, defending PIAA champ Northern York and Twin Valley to win the District 3 title. Punxsutawney (13-4) won its ninth straight District 9 title.
Prediction: Blackhawk over Jersey Shore
Class AA
Defending champion: Riverside
The favorites: Riverside, which won state titles in 2005, ’06 and ’11, failed to defend its WPIAL crown this spring but will take a shot at holding onto its PIAA title. Ian Sutherland leads the Panthers with a .435 average and 22 RBI, while Blaise McCarty has seven wins and 61 strikeouts.
Ellwood City’s Christian Kerns has eight wins this season, including a five-hit victory over Riverside on Wednesday in the WPIAL title game. Greg Linn is batting .451 for the Wolverines.
Springfield Township (15-6) won its second straight District 1 title, as Anthon Scafidi struck out nine in an 8-1 win over Devon Prep.
The WPIAL: Four teams from District 7 qualified: Champion Ellwood City (21-2), Riverside (18-6), South Fayette (15-7) and Shady Side Academy (17-3).
Leading pitcher and hitter Ben Hartz and his Shady Side Academy teammates earned the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL playoffs but lost to Riverside in the semifinals. The Indians will face a stiff challenge in the first round, as District 10 champ Saegertown (22-1) — ranked ninth in the state by ESPN — awaits.
Don’t overlook: In his 39th season, coach Nick Imperioli led Mt. Union (19-3) and its five freshman starters to its 17th District 6 title last week.
District 3 champ Brandywine Heights (15-7) got a ninth-inning walk-off single from Kevin Sell to edge Berks Catholic and win its third district championship in eight years.
Prediction: Springfield Township over Ellwood City
Class A
Defending champion: Serra Catholic
The favorites: WPIAL champion Neshannock (21-2), which last won a state title in 2004, was upset in the PIAA first round last year by Bishop McCourt. Florida State recruit John Sansone hit better than .650 for the second straight season for the Lancers, who also have an ace pitcher in Alex Strittmatter.
Lackawanna Trail (13-3) won the District 2 title, dethroning five-time defending district champion Old Forge, a perennial PIAA contender, 11-5, last week.
Five teams from the 2011 tournament are back this year, including Calvary Christian, Elk County Catholic, Coudersport, Bishop McCourt and Neshannock.
The WPIAL: California (19-1) was dealt its first loss against Neshannock on Wednesday and will be challenged by District 6 champion Altoona (13-5). T.D. Conway leads the Trojans with 10 wins and has a .608 batting average with 33 RBI. California is rated sixth in the state by ESPN.
OLSH (17-6) advanced to the PIAA tournament after some narrow victories, including one-run wins over Beth-Center and Serra Catholic and a 4-2 win over Bentworth in the third-place consolation.
Don’t overlook: Lancaster County Christian (17-2), a second-year merger of Lancaster Christian School and Living World Academy, won its first District 3 title last week.
Despite playing with a torn hamstring, Jordan Lukens went 4 for 4 in leading Calvary Christian to the District 1 title.
Pius X (14-8) knocked off top-seeded Tri-Valley to win the District 11 title.
Prediction: Neshannock over Lackawanna Trail"
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