Scott Huff takes a look at the playoff picture for SOL teams in this week’s notebook.
By Scott Huff
Playoffs.
We’re talking playoffs.
We’re talking PIAA District One ‘North’ Quad-A baseball playoffs.
The overall parity in the Suburban One League this season has created an interesting race for the 12 District One playoff slots awarded to the teams from the SOL and PAC-10. The ‘guaranteed’ berths are two teams from the SOL National Conference, two teams from the SOL Continental Conference, one team from the SOL American Conference, and one team from the PAC-10. There are six at large berths determined by the formula found below.
Sharpen your pencil – make sure you have an eraser – here is the formula for determining the seeding for the Quad-A District One teams. This info is straight from the District One website.
- Only conference games count
- 5 points per win
- 1 times the winning % of teams you defeat
- Each time you beat them times 10
- Winning % of the other teams you beat times 5
- Add the three numbers – divide by the number of conference games.
- The result is your seeding score.
That being understood (sure) - here is the ways things shape up today in the Quad-A field in regard to conference standings. Remember, the SOL teams are competing in an eight-team conference with 14 conference games, while the PAC-10 is a ten-team conference with 18 conference games.
- Central Bucks East Patriots (SOL Continental) – 8-1 [.889]
- Neshaminy Redskins (SOL National) – 7-2 [.778]
- Cheltenham Panthers (SOL American) – 7-2 [.778]
- Boyertown Bears (PAC-10) – 9-4 [.692]
- Methacton Warriors (PAC-10) – 9-4 [.692]
- Spring-Ford Rams (PAC-10) – 9-4 [.692]
- Central Bucks South Titans (SOL Continental) – 6-3 [.667]
- North Penn Knights (SOL Continental) – 6-3 [.667]
- Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (SOL Continental) – 5-4 [.556]
- Norristown Eagles (SOL American) – 5-4 [.556]
- Pennridge Rams (SOL Continental) – 5-4 [.556]
- William Tennent Panthers (SOL National) – 5-4 [.556]
- Wissahickon Trojans (SOL American) – 5-4 [.556]
- Council Rock South Golden Hawks (SOL National) – 4-4 [.500]
- Harry S Truman Tigers (SOL National) – 4-5 [.444]
- Pennsbury Falcons (SOL National) – 4-5 [.444]
- Souderton Indians (SOL Continental) – 4-5 [.444]
Central Bucks South knows all about just making sure you get that invite to the playoff field. The Titans earned the 12th and final playoff invitation last year, and CB South took its journey through the playoffs and was eventually crowned District One champions.
“Obviously the goal is to win the league championship, but you just want to make sure that you earn one of those slots in the playoffs,” said Central Bucks South head coach Michael Schaefer. “Sometimes the regular season is just a warm-up for the district playoffs.
“Right now we are playing too much like we did last season,” added Schaefer as the Titans (6-3) are tied with North Penn (6-3) for second place in the SOL Continental Conference behind first place Central Bucks East (8-1). “We lost six of eight starters from last year, but I expected us to be better than we are right now. We have underachieved a little.
“We have two strong pitchers back from last year in Bobby Witteman and Ricky Dennis, and Matt Radwanski has done a good job,” continued Schaefer. “Jon Mullin is a great leader and a great catcher and has carried us offensively
“Last year we lost four in a row before just making the playoffs,” added Schaefer. “Right now we are 6-3 with a chance to play our way into the playoffs again. We have yet to play the way I know we can play, and maybe this year will be a repeat of last year.”
Cheltenham (7-2) is in the unique position of being in second place in the Suburban One League American Conference behind unbeaten Upper Moreland (9-0) but still in the driver’s seat for the only guaranteed Quad-A conference slot. Upper Moreland is a Class AAA team, and the Panthers have the best record of any Quad-A team in the conference.
“We feel good about where we are now, but we also know how quickly it can be taken away from us,” said Cheltenham head coach Frank Decembrino as both Norristown and Wissahickon are just two games behind the Panthers. “There are good teams in our conference right behind us, and it is whoever plays well down the stretch that is going to get into the district playoffs.
“Really, I am blown away with the resiliency of this team,” added Decembrino. “We lost two outstanding pitchers in Matt Lawlor and Matt Myers to injury, and although they can contribute with the bat, we miss them so much on the mound. It has been a remarkable season.
“Jack McGlade, Calvin Salazar, and Mark Heimnan have stepped in and taken the ball for us,” continued Decembrino. “And we have had to shift players around and play out of position, but there has never been a complaint. This has been a true team effort.
“Rafael Fernendez has just accepted to attend Chestnut Hill next season and has played a great shortstop for us this year,” added Decembrnio. “And players like Max Perlstein and Kevin Graham have come up with some outstanding games. Win or lose, this season has been very special.”
Council Rock North finds itself in the battle for district playoff slots in the most competitive Suburban One League National Conference in memory.
“This is the craziest season that I have ever been involved in,” said Council Rock head coach Matt Schram. “The last couple of weeks I am going to have to roll the dice and cross my fingers that I can find the right match-ups. There is so little difference between the teams at the top of the standings and those at the bottom of the standings.
“Everyone knows that pitching is going to determine who ends up winning the league, who ends up in the playoffs, and who misses the playoffs,” added Schram. “It seems that every team in our conference has an excellent #1 and most teams have some depth after that. It is really that wide open.
“We have Brett Newman, Nate English, and Matt Renck throwing well for us,” continued Schram. “And our 3-4-5 hitters – Max German, Tyler Calendar, and Zach Schram – have produced well for us all season. Everyone is going to have to continue to play well if we want to continue to compete for any shot at a championship or a spot in the playoffs.”
Pitching Gems in the SOL
- Brian Maher and Dylan Borawski of North Penn limited Souderton to a single run as the Knights marched to a 3-1 victory over Souderton.
- Dan O’Hara of Souderton pounded the strike zone and collected 14 strikeouts as the Indians won a key conference game over Hatboro-Horsham – 4-3.
- Bryce Mengel of North Penn racked up 8 strikeouts and fired a complete game as the Knights marched to a 7-3 victory over Central Bucks South.
- Randy Frankenfield of Wissahickon was masterful with a complete game performance in a 2-1 victory over Springfield.
- Dan Jacobsen of Upper Dublin fired a seven-inning shutout and allowed just four hits as the Flying Cardinals soared to an 8-0 win over Norristown.
- Brandon Garrett of Pennsbury stopped a five-game William Tennent win streak as the Falcons soared to a 4-3 win over the Panthers. Garrett threw a complete game and had five strikeouts.
- Blair Killough of Central Bucks East threw the first 6.1 innings as the Patriots marched to an 8-3 win over rival Central Bucks West.
- Calvin Salazar of Cheltenhamfired a five-inning complete game as the Panthers mercy-ruled Plymouth Whitemarsh 10-0.
- Justin Andrews of Neshaminy won his fifth game with a loss as the Redskins defeated Truman 5-2. Andrews allowed two earned runs – three hits – and struck out eight Tiger batters enroute to his complete game win.
- Ryan Fleming of Council Rock South threw a complete game with five strikeouts and the Golden Hawks soared to a 4-3 win over Abington.
- Chuck Delagol of William Tennent fired a five-inning complete game as the Panthers mercy-ruled Council Rock North 12-0. Delagol had nine strikeouts and allowed just two hits in his shutout effort.
- Ricky Dennis of Central Bucks South fired a complete game six-hitter as the Titans defeated Pennridge 8-1.
- Jack McGlade of Cheltenham threw a complete game as the Panthers clawed Springfield, 4-1.
- Charlie Hooker of Upper Moreland fired a complete game as the Golden Bears clawed Plymouth Whitemarsh 6-3.
- Jeremy Hefele of William Tennent collected a non-league win as the Panthers mercy-ruled Upper Merion – 10-0.
‘On Deck’ In The Suburban One League
SOL American Conference
Tuesday – April 30, 2013
Norristown Eagles @ Upper Moreland Golden Bears
Cheltenham Panthers @ Upper Dublin Cardinals
Wissahickon Trojans @ Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
Springfield Spartans @ Upper Merion Vikings
Thursday – May 2, 2013
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials @ Upper Merion Vikings
Upper Moreland Golden Bears @ Upper Dublin Cardinals
Cheltenham Panthers @ Wissahickon Trojans
Norristown Eagles @ Springfield Spartans
SOL Continental Conference
Tuesday – April 30, 2013
Souderton Indians @ Central Bucks West Bucks
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters @ Pennridge Rams
Central Bucks South Titans @ Quakertown Panthers
Central Bucks East Patriots @ North Penn Knights
Thursday – May 2, 2013
Central Bucks West Bucks @ Pennridge Rams
Quakertown Panthers @ North Penn Knights
Central Bucks East Patriots @ Souderton Indians
Central Bucks South Titans @ Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
SOL National Conference
Tuesday – April 30, 2013
Bensalem Owls @ William Tennent Panthers
Truman Tigers @ Council Rock North Indians
Abington Ghosts @ Neshaminy Redskins
Council Rock South Golden Hawks @ Pennsbury Falcons
Thursday –May 2, 2013
Bensalem Owls @ Council Rock South Golden Hawks
William Tennent Panthers @ Neshaminy Redskins
Council Rock North Indians @ Pennsbury Falcons
Abington Ghosts @ Truman Tigers
Suburban One Sports.com
Top Ten
1. Central Bucks East Patriots
2. Neshaminy Redskins
3. Central Bucks South Titans
4. North Penn Knights
5. William Tennent Panthers
6. Upper Moreland Golden Bears
7. Council Rock North Indians
8. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
9. Cheltenham Panthers
10. Pennridge Rams
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