SOL District Class AAAA BB Preview (Opening Round)

Scott Huff takes a look at Monday’s District One AAAA playoff games featuring SOL squads.

By Scott Huff

The intricate calculations are all completed – the final results are in – and the PIAA version of May Madness can commence as nine Suburban One League teams will begin a journey with a Quad-A District One championship as the final destination.

The 24-team field will showcase 12 teams from the ‘North’ end of the district (SOL/PAC-10) and 12 teams from the ‘South’ end of the district (Ches-Mont/Central League/Delaware Valley League). And if recent history is any indication, all you have to really do is be invited to the dance.  Last season Central Bucks South was the very last team to earn a district playoff spot – and the [N-12] seeded Titans are now defending PIAA District One Quad-A champions.

Sure there is an advantage of being a top four seed from the North or South – you receive a bye in the first round.  But as CB South proved last season, it surely isn’t an insurmountable obstacle.  SOL Continental Conference champion Central Bucks East [N-1] earned the top seed, while SOL National Conference champion Neshaminy [N-2] earned the second seed and will open district playoff action as host teams on Wednesday (5/22).

The remainder of the SOL Quad-A field will begin play on Monday (5/20).  That notable list of playoff caliber teams includes

 Central Bucks South [N-5], Council Rock North [N-7], Cheltenham [N-8], Council Rock South [N-9], Pennridge [N-10], Wissahickon [N-11], and North Penn [N-12].

Let the treacherous PIAA Quad-A District One games journey…

First Round PIAA Quad-A District One Games
Monday – May 20, 2013

[N-9] Council Rock South Golden Hawks @ [S-8] Garnet Valley Jaquars

• Winner Gets:  @ [N-1] Central Bucks East (5/22)
• Season Resume:  Council Rock South finished the season in 3^rd place in the SOL National Conference with an 8-6 record, while Garnet Valley finished the season in a tie for 4^th place in the Central League with a 10-6 record.
• Golden Hawk head Coach Ted Kirner says:  “The last two games that we beat Council Rock North and William Tennent were really playoff atmosphere type games.  A loss in either of those games keeps us out of the playoffs.  To get a nine seed with an 8-6 record is a little surprising, I guess, but it just shows you how much parity there is in the area.  You have to respect the game, and you have to respect that any team in this playoff can beat any other team.  Every team has earned the right to be here, and every team can come out of this playoff as district champion.  It is a new season – everyone is 0-0.”

[S-12] West Chester Rustin Golden Knights @ [N-5] Central Bucks South Titans

• Winner Gets:  @ [S-4] Coatesville Red Raiders (5/22)
• Season Resume:  West Chester Rustin finished the season in 3^rd place in the Ches-Mont American Conference with an 11-8 record, while Central Bucks South finished the season in 2^nd place in the SOL Continental Conference with a 10-4 record.
• Titan head coach Mike Schaefer says:  “All I have to do is look at the seniors who played last year to remind them that anyone can win this district playoff.  We were shocked that we made the playoffs last year, and we end up playing our best baseball in the districts and winning the whole thing.  It would have been nice to be a top four seed this year and get that first round bye, but we’re happy with the fact that we earned a home game in the first round. Ricky Dennis has been outstanding all season and Bobby Witteman has been pitching great toward the end of the season.  We’re excited.”

[S-10] Penncrest Lions @ [N-7] Council Rock North Indians

• Winner Gets:  @ [S-2] Unionville Indians (5/22)
• Season Resume:  Penncrest finished the season in a tie for 4^th place in the Central League with a 10-6 record, while Council Rock North finished the season in 2^nd place in the SOL National Conference with a 9-5 record.
• Indian head coach Matt Schram says:  “We will try and do as much research as we can on Penncrest, but in the end, it come down to how your team plays the game.  Who is the hottest team?  Who can execute?  Who is the luckiest?  We had a seven game winning streak that was broken by CR South in the last week – and that might be a good thing.  We are just happy and excited about playing postseason baseball, and we’re very excited about playing a home game.  Penncrest will have about a 45 minute ride to an hour to get here on a Monday afternoon – no thanks to that bus ride.”

[N-11] Wissahickon Trojans @ [S-6] Downingtown West Whippets

• Winner Gets:  @ [N-3] Methacton Warriors (5/22)
• Season Resume:  Wissahickon finished the season in 3rd place in the SOL American Conference with an 8-6 record, while Downingtown West finished the season in 3^rd place in the Ches-Mont National Conference with a 12-7 record.
• Trojan head coach Shannon Gunby says:  “At this time of the year, it comes down to match-ups - teams playing hard – and teams playing the right way.  There are 24 teams left in the district – and every team is going to be a good team.  Central Bucks South proved last year that a 12 seed could be as good as a one seed.  We will throw Randy Frankenfield against Downingtown West – and at 7-0 with a 1.90 ERA, we feel pretty confident.  Last year he beat Garnet Valley 9-2 in the first round, and Randy is such a competitor that we feel like we are going to be competitive in the game.” 

[S-9] Radnor Green Raiders @ [N-8] Cheltenham Panthers

• Winner Gets:  @ [S-1] Strath Haven (5/22)
• Season Resume:  Radnor finished the season in a tie for 4^th place in the Central League with a 10-6 record, while Cheltenham finished the season in 2^nd place in the SOL American Conference with a 10-4 record.
• Head coach Frank Decembrino says:  “This is the first time that Cheltenham has been back in the playoffs since 2008, and to get a home game is huge for our program.  We do what we have to do to get ready for the game, and on paper it looks to be a pretty even game.  The team that comes out more confident and more aggressive is going to win the game.  We are going to pitch Calvin Salazar in the game – and he has been remarkable this season.  He is 6-0 with an ERA of 1.22 – and he wasn’t even a thought as a starter at the beginning of the season.  Injuries put him in that role, and his potential continues to show.  He is getting better and better with every outing.”

[N-12] North Penn Knights @ [S-6] Conestoga Pioneers

• Winner Gets:  @ [N-4] Perkiomen Valley Vikings (5/22)
• Season Resume:  North Penn finished the season in a tie for 3^rd place in the SOL Continental Conference with a 9-5 record, while Conestoga finished in 2^nd place in the Central League with a 12-4 record.
• Knight head coach Kevin Manero says:  “This is the exact position that Central Bucks South was in last year as the # 12 seed – and they are district champions.  The players know that we have as good a chance as any other team, and we have to win the free 90-foot war, which means we must give up very little through things like walks, errors, mental mistakes, etc.  If we can get more than we give in those areas, that is usually very big in a high school baseball game. Every team you are going to play is a good baseball team, and in a single elimination playoff, you can’t have an off day.”

[N-10] Pennridge Rams @ [S-7] Great Valley Patriots

• Winner Gets:  @ [N-2] Neshaminy Redskins (5/22)
• Season Resume:  Pennridge finished the season in a tie for 3^rd place in the SOL Continental Conference with a record of 9-5, while Great Valley finished the season in 2^nd place in the Ches-Mont American Conference with a record of 13-6.
• Ram head coach Tom Nuneviller says:  “Last year our current seniors did not make the playoffs, and that group of players is very excited about getting a chance to play in the playoffs this year.  To win is very simple – pitch well, field well, and get timely hitting.  You can’t give good baseball teams any extra outs, and you have to be able to play under pressure.  We are going to have Evan Myers take the ball for us against Great Valley – and he has been very good as our ‘go-to’ guy all year.  The players worked hard all year to get this chance to play in the playoffs – and now we have that chance.”