Appo (2015 record 13-5) – 2015 State Champs. Appo 8th Seed, Knocked off #1 St Marks in 2nd round. Beat Dover, then beat Cape 10-2 in Championship. History – Appo has only 1 losing season in their first 6 seasons in existence, as well as 3 playoff appearances, 2 championship appearances and a state title. Key Losses – OF Julian Kurych (1st Team All State); only 4 Sr’s graduated; Key Returns – P Emir Garrett (2nd Team All State); 2b Brett Willett (2nd Team All State);
Schedule – one of the tougher schedules in the state; 8 games against 2015 playoff teams; 14 games against teams with winning records; 6 of first 8 games against playoff teams.
Overall - Their leader Kurych is gone, but most of the championship team returns in 2016 specifically all their pitchers including their top two starters Garrett & Steckline. Appo was one of the top defensive units last year in addition to being one of the top offensive units. Prediction 15-3, Flight A Champs and high seed in the playoffs.
Middletown (2015 record 10-7) Just missed the playoffs in 2015. History – The last 4 years they have been mediocre being around .500 (2 just under, 2 just over). The 4 years prior to that they were very good. Key Losses – Brennan McAllister 1st All State Catcher and only 2 other seniors lost to graduation. Key Returns – most of starters.
Schedule – One of the toughest schedules in Flight A with 8 games against playoff teams and 14 games against .500 or better teams.
Overall – They lost their best pitcher (Peluse) last year and rumor is he might not be pitching again this year. McCallister was an all star and probably their best hitter. They do return a lot of players and all of the pitching from last year but hitting and pitching was just average last year. Prediction – 11-7, make the playoffs but without pitching could be an early exit.
Mt Pleasant(2015 record 12-6) 2015 #13 seed in the playoffs but lost in first round 10-0 to Hodgson. History – Lost in 1st round the last 2 years straight. They have had 3 straight winning seasons after many losing seasons prior to that. They are 39-15 over that 3 year stretch. Key Losses – Brett Hillsgrove Honorable Mention All State 1b, Mike Forwood Honorable Mention All State Catcher and 4 other seniors. Key Returns – 2 of their 3 starters, Moore and Jump.
Schedule – Jumped up to Flight A this season, but still has a Flight B teams scheduled making their schedule one of the lightest in Flight A.
Overall - Brings back some pitching, should be okay but tough to get 12 wins in Flight A. Prediction – 10-8 right on the playoff bubble.
Wm Penn (2015 record 11-7). Had a decent year and its first winning season since 2007. History – Is improving since its 0-18 2012 season. Winning 3 games in 2013, 9 games in 2014 and 11 games in 2015.
Key Losses – Dizhae Henriquez 1st Team All State 3b; Key Returns - Frank Burton Honorable Mention All state Utility Player, Brandon Dooley 1st Team All State, Zach Burton 2nd Team All State OF
Schedule – Only play 6 playoff teams from 2015, 2 less than the other conference contenders. They have a lot of winnable games on the schedule.
Overall – They lose a top bat and 3b in Henriquez as well as one of their main starters from last year. But they return Burton who pitched in half of the games last year and provided half of the power. Not sure if Dooley will be playing in 2016 with all the injuries. Prediction 10-8 right on playoff bubble.
Newark (2015 record 12-6) Started 2015 2-6, but finished with 10 straight wins just missing the playoffs. History – After being a top team every year through 2009, Newark started struggling 3 of the next 4 seasons. Newark has had 2 straight winning seasons. Key Losses – Joe Burton 1st team All State DH, JT MacDonnell Honorable Mention All State OF and 4 other seniors including most of its pitching (Knight, Stranahan, Burton) and the states leading HR hitter (Burton).
Schedule – Tough schedule with 8 playoff teams from last year.
Overall – lost all of its pitching and its run producers. Prediction 7-11.
Charter (2015 record 9-9). Started 6-1, then went 3-8 to finish the season. History – They have had two straight disappointing season after a great 5 year run prior to that where they made the playoffs three years straight but losing each year in the first round (twice to Appo by 1-run). Key Losses – Kyle Baker Honorable Mention All State SS and 8 additional seniors including both starting pitchers (Berta/Rivera). Key Returns - Carter Lamey who got some playing time on the mound last year.
Schedule – They play 7 teams that made the playoffs last year and 15 teams that had a .500 or better record.
Overall – They lose a top bat in Kyle Baker on a team that only scored 63 runs last year (3.5 per game). They also lost their two top starters from last year. They will have a VERY young team with only a couple of seniors. This could be another tough season and will have to work hard to get to .500 again. Prediction 6-10.
A.I. Dupont (2015 record 7-11). After a 3-1 start, they fell apart in the middle of the season only winning 1 of their next 9 games including a loss to Delcastle. History – A.I. had 10 straight winning seasons and straight playoff appearances before last years 7-11 season. In 2014 they lost a 1-run game to St Marks in the Semi Finals and prior to that in 2010 they lost in the championship game. Key Losses – Nine seniors Hidalgo and one of their starts Pegram. Key Returns - 2 pitchers Donnelly & Ferriola.
Schedule – They only play 6 teams that made the playoffs last year and 13 teams that had a .500 or better record.
Overall – A subpar team from 2015 that lost a lot of seniors including a pitcher and probably their best bat. Not sure this will be the year that they get back to their winning ways. Prediction 6-10.
Concord (2015 record 3-15). Started the season 0-6 including a loss to Friends and scoring no more than 1 run in four of those games. History – Concord has had a pretty good run with winning seasons in 9 of the past 12 including a 17-1 season in 2012. But the bottom fell out in 2015. Key Losses – Six seniors including a big bat in Coughenour. Key Returns - 2 main starters Edelman & Barker.
Schedule – They only play 5 teams that made the playoffs last year and 14 teams that had a .500 or better record.
Overall – They do get back some experience on the mound but they lost a big bat from a team that only scored 63 runs all season. They may win more than 2015 (3 games) but not many more than that. Prediction 5-13.
Delcastle (2015 record 8-10). Finished the season 5-1 to get to 8 wins. History – Delcastle hasn’t had a winning season for a long, long time….but 2015 they got pretty close. Key Losses – Only lose 2 seniors off last years team but one is Reyes, their best pitcher at 4-4 on the season. Key Returns - 2 starters from 2015, Smith & Koelle.
Schedule – They only play 3 teams that made the playoffs last year and only 10 teams that had a .500 or better record.
Overall – They lost their best pitcher and hitter from last year. But with that schedule there are some possible there, but don’t expect them to get 8 wins again. Prediction 4-14.
Schedule – one of the tougher schedules in the state; 8 games against 2015 playoff teams; 14 games against teams with winning records; 6 of first 8 games against playoff teams.
Overall - Their leader Kurych is gone, but most of the championship team returns in 2016 specifically all their pitchers including their top two starters Garrett & Steckline. Appo was one of the top defensive units last year in addition to being one of the top offensive units. Prediction 15-3, Flight A Champs and high seed in the playoffs.
Middletown (2015 record 10-7) Just missed the playoffs in 2015. History – The last 4 years they have been mediocre being around .500 (2 just under, 2 just over). The 4 years prior to that they were very good. Key Losses – Brennan McAllister 1st All State Catcher and only 2 other seniors lost to graduation. Key Returns – most of starters.
Schedule – One of the toughest schedules in Flight A with 8 games against playoff teams and 14 games against .500 or better teams.
Overall – They lost their best pitcher (Peluse) last year and rumor is he might not be pitching again this year. McCallister was an all star and probably their best hitter. They do return a lot of players and all of the pitching from last year but hitting and pitching was just average last year. Prediction – 11-7, make the playoffs but without pitching could be an early exit.
Mt Pleasant(2015 record 12-6) 2015 #13 seed in the playoffs but lost in first round 10-0 to Hodgson. History – Lost in 1st round the last 2 years straight. They have had 3 straight winning seasons after many losing seasons prior to that. They are 39-15 over that 3 year stretch. Key Losses – Brett Hillsgrove Honorable Mention All State 1b, Mike Forwood Honorable Mention All State Catcher and 4 other seniors. Key Returns – 2 of their 3 starters, Moore and Jump.
Schedule – Jumped up to Flight A this season, but still has a Flight B teams scheduled making their schedule one of the lightest in Flight A.
Overall - Brings back some pitching, should be okay but tough to get 12 wins in Flight A. Prediction – 10-8 right on the playoff bubble.
Wm Penn (2015 record 11-7). Had a decent year and its first winning season since 2007. History – Is improving since its 0-18 2012 season. Winning 3 games in 2013, 9 games in 2014 and 11 games in 2015.
Key Losses – Dizhae Henriquez 1st Team All State 3b; Key Returns - Frank Burton Honorable Mention All state Utility Player, Brandon Dooley 1st Team All State, Zach Burton 2nd Team All State OF
Schedule – Only play 6 playoff teams from 2015, 2 less than the other conference contenders. They have a lot of winnable games on the schedule.
Overall – They lose a top bat and 3b in Henriquez as well as one of their main starters from last year. But they return Burton who pitched in half of the games last year and provided half of the power. Not sure if Dooley will be playing in 2016 with all the injuries. Prediction 10-8 right on playoff bubble.
Newark (2015 record 12-6) Started 2015 2-6, but finished with 10 straight wins just missing the playoffs. History – After being a top team every year through 2009, Newark started struggling 3 of the next 4 seasons. Newark has had 2 straight winning seasons. Key Losses – Joe Burton 1st team All State DH, JT MacDonnell Honorable Mention All State OF and 4 other seniors including most of its pitching (Knight, Stranahan, Burton) and the states leading HR hitter (Burton).
Schedule – Tough schedule with 8 playoff teams from last year.
Overall – lost all of its pitching and its run producers. Prediction 7-11.
Charter (2015 record 9-9). Started 6-1, then went 3-8 to finish the season. History – They have had two straight disappointing season after a great 5 year run prior to that where they made the playoffs three years straight but losing each year in the first round (twice to Appo by 1-run). Key Losses – Kyle Baker Honorable Mention All State SS and 8 additional seniors including both starting pitchers (Berta/Rivera). Key Returns - Carter Lamey who got some playing time on the mound last year.
Schedule – They play 7 teams that made the playoffs last year and 15 teams that had a .500 or better record.
Overall – They lose a top bat in Kyle Baker on a team that only scored 63 runs last year (3.5 per game). They also lost their two top starters from last year. They will have a VERY young team with only a couple of seniors. This could be another tough season and will have to work hard to get to .500 again. Prediction 6-10.
A.I. Dupont (2015 record 7-11). After a 3-1 start, they fell apart in the middle of the season only winning 1 of their next 9 games including a loss to Delcastle. History – A.I. had 10 straight winning seasons and straight playoff appearances before last years 7-11 season. In 2014 they lost a 1-run game to St Marks in the Semi Finals and prior to that in 2010 they lost in the championship game. Key Losses – Nine seniors Hidalgo and one of their starts Pegram. Key Returns - 2 pitchers Donnelly & Ferriola.
Schedule – They only play 6 teams that made the playoffs last year and 13 teams that had a .500 or better record.
Overall – A subpar team from 2015 that lost a lot of seniors including a pitcher and probably their best bat. Not sure this will be the year that they get back to their winning ways. Prediction 6-10.
Concord (2015 record 3-15). Started the season 0-6 including a loss to Friends and scoring no more than 1 run in four of those games. History – Concord has had a pretty good run with winning seasons in 9 of the past 12 including a 17-1 season in 2012. But the bottom fell out in 2015. Key Losses – Six seniors including a big bat in Coughenour. Key Returns - 2 main starters Edelman & Barker.
Schedule – They only play 5 teams that made the playoffs last year and 14 teams that had a .500 or better record.
Overall – They do get back some experience on the mound but they lost a big bat from a team that only scored 63 runs all season. They may win more than 2015 (3 games) but not many more than that. Prediction 5-13.
Delcastle (2015 record 8-10). Finished the season 5-1 to get to 8 wins. History – Delcastle hasn’t had a winning season for a long, long time….but 2015 they got pretty close. Key Losses – Only lose 2 seniors off last years team but one is Reyes, their best pitcher at 4-4 on the season. Key Returns - 2 starters from 2015, Smith & Koelle.
Schedule – They only play 3 teams that made the playoffs last year and only 10 teams that had a .500 or better record.
Overall – They lost their best pitcher and hitter from last year. But with that schedule there are some possible there, but don’t expect them to get 8 wins again. Prediction 4-14.
