Last year's high school baseball season in the Wyoming Valley Conference showed how small the difference can be between winning and losing.
Hazleton Area narrowly beat Pittston Area to win the Division 1 championship, while Holy Redeemer easily won Division 2. Despite finishing fourth in Division 1, Dallas ended up as the last team standing.
Hazleton Area got knocked out in the first round of the PIAA Class 6A state playoffs. Redeemer didn’t even make it to states as they were beaten by Riverside in the District 2 Class 3A tournament.
As for Dallas, they played for the Class 4A state championship, but just barely. The Mountaineers narrowly won a 3-2 semi-final match against Scranton Prep in the district playoffs.
Hazleton Area, Dallas, and Pittston Area are all expected to compete for the Division 1 title again, while Redeemer is the strong favorite in Division 2. Many other Division 2 teams are making changes this year.
The WVC season starts on Tuesday with an important match — Hazleton Area at Dallas — weather permitting.
DIVISION 1
Berwick
Coach: Eric May
Class: 4A
District 2 titles: 2 (last 2008)
2023 WVC record: 2-12 Div. 1, 8th; 3-18 overall
2023 postseason: D2/4-6A Playoffs – Honesdale L 11-0
Home field: North Berwick Field, Heights Road, Berwick
Key returning players: Seniors – Gabe Evensen; Juniors – Kamdyn Mausteller, Cole Phillips, Luke Sult
Outlook: The team lost their best pitcher and top two hitters to graduation. In 2023, they depended on a mix of seniors and sophomores. Evensen is the only player returning with significant offensive numbers. Phillips pitched the second most innings last season, while Mausteller also pitched some.
Crestwood
Coach: Sean Foley
Class: 5A
District 2 titles: none
2023 WVC record: 5-9 Div. 1, 5th; 11-10 overall
2023 postseason: D2/4-5A Playoffs – Selinsgrove L 12-2
Home field: high school
Key returning players: Seniors – Mason Czpala, Robert Duffy, Trevor Miller, Nathan Stortz, Braiden Wanchisen, Chaz Wright; Junior – Chris Litchofski.
Outlook: The Comets lost their top three pitchers to graduation, but Duffy and Litchkofski do have some experience on the mound. Shortstop Wright, who hit .410 last season and is committed to St. John’s, was an All-WVC selection and is a threat on the bases. Wanchisen also performed well at the plate in 2023.
Dallas
Coach: Mike Viglone
Class: 4A
District 2 titles: 4 (last 2023)
2023 WVC record: 8-6 Div. 1, 4th; 18-8 overall
2023 postseason: D2-4A Playoffs – Tunkhannock W 11-1; Scranton Prep W 3-2; Honesdale W 11-0. PIAA 4A Playoffs – Esperanza W 12-1; Hanover W 6-0; Archbishop Wood W 8-3; Bellefonte Area L 7-1
Home field: high school
Key players: Seniors – Gavin Adamski, Sam Barrouk, Zach Paczewski, JJ Rischawy; Juniors – Dylan Geskey, Jude Nocito; Sophomore – Dominick Zangardi.
Outlook: The Mountaineers, who were runners-up in the Class 4A state championship, lost some talent but still have a lot of returning players. Pitcher Barrouk, a pick for All-WVC, is one of the top pitchers in the WVC. Paczewski, another All-WVC pick, didn’t pitch last season due to an injury. He, along with Adamski, Geskey, and Rischawy, all had batting averages well above .300 in 2023. They just need to fill a few spots.
Hazleton Area
Coach: Russ Canzler
Class: 6A
District 2 titles: 7 (last 2023)
2023 WVC record: 13-1 Div. 1, 1st; 18-5 overall
2023 postseason: In the D2/4-6A Playoffs, Delaware Valley won 5-1 and Williamsport won 8-2. In the PIAA 6A Playoffs, North Penn lost 10-0.
Key returning players: Seniors – Jonas Aponick, Jordan Casterline, Antonio Doganiero, Jamie Martoccio, Richie Rossi; Junior – Nick Ledger; Sophomore – Dominic Marino
Outlook: Brett Antolick, the Times Leader Player of the Year from Texas A&M, graduated. Doganiero (Pitt), Aponick (George Washington), and Casterline will pitch. Ledger, Martoccio, Marino, and Rossi are experienced batters, but the team needs more offense from the bottom of the order.
Pittston Area
Coach: Paul Zaffuto
Class: 5A
District 2 titles: 4 (last 2019)
2023 WVC record: 12-2 Div. 1, 2nd; 18-4 overall
2023 postseason: In the D2/4-5A Playoffs, Shikellamy won 11-0, Wallenpaupack won 8-3, and Selinsgrove lost 5-3 in 8 innings.
Home field: Primary Center, Rock Street, Hughestown
Key returning players: Senior – Drew DeLucca; Juniors – Jake Aftewicz, Silvio Giardina; Sophomore – Elijah Barr
Outlook: The team lost a lot of power, speed, and defense to graduation. Barr, a selection for All-WVC, was an excellent pitcher as a freshman. DeLucca and Aftewicz batted over .300 last season, while Giardina (Lehigh) is back after an injury. Pittston Area will need new players to step up on offense.
Tunkhannock
Coach: Gary Custer
Class: 4A
District 2 titles: 6 (last 2011)
2023 WVC record: 4-10 Div. 1, 6th; 7-14 overall
2023 postseason: In the D2-4A Playoffs, Dallas lost 11-1.
Home field: High school
Key returning players: Seniors – Patrick Munley, Matt Spudis; Junior – Brandon Kozlansky; Sophomores – Collin Gregory, Randall Paxton.
Outlook: Tunkhannock's lineup was dominated by seniors in 2023, so there are many positions to fill. There is very little pitching experience. Munley is an experienced presence in the offense, while Gregory, Kozlansky, and Spudis need to bring more consistency to the attack.
Wilkes-Barre Area
Coach: Matt Skrepenak
Class: 6A
District 2 titles: none
2023 WVC record: 3-11 Div. 1, 7th; 5-16 overall
2023 postseason: In the D2/4-6A Playoffs, Wyoming Valley West won 6-5.
Home field: Hilldale Park, Plains Twp.
Key returning players: Juniors – James Bottger, Logan Sincavage; Sophomores – Koleton Davies, Nathan Fritz, Jake Howe, Alex Hufford
Outlook: The team will be young, but some players have experience from last season. Bottger, Fritz, and Howe pitched last season, with Bottger having the most innings. Sincavage, Davies, and Hufford also played. There are only two seniors on the roster.
Wyoming Valley West
Coach: Mike Petroski
Class: 6A
District 2 titles: 9 (last 2016)
2023 WVC record: 9-5 Div. 1, 3rd; 11-11 overall
2023 postseason: In the D2/4-6A Playoffs, Wilkes-Barre Area won 6-5 and Williamsport lost 11-5.
Home field: Spartan Stadium, North Gates Avenue, Kingston
Key returning players: Seniors – Aaron Klosko, Mason Matello; Juniors – Jake Dubaskas, Dan Escalante, Trevor Klem; Sophomore – D’vonte Rivers
Outlook: Petroski, a Valley West alum, will be aiming to make his mark on the program. Klosko, Matello, and Klem pitched last season. Dubaskas, Escalante, and Rivers bring experience to the team. The offense needs to perform better than last year.
DIVISION 2
Hanover Area
Coach: Todd Kolbicka
Class: 4A
District 2 titles: 3 (last 1994)
2023 WVC record: 7-5 Div. 2, tied 3rd; 10-10 overall
2023 postseason: D2-4A Playoffs – Scranton Prep L 8-7 12 inn.
Home field: high school
Key returning players: Seniors – Brady Fallon, Nick Schiel
Outlook: Hanover Area graduated its top four pitchers, although Schiel did see some limited time on the mound. Likewise, the offense was also hit hard by graduation. The lineup will be young and inexperienced, so reaching last season’s win total will be challenging.
Holy Redeemer
Coach: Ryan Knowles
Class: 3A
District 2 titles: 2 (last 2017)
2023 WVC record: 11-1 Div. 2, 1st; 16-6 overall
2023 postseason: D2-3A Playoffs – Wyoming Seminary W 12-3; Riverside L 7-6
Home field: Gibby Field, Wilkes-Barre
Key returning players: Seniors – Luke Kopec, DJ McDermott; Juniors – Nick Mazzarella, Zach Schultz, Kayden Stevenson; Sophomore – Cody Quaglia
Outlook: Although the Royals lost some quality players, they have a strong group coming back. Kopec was an All-WVC outfielder. Mazzarella, Quaglia and Schultz pitched in a lot of games last year. McDermott will anchor the infield and Stevenson will be behind the plate. The divisional favorite.
Lake-Lehman
Coach: Mike Sholtis
Class: 3A
District 2 titles: 7 (last 2022)
2023 WVC record: 7-5 Div. 2, tied 3rd; 14-9 overall
2023 postseason: D2-3A Playoffs – Lakeland W 5-0; Mid Valley W 9-2; Riverside L 8-5
Home field: high school
Key returning players: Seniors – Jason Jones, Evan Kaiser; Juniors – Sam Finarelli, Jake Naugle, Chris Sholtis
Outlook: Most of the pieces of Lehman’s recent success have departed. Sholtis was an All-WVC performer and Kaiser brings a lot of experience to the field. The pitching needs to be sorted out. Jones, Finarelli and Naugle – in that order – did record some innings last year.
MMI Prep
Coach: Charlie Karchner
Class: A
District 2 titles: 4 (last 2022)
2023 WVC record: 2-10 Div. 2, 7th; 7-14 overall
2023 postseason: D2-A Playoffs – Susquehanna L 2-0
Home field: MMI Athletic Complex, Cedar Street, Freeland
Key returning players: Seniors – Andrew Burns, John Drobnock, Heath Williams, Zach Yenchko; Juniors – Tommy Horvat, Mike Kranyak, Lex Lispi, Nick Pantages, Josh Witner; Sophomore – Caleb Skuba
Outlook: MMI Prep returns plenty of veterans. The top four pitchers – Burns, Drobnock, Williams and Yenchko – will provided plenty of depth on the mound. Burns, Horvat, Witner and Skuba all hit well over .300 last year. Could be one of the better MMI teams in recent years.
Nanticoke Area
Coach: Kevin Ward
Class: 4A
District 2 titles: 4 (last 2004)
2023 WVC record: 8-4 Div. 2, 2nd; 11-10 overall
2023 postseason: D2-4A Playoffs – Valley View L 6-0
Key returning players: Seniors – Ricky Weihbrecht, Brandon Wozniak; Juniors – Derek Miller, Derek Shemanski
Outlook: Ward has the task in his first season of replacing most of the starting lineup and about half the pitching staff. Wozniak led the team in hitting and innings pitched last year. Weihbrecht will also be on the mound. Shemanski and Miller bring some experience to the batting order.
Wyoming Area
Coach: Rob Lemoncelli
Class: 4A
District 2 titles: 2 (last 2022)
2023 WVC record: 4-8 Div. 2, 5th; 4-16 overall
2023 postseason: Did not qualify
Home field: Atlas Field, Erie Avenue, West Pittston
Key returning players: Seniors – Tom Carlin, Colton Krogulski, Brady Noone; Juniors – Anthony DeLucca, Jeremy Layland; Sophomore – Jacob Snyder
Outlook: After a few successful seasons, including playing in the 2021 Class 4A state championship game, Wyoming Area went through a rebuilding phase last year. Carlin pitched the most innings for the Warriors in 2023, while Krogulski and Rusinchak also had time on the mound. Layland and Snyder were among the best hitters.
Wyoming Seminary
Coach: Kevin Miller
Class: 3A
District 2 titles: none
2023 WVC record: 3-9 Div. 2, 6th; 5-12 overall
2023 postseason: D2-3A Playoffs – Holy Redeemer L 12-3
Home field: Nesbitt Stadium, Schuyler Avenue, Kingston
Key returning players: Seniors – Alex Aiello, Ben Fenster, Mike Vodzak, Hayden Vought; Juniors – Colin Donovan, Antek Evan, Teddy Kraus
Outlook: Miller is Seminary’s third coach in as many seasons. He’ll have three experienced pitchers in Aiello, Fenster and Kraus, who led the Blue Knights in innings pitched in 2023. The lineup was rather young last year with only one since-graduated player seeing significant time.
