Conestoga, Pennridge top AAAA district field

Conestoga and Pennridge are the top two seeds in the District 1 Class AAAA baseball playoffs.

The brackets for all four classifications were determined at the seeding meeting last night at Westover Golf Club in West Norriton. The top-seeded teams included the usual powers.

Central League champion Conestoga was the top South seed and will face the winner of Monday's first-round game between Council Rock North and Lower Merion on Wednesday. Pennridge, the Suburban One League National Conference champion, heads the North and will take on the winner of the Owen J. Roberts-Neshaminy game, also on Wednesday.

West Chester East was the South's No. 2 seed and Souderton was seeded second in the North.

East has four Division I college-bound seniors in catcher Bobby Jacobs (Penn State), pitcher David Koczirka (Villanova), pitcher Ryan McCafferty (Georgia Southern) and outfielder Brett DeFelice (Western Carolina). Souderton features staff ace Kyle Greenwalt, a South Carolina-bound righthander who is predicted to go high in next month's major-league draft.

The first three rounds of the Class AAAA playoffs will be played at the home fields of the higher seeds.

The four teams that reach the semifinals on May 29 will advance to the PIAA state playoffs.

In Class AAA, Holy Ghost Prep is the top seed in the North and will play the South's fourth seed, Marple Newtown, next Friday. Sun Valley, a state finalist a year ago, is the South's top seed and will meet the winner of Wednesday's game between Harriton and Lansdale Catholic next Friday.

The two finalists in District 1 will move on to state play in Class AAA.

Lower Moreland and Jenkintown head the Class AA and A fields, respectively. Only the district champion in those classes will continue on to state playoffs.

The rankings are based on a power points format determined by wins and losses along with strength of schedule.

All four classification finals are scheduled for May 31.

District 1 Baseball Playoffs

CLASS AAAA

First round

Monday at the higher seed.

Council Rock North (No. 8 seed, North) vs. Lower Merion (No. 9 seed, South)

Haverford High (5S) vs. Council Rock South (12N)

Interboro (7S) vs. Pennsbury (10N)

Plymouth Whitemarsh (6N) vs. Downingtown West or Downingtown East (11S)

Owen J. Roberts (8S) vs. Neshaminy (9N)

Cheltenham (7N) vs. Chichester (10S)

W.C. Henderson (6S) vs. Hatboro-Horsham (11N)

Second round

Wednesday at the higher seed.

Conestoga (1S) vs. C.R. North or Lower Merion

Harry S Truman (4N) vs. Haverford High or C.R. South

Souderton (2N) vs. Interboro or Pennsbury

Boyertown or Spring-Ford (3S) vs. PW or Downingtown West/East

Pennridge (1N) vs. O.J. Roberts or Neshaminy

Boyertown or Spring-Ford (4S) vs. C.B. East (5N)

West Chester East (2S) vs. Cheltenham or Chichester

Quakertown (3N) vs. Henderson or Hatboro-Horsham

CLASS AAA

First round

Wednesday at the higher seed.

Harriton (5S) vs. Lansdale Catholic (4N)

Quarterfinals

Next Friday at the higher seed.

Holy Ghost Prep (1N) vs. Marple Newtown (4S)

Great Valley (2S) vs. Upper Perkiomen (3N)

Sun Valley (1S) vs. Harriton or Lansdale Catholic

Upper Merion (2N) vs. Oxford (3S)

CLASS AA

Semifinals

May 29 at site to be determined.

Lower Moreland (1) vs. New Hope (4)

St. Pius X (2) vs. Springfield, Montgomery County (3)

CLASS A

First round

Next Friday at the higher seed.

Plumstead Christian (4) vs. Morrisville (5)

Semifinals

May 29 at site to be determined.

Jenkintown (1) vs. Plumstead or Morrisville

Bristol (2) vs. Delco Christian (3)