Top players in Pennsylvania

Collegiate Baseball Newspaper released its state-by-state list of top high school baseball players in the Jan. 23 edition.

The Mid-Penn Conference was, to say the least, not well represented.

Of the 66 players mentioned, only two hail from the Mid-Penn. Cedar Cliff senior right-handed pitcher Rennie Parthmore, a Penn State University recruit, made the list as did Waynesboro power-hitting third baseman Jamison Walck.

Last spring, Walck was reduced to courtesy running after injuring his right wrist sliding into base while Parthemore went 2-2 with a 4.12 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 16 walks in 24 innings.

Defending PIAA Class A champion Camp Hill, which returns all but one starter, was without any players on the list despite West Virginia University's interest in catcher Tyler Shover and the dominance ace right-hander Matt Spiegel displayed last year. Both players are now seniors.

Curiously, the team that Camp Hill beat for the state title, Carmichaels, landed two players on the list. Shortstop/right-handed pitcher Chuck Gasti, who took the loss in the state final, and ace pitcher Joby Lapkowicz, who was injured in the state semifinals and missed the championship game, are both on the list.

Phillipy heads to Albany

Trinity tight end Billy Phillipy recently announced his intention to play collegiate football at the University at Albany.

Phillipy told Scout.com on Jan. 3 that he is also considering Navy and Villanova but does not have any official visits lined up.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder led Trinity in receiving yards this fall with 616 on 29 catches with 11 touchdowns. His breakout game came against Palmyra on Oct. 24 when the senior caught five touchdowns in a 48-12 Trinity rout.

Phillipy, a first-team All-Sentinel tight end, burst onto the scene in the Shamrocks' first game against Middletown with 104 receiving yards on four catches and two touchdowns in a 31-14 win Oct. 11.

Trinity's season ended at 7-4 following a 19-15 loss at Middletown in the District 3 Class AA quarterfinals.

Albany, an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision school, won the Northeast Conference and finished its 2008 campaign at 9-3.

It's time for team wrestling

In exactly two weeks from today, the District 3 team wrestling tournament begins with preliminary round action at the site of the higher seeded school. Two nights later the higher seeded teams host the quarterfinals before the semifinals and finals invade Milton Hershey's Spartan Center on Jan. 31.

From there, the top three teams in Class AAA advance to the PIAA tournament while the champion and runner-up in AA move on.

First-round action of the state team tournament is Feb. 3 with the third-place Class AAA team traveling to the runner-up from District 11. The second-seed will head to the District 4 champion and the District 3 winner will wait to wrestle in the quarterfinal round Feb. 6 at Hershey's Giant Center.

In Class AA, the runner-up out of District 3 heads to the survivor of the District 1-12 subregional while the District 3 champion is off until the quarterfinals Feb. 6 at Giant Center.

State finals and consolation finals are all slated for Feb. 7 at Giant Center.

For a closer look at the team and individual tournament calender, click here.

All-Sentinel Offense

Tyler Shover's daunting numbers not only landed the senior quarterback (right) on the Associated Press Class A all-state team, it also earned him a second-straight All-Sentinel Offensive Player of the Year honor.

The entire team can be found below or in the Wednesday, Jan. 7 edition of The Sentinel. The defensive team will run in the coming weeks.

First Team

Player of the Year – Tyler Shover, sr. quarterback, Camp Hill
Quarterback – Jake Zeigler, sr., Mechanicsburg
Running back – Mike Frenette, sr., Cumberland Valley
Fullback – Travis Mease, jr., Carlisle
All-purpose back – Jordan Weber, sr., Camp Hill
Wideout – Ryan Aumiller, sr., Northern
Wideout – Trevor Polly, sr., Camp Hill
Tight end – Billy Phillipy, sr., Trinity
Offensive line – Ethan Mengle, sr., Cumberland Valley
Offensive line – Brandon Morris, sr., Cumberland Valley
Offensive line – Nick Kindler, sr., Trinity
Offensive line – Antonio Myers, sr., Northern
Offensive line – Tyler Bullock, sr., Mechanicsburg
Kicker – Andrew Reiersen, sr., Cumberland Valley

Second Team

Quarterback – Nate Rhodes, sr., Cumberland Valley
Running back – Tarik Leftenant, jr., Mechanicsburg
Fullback – Tank Miller, sr., East Pennsboro
All-purpose back – Dan Yenger, sr., Red Land
Wideout – Josh Shearer, jr., Susquenita
Wideout – Brandon Varner, jr., West Perry
Tight end – Matt Lengel, sr., Cumberland Valley
Offensive line – Matt Couch, sr., East Pennsboro
Offensive line – Todd McMillan, sr., West Perry
Offensive line – Josh Myers, sr., Big Spring
Offensive line – Chuck Turner-Diaz, sr., Camp Hill
Offensive line – Garret Breon, sr., Boiling Springs

Kicker – Jake Warner, jr., Northern