Prep Baseball Report

VHSL Region Preview: Class 1 Regions A & B


John Nolan
Virginia Assistant Director & Content Manager

TPG 6.19

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Welcome to our 2018 Region Previews. In each Region Preview, we will give you a brief rundown on how the realignment has impacted that particular Region. We will highlight top prospects in each Region, as well as some teams to watch during the 2018 season.

Today we begin our Region Previews with a look at Class 1, Regions A and B. These two Regions had made up the 1A East for the last four seasons. Windsor has had a strong run the last few seasons, finishing 2016 as the 1A State Runners-up and winning the 1A East Region in 2017. Stonewall Jackson was the other team to make a 2017 State Tournament appearance, with the Generals finishing as the State Runners-up. With Windsor in the new Region A and Stonewall Jackson in Region B, there will not be a rematch of last year's Region Championship game. Also in Region A is 2016 1A State Champion, Rappahannock. 

The imbalance in the Regions should favor schools in Region B, where only ten schools are competing for two State Tournament slots. Add in the fact that two of the Region B members are magnet schools, and again this favors the other schools in the Region as well. Region A is significantly larger with 17 schools, tying it with Class 6 Region D as the largest Region in the new VHSL alignment.

Region A used power points to seed a twelve team tournament for basketball, so it stands to reason that they will use the same plan for baseball. Points will be awarded throughout the season and the top 12 teams will make the tournament, with the top four getting a bye in the the Region Quarterfinals.

Region B is using power points to seed an eight team Region tournament. Power points will be awarded for in the following manner, 7 for a win against a 1a school, 8 for a win against a 2a, and 9 for a win against a 3a. One point will be awarded for a loss to a 2a school and two points for a loss to a 3a school. All points will be totalled and then divided by the number of games a school played against VHSL opponents to calculate the final power point score. Games against out of state or private school opponents will not earn any points, nor will they count towards the total games number. 

 

Top Prospects in the Region A

Name School Class Position Commitment
Carson Bell Washington & Lee (Montross) 2018 SS/RHP James Madison
Mason Delane Colonial Beach 2019 RHP
Matthew Kleinfelter Lancaster 2019 RHP/3B James Madison
Ryan Mason Chincoteague 2018 RHP Averett
Christian Williams Mathews 2020 LHP


2018 Region A

Eastern Shore Northern Neck Tidewater Tri-Rivers
Chincoteague Colonial Beach Charles City Franklin
Northampton Essex King & Queen Surry County
  Lancaster Mathews Sussex Central
  Northumberland Middlesex Windsor
  Rappahannock West Point  
  Washington & Lee (Montross)    

***Participated in 2017 1a East Region Tournament


Top Prospects in the Region B

Name School Class Position Commitment
Braeson Fulton Riverheads 2020 C James Madison
Christian Hall Central-Lunenberg 2018 RHP
Brett Midkiff Rappahannock County 2019 RHP  
Grant Painter Riverheads 2020 SS James Madison


2018 Region B

Altavista Appomattox Gov School
William Campbell Carver Career Academy
Central-Lunenberg Cumberland
Galileo Stonewall Jackson (Quicksburg)
Rappahannock County Riverheads

***Participated in 2017 1a East Region Tournament

 

Teams to Watch Regions A and B

Altavista
The Colonels made a trip to the Region Semifinals in 2017 before falling one win short of a State Berth. Look for them to threaten to get the rest of the way to the State Tournament in 2018 as Altavista brings back the core of its offense with the return of senior shortstop Jacob Adams and senior outfielder Shyhian Powell. Back to lead the rotation will be junior Braxton Eades.

Chincoteague
The Fighting Ponies missed the 2017 1A East Region tournament and lost lefty Trey Fisher (Old Dominion) to graduation. Senior righthander Ryan Mason (Averett) will be back in 2018 and gives them a shot when he is on the mound. Chincoteague has the potential to have a deep offense with the return of seniors Dustin Holloway and Voshawn Davis and juniors Todd Matthews, Braden Watson, and Matthew Reed. Look for Holloway, Watson, and Matthews to add depth to the rotation as the Fighting Ponies have a roster that is poised for a run in 2018.

Colonial Beach
The Drifters did not make a Region appearance in 2017 but have some key pieces back that will make them dangerous in 2018. Senior Connor Lutz and junior Mason Delane give Colonial Beach one of the best one-two punches on the mound in either Region and will give them a chance to win any time they take the field.

Lancaster
The Devils reached the 1A East semifinals before their season came to an end in 2017. Lancaster made a State Tournament appearance in 2015 so the Devils have history of making playoff runs in the last few years. Lancaster also features the top prospect in the region, junior pitcher and third baseman Matthew Kleinfelter (James Madison). Also back this year for the Devils will be junior Spencer Crittenden and senior Danny Hinson

Mathews
Mathews reached the Region tournament in 2017 and only lost Tyler Thompson and Payton Blake to graduation, bringing the rest of the roster back in 2018. Junior Tyler Moore will lead the pitching staff. The lineup also brings back three All-Region honorees in seniors Jalen Matthews and Ethan Armistead as well as junior Brent Smith. The Blue Devils should be the strongest team in the Tidewater District and stand a good chance to be in the Region A Tournament field in 2018.

Riverheads
The Gladiators lost righthander Ryan Fitzgerald to graduation but they have some young talent in their lineup in sophomores Braeson Fulton (James Madison) and Grant Painter (James Madison). Also back is senior Tyler Smith to add some veteran depth to the lineup. Riverheads just missed a State berth in 2016 and missed the Region tournament in 2017. Look for the Gladiator lineup to be dangerous by the time the Region B tournament gets underway.

West Point
The Pointers did not make a Regional appearance in 2017 but do bring back their top two innings throwers in senior Landon Kelly and junior Hunter Haden. Back on offense will be junior double play combination Carter Upshaw and Walker Rowe. Also helping fill out the top of the order will be fellow junior Noah Lawson

Windsor
The Dukes came up just short of winning the State Championship in 2017 and will be hurt by graduation, losing ace and big bat Hunter Williams (Radford) as well as Trevor Kiser and Greg Ashburn. Windsor will pin its hopes of returning to the State Tournament on a lineup that will bring back senior infielder Davis Powell and senior outfielder Jacob Council.