Maryland Power 25 Countdown: #16 Chesapeake-AA

February 26, 2019
Kyle Campbell
Maryland Scouting Director

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It's hard to believe but the start of the 2019 Maryland high school baseball season is almost here. Every week throughout the season we will release our Power 25, ranking the top twenty-five teams from across the Old Line State. Today we continue our Preseason Power 25 countdown by taking a look at our #16 team, the Chesapeake Cougars from Anne Arundel County. Be sure to stay tuned as we release one team each weekday leading up to the release of our 2019 #1 Preseason Power 25 team on March 19th. Then, on March 20th our PBR Maryland staff will release our final preseason predictions for the upcoming 2019 season.

CHESAPEAKE-AA 2019 SEASON PREVIEW

Head Coach: Ken King (9th Season)
Mascot: Cougars
County: Anne Arundel
MPSSAA Classification: 3A East Section II
2018 Record: 15-7
2018 League Finish: 5th Place
2018 MPSSAA Playoff Run: Lost in the MPSSAA 3A State
Semi-Final to Huntingtown (1-0)
Twitter Handle: @CHSBB19
CLICK HERE to view the Chesapeake-AA Athletics Website
CLICK HERE to view the Chesapeake-AA Baseball Schedule

2019 PBR MD POWER 25 PRESEASON RANK: #16

Returning Starters: 9

Colby Buckheit (Sr.) P/3B
Brandon Goodman (Jr.) INF/C
James Hawkins (Jr.) P/INF
Tommy Lewis (Jr.) P/INF/OF
Mike Mulford (Sr.) OF
Lee Robinson (Sr.) P/INF
Tyler Shadle (Sr.) C
Colton Spangler (Sr.) OF
Dylan Young (Sr.) P/SS

Returning Pitchers: 3

Colby Buckheit (Sr.) P/3B
Lee Robinson (Sr.) P/INF
Dylan Young (Sr.) P/SS

Returning Players with Post-Season / Pre-Season Honors

Colby Buckheit - 2018 All-Anne Arundel County 2nd Team
Tyler Shadle - 2018 All-Anne Arundel County 2nd Team
Colton Spangler - 2018 All-Anne Arundel County 1st Team
Dylan Young - 2018 All-Anne Arundel County 1st Team / 2019 MSABC Preseason All-State

Key Loses

Joe Seidler (Radford University)

Top Newcomers

Reed Matkins
Aaron Oswalt-Coyne

2019 Key Players

Colby Buckheit (Sr.) P/3B
Mike Mulford (Sr.) OF
Lee Robinson (Sr.) P/INF
Tyler Shadle (Sr.) C
Colton Spangler (Sr.) OF
Dylan Young (Sr.) P/SS

Players Signed / Committed to College

Colby Buckheit (2019) - University of Maryland - Eastern Shore
Dylan Young (2019) - Chesapeake College

Season Snapshot

The 2019 Chesapeake-AA baseball team figures to look very similar to last year's squad minus Radford University RHP Joe Seidler. The Cougars return 9 players that saw significant playing time and started for last season's MPSSAA State Semi-Finalist team; three of which will be asked to pull double-duty and anchor this year's staff with the loss of Seidler. Seniors Colby Buckheit, Lee Robinson, and Dylan Young return as dual-guys while Brandon Goodman, James Hawkins, Tommy Lewis, Mike Mulford, Tyler Shadle, and Colton Spangler round out a solid core of returning upperclassmen back from last year's lineup.

Since head coach Ken King's arrival at Chesapeake-AA, the Cougars have been one of the most dominate programs in the MPSSAA, finishing as State Semi-Finalists last season, State Finalists in 2010, 2016, and 2017, and State Champions in 2014. The back-to-back-to-back 3A East Region Champs enter this season once again with a realistic shot of making it four region titles in as many years but you have to imagine they have their sights set on something more. Two heart-breaking one-run losses in the State Championship in back-to-back years and last seasons 1-0 loss in the State Semi-Finals has left a bitter taste in the mouth of everyone. The only thing left to do for the six returning seniors on this year's team to leave their stamp in the Cougar record books as the most successful group to roll through during their time in the program, is to bring home the school's third State Championship (1997, 2014). Look for their seniors leadership and experience in big situations to help guide this 2019 squad and expect to see the Cougars make another run come playoff time.