2022 MPSSAA 1A Season Preview
March 23, 2022
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Our 2022 Season Preview continues today with our preview of the MPSSAA 1A in Maryland. We will dive into key players and prospects to watch, as well as make our predictions on who we believe will win each region.
MIAA "A" Conference Preview Part 1
MIAA "A" Conference Preview Part 2
MIAA "B" Conference Preview
WCAC Preview
IAC Preview
Lets take a look into the 1A…
2021 Recap
Last season, the 1A State Championship game was played between two perennial programs with the Catoctin Cougars locking horns with the St. Michael's Saints. Both teams were pretty evenly matched, with Catoctin gaining momentum towards the end of the season. The story of this game was defensive mishaps from St. Michael's and a big three run homerun from 2022 catcher Dylan Nicholson. The Saints couldn't really get anything going consistently at the plate, as the Cougars continued to pile on runs throughout. Catoctin went on to win it 10-3 to claim their second state title and first since 2013.
This season, the 1A classification is strong at the top, with the 1A West and 1A East producing top notch players throughout. In our Preseason Power 25, we have five 1A schools in our rankings, with defending State Champion Catoctin headlining the list. Will Catoctin repeat? We break it all down here.
2022 Preview
Players to Watch
| Player | Position | High School | Year |
| Austin Glessner | LHP | Colonel Richardson | 2022 |
| Blake Kellerman | RHP | Boonsboro | 2022 |
| Brayden Stutzman | RHP | South Carroll | 2022 |
| Brenner Gursky | C | Snow Hill | 2022 |
| Cody Rinehart | SS | Boonsboro | 2022 |
| Colby Heiser | RHP/3B | Snow Hill | 2022 |
| Cole Swift | RHP/INF | Snow Hill | 2023 |
| Dalton Williams | RHP/OF | Catoctin | 2022 |
| Dawson Kehr | RHP/INF | Clear Spring | 2024 |
| Dylan Nicholson | C | Catoctin | 2022 |
| Dyllon Zachry-Nance | RHP/OF | Havre de Grace | 2024 |
| Evan Weaver | RHP/C | Boonsboro | 2022 |
| Gavin McIntyre | LHP/OF | Washington | 2023 |
| Griffin Madden | RHP/1B | Allegany | 2023 |
| Hunter Rose | RHP/SS | Cambridge-SD | 2023 |
| Hunter Wolfe | INF | Colonel Richardson | 2022 |
| Hutson Trobaugh | OF/LHP | Clear Spring | 2023 |
| Isaac Upole | LHP/1B | Southern Garrett | 2022 |
| Jacob Holler | RHP/OF | Boomsboro | 2022 |
| Jacob Seek | LHP | St. Michael's | 2024 |
| Joey McMannis | RHP/CIF | Catoctin | 2023 |
| Josh Sherwood | RHP/SS | St. Michael's | 2022 |
| Kannon Shives | SS/RHP | Clear Spring | 2025 |
| Logan Simanski | RHP/INF | Catoctin | 2022 |
| Luke Barnes | C | Smithsburg | 2022 |
| Luke McVicker | RHP | Williamsport | 2022 |
| Mason Salisbury | RHP/OF | Perryville | 2022 |
| Matt Gostomski | C | St. Michael's | 2022 |
| Noland Genies | RHP | Brunswick | 2022 |
| Oliver Ellison | RHP/SS | Brunswick | 2023 |
| Reed Gordon | OF | Boonsboro | 2022 |
| Stacey Fisher | MIF | Mardela | 2023 |
| Taylor Blevins | C/RHP | Havre de Grace | 2024 |
| Teegan Murphy | 1B | St. Michael's | 2022 |
Region Breakdown
1A West
| Region I | Region II |
| Allegany | Boonsboro |
| Fort Hill | Brunswick |
| Mountain Ridge | Catoctin |
| Northern Garrett | Clear Spring |
| Southern Garrett | Hancock |
| Smithsburg | |
| Williamsport |
Notes
Northern Garrett defeated Allegany last season in the Regional championship game, but lose a plethora of players from last years team to graduation. Allegany on the other hand returns two-way standout Griffin Madden (James Madison) and uncommitted Junior two-way Alexander Kennell. Look for Allegany to utilize their pitching depth and leadership at the top to be the front runner in this region... Southern Garrett looks to be the biggest challenge for the Campers, with lefty Isaac Upole (West Virginia) back for his Senior season and leading the Rams both on the bump and at the dish... Mountain Ridge is intriguing, due to the fact that they return a plethora of upperclassman, led by two-way Senior Bryce Snyder. Look for this region to stay competitive throughout, but we look for Allegany to avenge their regional championship loss this season.
Region II is loaded with talented players throughout, especially the arms. Catoctin is coming off a State Championship run where they were dominate on the mound and found ways to get it done on at the dish. The Cougars return a slew of arms, led by Joey McMannis (Maryland), Dalton Williams (High Point), Peyton Castellow and Logan Simanski, among a plethora of underclassmen arms hungry to provide depth in the rotation. McMannis, Williams, Simanski, Noland Kinna, and Dylan Nicholson all look to lead the offensive onslaught with power spread throughout... Boonsboro is very intriguing both on the bump and at the dish. Look for Jacob Holler (Frederick CC), Blake Kellerman (West Virginia State), and Evan Weaver (West Virginia State) to lead the Warriors on the mound. The offense also returns key pieces in Holler, Weaver, Reed Gordon, Cody Rinehart (West Virginia State), and Matthew Koeneke... Brunswick is another team loaded with arms led by Junior righty Oliver Ellison (Coastal Carolina) and Senior Noland Genies (UMES). The offense has some key pieces coming back, but the Brunswick arms will look to carry this team all year long... Clear Spring will be an under the radar team that has a ton of key pieces on this 2022 squad. On the bump, Sophomore Dawson Kehr, Freshman Kannon Shives, and Junior transfer Hutson Trobaugh (Radford) will lead the way, with depth provided by Senior leader Clayton Boyer. Keep your eyes on Coleman Bragunier, Logan Helser and Damien Pittsnogle to lead the offense, with depth provided by two-ways Kehr, Shives, and Trobaugh... Smithsburg will look to compete led by Luke Barnes (Shelton State CC) and Cole McKeever... Williamsport boasts standout Senior Luke McVicker (Salisbury) on the bump, and look to have a bounce back year in 2022. This Region is obviously loaded with talent, with multiple teams vying for a region championship and beyond. We will go with Catoctin to repeat for now, but they will not by any means have an easy road.
Top 4
1. Catoctin
2. Clear Spring
3. Boonsboro
4. Brunswick
1A North
| Region I | Region II |
| Benjamin Franklin | ACCE |
| Francis Scott Key | Coppin Academy |
| Loch Raven | Edmondson-Westside |
| Pikesville | Forest Park |
| South Carroll | Frederick Douglass |
| Western STES | Lake Clifton |
| New Era Academy | |
| Reginald Lewis |
Notes
Region I looks completely different from just a year ago. Francis Scott Key, South Carroll and Benjamin Franklin enter the region and look to compete for a regional championship. On paper, South Carroll looks to be the deepest and most talented team, led by righty Brayden Stutzman (Wilson). The Cavaliers have returning Senior leaders on both sides of the ball, with intriguing underclassmen looking to provide a spark... Look for Pikesville and a scrappy Francis Scott Key team to compete with South Carroll for the region title, but we're going to go with the Cavaliers to roll through this region.
Region II may be up in the air this year, as Frederick Douglass was the only team to put a team into the postseason last year. Forest Park has been historically solid, so we look for a matchup between those two in the regional championship game this season. We're not going to rock the boat on this one as we're going with Frederick Douglass to repeat and move on.
Top 4
1. South Carroll
2. Pikesville
3. Frederick Douglass
4. Francis Scott Key
1A South
| Region I | Region II |
| Bohemia Manor | Central-PG |
| Havre de Grace | CMIT North |
| Joppatowne | Crossland |
| Patterson Mill | International School at Langley Park |
| Perryville | International School at Largo |
| Largo | |
| Surrattsville |
Notes
Region I looks to be a toss up this year, as all five teams are very young. Patterson Mill is a perennial powerhouse, but lose a plethora of starters including two-way standout Christian Shertzer (Frostburg State). They do however return Junior Ethan Shertzer and Sophomore Michael Hemelt on both sides of the ball, and are very well coached with a winning mindset... Havre de Grace will be intriguing this season as their roster is also extremely young and inexperienced, but talented. Names to keep an eye on are Dyllon Zachry-Nance and Taylor Blevins on both sides of the ball, with other Sophomore's to watch throughout the season... Perryville's Mason Salisbury (Hood) is the top arm to see in the region. With the region so spread out and numerous teams with a shot this year, we're going to go with our gut and take Patterson Mill to repeat.
This year, Friendly, McDonough and Gwynn Park all move to 2A, leaving a wide open 1A South Region II this season. With not a ton of information on these teams, we'll pick the team that stays in the region and participated in the postseason last year in Surrattsville to win it this year.
Top 4
1. Patterson Mill
2. Havre de Grace
3. Perryville
4. Bohemia Manor
1A East
| Region I | Region II |
| Cambridge-South Dorchester | Crisfield |
| Colonel Richardson |
Mardela |
| Kent County | Pocomoke |
| North Dorchester | Snow Hill |
| St. Michael's | Washington |
Notes
The 1A East Region I will be very intriguing to watch throughout the 2022 season, with two perennial powerhouse teams in St. Michael's and Colonel Richardson back in the same region with the new realignment. Both teams have key pieces on both sides of the ball, and return numerous starters from just a year ago. St. Michael's enters 2022 as one of the most motivated squads across the Old Line State after falling to Catoctin in the State Championship game last season. St. Michael's returns a slew of talented arms, led by Sophomore Jacob Seek (Maryland), Senior Josh Sherwood, and Junior Ethan Rash. Keep an eye on Sophomore lefty Anthony Massaro to also add depth to the rotation behind the horses of Seek, Sherwood, and Rash. Offensively, the Saints will be led by the likes of Matt Gostomski (St. Mary's College), Teegan Murphy (Chesapeake CC), Chandler Dyott and Josh Sherwood. Junior Kyle Miller and Sophomore Hunter Gottleib will also provide well needed depth throughout... Colonel Richardson will be led by their experience and upperclassmen leadership on both sides of the ball. Junior Camron Gondeck and Senior Austin Glessner (Chesapeake CC) look to lead the rotation, with a slew of experience behind them. Senior Hunter Wolfe looks to lead the charge at the dish, with the likes of Senior Joshua Cohee adding another key bat in the lineup... Keep eyes on Junior two-way Hunter Rose to lead Cambridge South-Dorchester this season. All in all, the regional championship game should include a matchup with St. Michael's and Colonel Richardson, and we're going with the Saints to win it, backed by another year of experience for their younger players and depth on both sides of the ball.
Region II in our eyes will be led by three teams; Washington, Mardela and Snow Hill. Washington returns lefty Gavin McIntyre who will lead the Jaguar rotation, as well as bring thump to the middle of the order. For Washington to be successful this season, their younger players will need to step up and add depth. Mardela has a few key pieces with the likes of Senior leader Carson Hughes and Junior Stacey Fisher, however will also need younger players to step up, especially on the bump. Snow Hill looks to be the top team in the region, returning two standout arms in Senior Colby Heiser (Potomac State JC) and Junior Cole Swift. Heiser and Swift look to lead the offense, with depth provided by catcher and utility guy Brenner Gursky (Brunswick CC) providing a spark in the middle of the order. We're going to go with Snow Hill to take the region this year, backed by experience on both sides of the ball.
Top 4
1. Snow Hill
2. St. Michael's
3. Colonel Richardson
4. Mardela