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Welcome to Looking Ahead. Every Monday, we will go into detail about top games in the coming week that have our staff excited and why. Also, we will list other games that should be good ones to check out between top teams.

This week continues the cycle through spring breaks around the Commonwealth with Northern Virginia as well as other areas off. We are approaching the end of the Spring Break cycle, and even with some teams taking the week off and others traveling out of State, there are still plenty of good looking games to catch this week.

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Eddie Hope Let's Play Two Tournament
Yet another spring and yet another Let's Play Two tournament will take place in Prince William County. Games will be played at four sites, Osbourn Park, Woodbridge, Hylton, and Potomac high schools and games will be played from Saturday-Wednesday. On paper, the favorites in the field are the three teams in Power 25 the week of April 8, Potomac, Stafford, and Brentsville District, here are some players to watch from each school in the field:

-Brentsville District-Senior Luke Binstead has been a dynamic presence in the middle of the Tiger lineup and Brentsville is deep around him.
-Colgan-Junior OF/P Ryley Johnson (East Carolina) has dynamic speed and has been dominant on the mound so far for the Sharks this spring. 
-Colonial Forge-Senior Jake Wortman (Bucknell) and junior Robert Moffett are keys in the lineup and the Eagles have a volume of pitchers which will be useful in a tournament setting.
-Edison-Juniors Adam Wells and Jack Durham are key bats in the middle of the lineup.
-Fauquier-The Falcons have been ravaged by injuries this spring, but they will have senior lefties Carson McCusker (Roanoke) and Harrison Whitt ready to go for the tournament.
-Hylton-Sophomore two-way player Diego Barrett has come on lately at the plate this spring and senior Nicholas Ericsson (VCU) is the big bat in the middle of the lineup.
-Kettle Run-The Cougars have a one-two punch on the mound of Joe Vogatsky (James Madison) and Zach Ewald (CNU) as well some veteran pieces in the lineup.
-Marshall-The Statesmen are solid as always, and junior pitcher Robert Kelley (UMBC) has a real swing and miss breaking ball.
-McLean-Junior pitcher Teddy Merritt is one of the top uncommitted arms in his class, and brothers Griffin and Drew Steig are prospects worth the trip out to see as well.
-Mountain View-The Wildcats have a young team this spring but that youth is talented. Shortstop Evan Hamill and second baseman AJ Johnson are an intruiging double play combo that will be around for a while and catcher Cameron Murray and pitcher Britt Yount are also key pieces getting very early playing time.
-Osbourn Park-The Yellow Jackets have a pair of Power 5 committed freshman catchers in AJ Shephard (Indiana) and Mason Balsis (Virginia) as well as a handful of other interesting underclassmen.
-Potomac-The 2018 Class 5 State runners-up brought most of their team back, highlighted by seniors Brody Mack (William & Mary) and brothers Julian and Josue Cumba.
-Rock Ridge-Senior Josh Harbinson (Wake Tech CC) is the centerpiece of the lineup and sophomore lefty Brandon Clarke is getting a lot of buzz.
-Stafford-Junior Tucker Sullivan contributes on the mound and at short and senior Michael Tolson is off to a strong two-start as well.
-TC Williams-Senior Evan Waldner (CNU) is a key two-way player for the Titans
-Woodbridge-The Vikings are keyed by a trio of seniors, Jakobe Anderson (Patrick Henry CC), Jack Lamb (Bryant & Stratton), and Magnus Ellerts (Harford CC).

 

DC Baseball Classic
A new tournament will also take place in Northern Virginia this spring, this one in Fairfax and Loudoun County at multiple locations. The tournament features 15 total schools, with 11 from Virginia, 2 Maryland, 1 DC, and 1 from California. The early favorites from this field should be Archbishop Spalding (MD), Lake Braddock, Westfield, or Gonzaga, but this is a deep field where anything could happen as the week progresses. Here are some players to watch from the VA/DC teams in the field:

-Centreville-The Wildcats have depth on the mound in senior Hunter Bell (VCU) and juniors Colby Shriner and Eric Bohenek. Bohenek, Thomas Trinca, and Derek Haynie (Hofstra) give them a tough chunk of lineup to navigate.
-Chantilly-Chantilly is deep on the mound which could favor them in this format. Dylan Siesky (Lafayette), Nicholas Zampiello, and Connor Pennell (CNU) give them numerous good arms and Siesky has been hot at the plate so far in 2019.
-Dominion-Dylan Weber (CNU) and Cortland Lawson (Tennessee) are the headliners for the a tough Titans team this spring.
-Falls Church-The Jaguars are relying on youth on the mound, but freshman Carson Mayfield and Aidan Cunningham have thrown well when called upon and have a lot of upside. 
-George Mason-Senior Jay Nesson (Washington MD) is the Mustang's most important player, their top arm and a key bat in the middle of their lineup.
-Gonzaga-Gonzaga's group of juniors is imposing in the lineup, with Garrett Newsome (William & Mary), Will Bean (West Virginia), and Christian Ficca. Newsome is also a factor on the mound.
-Lake Braddock-The Bruins are a very deep team but the headliners are seniors Lyle Miller-Green (George Mason) and Bobby Leitzel (Marymount). Miller-Green has been a lights-out closer and has delivered a handful of tape measure home runs out of the leadoff spot.
-Mount Vernon-The Majors are off to a slow start with a new coaching staff this spring, but Jake Coakley has had a strong start recently.
-South County-The Stallions have a young team this spring, junior pitcher Tre Williams has been pretty good so far in 2019 and has gotten a lot of buzz as a prospect on the rise.
-Stonewall Jackson (Manassas)-The Raiders are also young, Eric Sledge is the key to their offense and their best player. Freshman Ernie Gonzalez will be intriguing to follow in the future.
-Washington & Lee (Arlington)-The Generals come into the tournament with some momentum off of a pair of District wins. Trey Haley's bat is hot as he's been hitting over .500 recently.
-Westfield-The Bulldogs come into the tournament having just suffered their first setback. They are deep on the mound with Joe Clancy and Danny Leo topping a group that also features Nick Lottchea, Derek Furr, and freshman Jason Cheifetz. The lineup is deep and most of those arms contribute as 2-way players.
-WT Woodson-The Cavaliers are in a rebuilding season after losing an important group of seniors and have struggled to score runs this spring, but they did pick up a win on Tuesday and come in with some momentum.

 

 

GAMES TO WATCH

Monday
Briar Woods vs Halifax County, Myrtle Beach
Benedictine vs Norfolk Academy
Carlisle at Fuqua
Deep Run at Atlee
Ocean Lakes vs West Ashley (SC), Charleston
West Springfield vs Bishop England (SC), Charleston
Millbrook at Turner Ashby

Tuesday
Battlefield vs Franklin County, Myrtle Beach
Episcopal at St. Alban's
Cosby at Manchester
Christiansburg at Salem (Salem)
Chilhowie at Holston
Fort Defiance at Spotswood

Wednesday
Trinity Episcopal at Episcopal
No. 8 Grafton at Lafayette
Collegiate at No. 1 Benedictine
Western Branch at Stoneman Douglas (FL)

Thursday
Salem (VA Beach) at Cape Henry Collegiate
Warwick at Woodside
Chatham at George Washington
East Rockingham at Riverheads
Colonial Beach at Essex
Cosby at James River (Midlothian)
Turner Ashby at Sherando
Virginia at Tazewell

Friday
Mathews at Essex
Virginia at John Battle
Lebanon at Central
Glen Allen at Douglas Freeman

Saturday
Wilson (DC) at Georgetown Prep (MD)

 

2019 VA/DC HS Coverage