5A State Championship Preview:

These games will be played at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Fairfax on Saturday, June 14 with the winners meeting in the Championship game at Robinson Secondary School on Sunday, June 15, at 12:00 pm. 

Freedom-South Riding vs. Douglas Freeman, 3:00 pm

Freedom-South Riding is another team that has been on a bit of a surprising run through postseason. The Eagles have an overall record of 13-13 and have reached that with their late surge in the Conference and Regional tournaments. Freedom is a pitching and defense team that has been led on the mound by Ryan Presgrave and Will Kirwan and defensively by short stop Kyle Wrighte (William and Mary) and Garrett St. Laurent (VMI). Offensively, they are led by Wrighte and William Roukis. The Eagles are no strangers to tight games and will be a tough out due to their style of play.

Douglas Freeman is the South Region champions and enters the State Tournament with a record of 25-1. Freeman has been dominant in most of its postseason march but survived a tough game against Hickory in the Regional championship game, rallying in the sixth inning to win. Freeman’s only loss this season was to a strong Hanover team and they are led offensively by Kyle Farkas and Ethan Payne.

Hickory vs. Stone Bridge, 7:00 pm

Hickory is the South Region runners-up and had a wild regional tournament, winning in dramatic fashion over Kellam in one of the best games of the postseason to clinch their spot in the State Tournament. The Hawks’ potent offense is led by senior Christian Lowry (UVA) and freshmen Mikey Polansky (VT). Hickory’s pitching staff is led by junior Connor Eason (UVA) and senior Colby Rudis (VMI). The 17-7 Hawks are a deep, dangerous team heading into the State Tournament.

Stone Bridge is the Northern Region champions and has only lost once this year, very early in the season to McLean. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they have lost the use of their best pitcher, senior Gatorade State Player of the Year JB Bukauskus (UNC). In spite of that loss, Stone Bridge brought its bats in the Regional tournament and hit their way to the title. The offense is dangerous from top to bottom and is paced by sophomore Dave Mocabee, who also chips in on the mound, and by juniors Eric Johnson and Tanner Karafa.