2022 VHSL Preview: Class 2
March 1, 2022
As the season approaches, we will go around the Commonwealth and DC and preview the action to come this spring, our first full season since 2019. In each preview, we will breakdown how teams qualify for the Region Tournaments, the Top Prospects in each Region, and Teams to Watch.
2021 saw Lebanon put together an unbeaten season and capture the Class 2 State Championship, defeating Poquoson in the title game. The Pioneers have departed for Class 1, so their will be no title defense this spring. Other Region Champs included Poquoson from A, Page County from Region B, and Chatham from Region C. Region Runners-up included Nandua, Buckingham, Appomattox County, and Gate City.
Each Region sets their tournaments up slightly differently. 2A uses power points to seed an twelve-team tournament with the top four teams receiving first round byes into the quarterfinals. 2B also uses power points but has an eight-team Regional. 2C is an all-in twelve-team tournament where teams are seeded based on what area of the Region they are from. 2D uses District finish to fill out a pre-seeded eight-team tournament, with the Southwest District and Mountain 7 District sending four teams each to the tournament.
TOP PROSPECTS
| Name | High School | Position | Year | Commitment |
| Carrington Aaron | Chatham | SS | 2023 | Virginia Tech |
| Noah Abercrombie | Dan River | RHP | 2024 | |
| Heath Andrews | James River (Buchanan) | RHP/SS | 2023 | NC State |
| Alex Caruso | Appomattox | RHP | 2023 | |
| Luke Childress | Tazewell | SS | 2024 | |
| Michael Dailey | Prince Edward | OF | 2022 | Virginia Wesleyan |
| Trey Deane | Madison County | LHP | 2022 | Eastern Mennonite |
| Justin Gunter | Buckingham County | RHP/3B | 2024 | |
| Evan Hankins | John Battle | LHP | 2025 | |
| Dagan Kitner | Clarke County | RHP | 2023 | |
| Luke Lyman | Clarke County | RHP | 2022 | Morehead St. |
| Josh Markley | Poquoson | OF | 2022 | Dickinson |
| Jake Moore | Chatham | OF | 2023 | Liberty |
| Ryan Perkins | Marion | RHP | 2024 | |
| Cam Satterfield | Chatham | C | 2022 | Patrick Henry CC |
| Trey Shrock | Appomattox | C | 2023 | |
| Tucker Swails | Patrick County | RHP/SS | 2024 |
TEAMS TO WATCH
2A
Nandua
The Warriors were dominant during the 2021 regular season, carrying a perfect record into the Region tournament until they were beaten by a walk-off by Poquoson in the Championship game. The Warriors lose top arm Cade Williams and key bats Luke Parks and Everett Savage to graduation but bring back the centerpiece from their 2021 lineup, senior Tyler Greene.
Poquoson
The Islanders captured the Region championship and the State Title game before falling to Lebanon. Chase Horton has graduated but enior outfielder Josh Markley (Dickinson) returns to the middle of a lineup that returns a lot of its core as well as two of its top arms in sophomore Justin Fritts and senior Justin Bradshaw.
Randolph-Henry
The Statesmen had a solid 2021 and reached the Region semifinals before losing to Nandua. Randolph-Henry lost some key pieces to graduation, including its top two arms, Tyler Case and Brenden Francisco. They will be missed from the lineup as will Hunter Rapole and Brandin Henson. Look for Lucas Skelton and Daniel Powell to become the tentpoles to the lineup and an arm to keep an eye on is sophomore righty Jett Algeier.
2B
Clarke County
The Eagles finished the 2021 season just under .500 and missed the Region tournament. Keep an eye on them this spring as they have the potential to have a dominant 1-2 punch on the mound in senior Luke Lyman (Morehead State) and junior Dagan Kitner.
Madison County
The Mountaineers went to the Region tournament before their 2021 season came to an end. They lose Kris Dobyns and Aaron Henshaw from the top of their lineup to graduation, but Madison does bring back its top arm and its core. Senior lefty Trey Deane (Eastern Mennonite) returns to the rotation and key bats Corey Helmick and Luke Ford will be back this spring.
2C
Appomattox
The Region C runners-up lose Camron Smith (Wake Technical) to graduation but otherwise bring a lot of pieces back this spring. The Raiders will be deep on the mound with seniors Jake Maner (Ferrum) and Hunter Garrett as well as juniors Wyatt Sisk and Alex Caruso. Garrett and Caruso also return to the lineup also returns Trey Shrock this spring.
Chatham
The Cavaliers carried an unbeaten record into the State Tournament where they drew unbeaten Lebanon in the semifinals. Lebanon senior Matthew Buchanan (Virginia) was dominant in ending Chatham's season, but the Cavaliers should be loaded again this spring and challenge for another State Championship. Offensively, Matt Arnold (Hampden-Sydney) and Christian Lancaster (Hampden-Sydney) have graduated, but back in the top of the lineup will be juniors Jake Moore (Liberty) and Carrington Aaron (Virginia Tech) as well as senior Cam Satterfield (Patrick Henry CC). Look for Aaron to help out on the mound again and look for Moore and Kennan Lewis to also be in the mix.
Dan River
The Wildcats are usually in the mix and have a couple of solid young pieces to watch this spring as the look to make a deep run in the playoffs. Sophomore RHP Noah Abercrombie should continue to see his role on the mound expand, and he fellow sophomore Dylan Howerton will be back in the middle of the Dan River lineup this spring.
2D
Gate City
The Blue Devils won a wild walk-off game over Virginia to reach the Region Championship game in 2021 before Lebanon ended their run. Gate City suffers a blow via graduation with the loss of Jake Taylor (SWCC), but there are some pieces in place for the 2022 season that will make them a tough opponent. Seniors Carter Babb (UVA-Wise) and Carson Jenkins will be back in the middle of the order and look for both of them to figure into the equation on the mound as well.
Virginia
The Bearcats are a historical power and should be poised for another June run this spring. Graduated are infielders Dalton Taylor and Jean Malumba. There is plenty coming back for Virginia this spring, including their top two arms in seniors Isaac Berry and Cole Hartsock, both of whom carry key bats for Virginia as well.