2022 VHSL Preview: Region 6D
March 10, 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.
In 2021, Region D Champ James Madison defeated Region B Champ Colgan to capture the Class 6 State Championship. Cosby won Region A and Lake Braddock won Region C in the 2021 season, earning State Tournament berths. Region runners-up were Grassfield, Battlefield, West Springfield, and Chantilly.
Region D uses an 8-team tournament with four teams from each of the Liberty and Concorde Districts making the tournament. Quarterfinal matchups are determined by pairing a team with the opposite seed from the other District, Liberty 1 with Concorde 4, Liberty 2 with Concorde 3, and so on.
TOP PROSPECTS
6D
| Name | High School | Position | Year | Commitment |
| Bannon Brazell | James Madison | C | 2022 | |
| Aidan Carey | McLean | RHP | 2024 | |
| Jason Cheifetz | Westfield | RHP | 2022 | James Madison |
| Zach Danielcyzk | Oakton | RHP/1B | 2023 | |
| Christian Dray | McLean | RHP | 2025 | |
| Bryce Eldridge | James Madison | 1B/RHP | 2023 | Alabama |
| Ryan Ertlschweiger | South Lakes | RHP | 2022 | James Madison |
| Jonny Farmelo | Westfield | OF | 2023 | Virginia |
| Bobby Fleming | Langley | RHP/OF | 2022 | Coastal Carolina |
| Evan Fontaine | McLean | RHP | 2022 | |
| Jaden Kritsky | James Madison | OF | 2022 | Shippensburg |
| Jack Nance | McLean | RHP | 2024 | |
| Owen Pierce | Chantilly | OF/RHP | 2022 | William & Mary |
| Griffin Stieg | McLean | RHP/OF | 2022 | Virginia Tech |
| James Tallon | Yorktown | LHP | 2022 | Duke |
| Liam Willson | Herndon | SS | 2023 | Wake Forest |
TEAMS TO WATCH
6D
Chantilly
The Chargers made a run late in the 2021 season and reached the Region Championship before running out of steam and falling to Madison. Gone off the Chargers roster is two-way standout Marcus Dux (Virginia Tech) as well as Joe Kramp (Marymount). Chantilly does bring back its second most important piece from last year's roster in centerfielder and #2 arm, 2022 Owen Pierce (William & Mary). Pierce will move up to the top of the rotation and be the key to a lineup that will also bring back senior Scott Hodinko. Junior Garrett Robinson and sophomore Ryan Garcia are interesting prospects that could carve out roles for themselves this spring.
Herndon
Herndon is coming off of its best season in many years in 2021 and the Hornets return the bulk of the key pieces to that roster. 2023 Liam Willson (Wake Forest) tops the lineup with a power/speed combination at the plate. Senior Kyle Henson will top the rotation and Connor Godshalk and Aidan Broussard (Illinois Tech) will offer depth behind him. Hill Naski, Matt Neach (WV Wesleyan), Mitch Mauer, Andrew Horyczun (Baruch), and Graham Sears (Stevenson) will also be back in the lineup with Naski returning to shortstop and Sears moving behind the plate. Herndon has plenty of depth in the offense around Willson, who had a very good season in 2021 and is poised to breakout as a dominant offensive force in 2022. Look for the Hornets to build off of last year's success and challenge for the Region Championship.
James Madison
The 2021 State Champs were gutted by graduation, losing the vast majority of their lineup, including Cubs 2nd round pick and 2021 PBR VA/DC State Player of the Year James Triantos, as Miggy Echazarreta (High Point), Cooper Hoffman (Marymount), and Colin Tuft (Virginia). Gone from the rotation is Triantos, Ramsey Collins (Connecticut), and Evan Snyder (Washington & Lee). Despite those losses, Madison does return arguably the top overall prospect in the State, regardless of class, in 2023 1B/RHP Bryce Eldridge (Alabama). Eldridge will be the centerpiece of the lineup, but will need help from bats like Jaden Kritsky (Shippensburg) and Bannon Brazell, who also return from the 2021 roster. Look for Eldridge to also be a key to the Madison rotation this spring as well with Trey Deane (Eastern Mennonite) being in the mix there as well. Madison routinely graduates State Title quality rosters and almost immediately replaces them with another State Title quality roster, expect this spring to be no different.
McLean
The Highlanders are on paper one of the top teams in Region D and in all of Class 6. Rotation quality and depth will be the calling card for McLean this spring. Seniors Griffin Stieg (Virginia Tech) and Evan Fontaine will top a rotation that will also feature talented sophomores Aidan Carey and Jack Nance and freshman Christian Dray. giving McLean plenty of quality depth this spring. Offensively, Stieg should be the centerpiece of the lineup that will also feature juniors AJ Poole, Chris Morabito, and senior Robbie Coates (Kenyon). Look for the rotation to carry the team throughout the season and offense to improve as the spring progresses for a team that has a chance to be incredibly dangerous in June.
South Lakes
The Seahawks move back into the Concorde District this spring, returning to where they were for much of their history after an extended period in the Liberty District. This Seahawks team will have a chance to make some noise in the Concorde this year as well. On the mound, seniors Ryan Ertlschweiger (James Madison) and Colin Casey (Randolph-Macon) should give them a pretty good combo at the top of the rotation. Seniors Jake Stiehl (Washington & Jefferson) and Jaime Quinn-Irons will be the centerpieces in the offense again this spring.
Westfield
The Bulldogs had an up and down 2021 season and lost some key pieces to graduation. Tyler Muscar (James Madison), Nick Lottchea (William & Mary), and Kevin Mackmin (CNU) are gone from the mix on the mound and the lineup this spring. Westfield will be a top-heavy roster in 2022 with junior Jonny Farmelo (Virginia) the clear centerpiece that the offense will be built around. Senior Sam Marco (Swarthmore) should help with some middle of the lineup depth around Farmelo. On the mound, senior Jason Cheifetz (James Madison) is back and will lead a Bulldog rotation that will look for help behind him, some of which should come from senior Alex Cross.
Yorktown
The Patriots continued their recent run of success with a strong 2021 season. They will be hit by graduation with the losses of shortstop Ryan Bhojwani (Virginia), catcher Jacob Friend (Davidson), and outfielder/pitcher Nathan Knowles (William & Mary) among others. Expect more a retool than a rebuild this spring as Yorktown brings back senior lefty and 2021 breakout star James Tallon (Duke) as well as senior Ketz Murray (Mary Washington) to the rotation. Offensively, senior JJ Foti (Muhlenberg) returns and will be a key piece for the Patriots. Sophomore Thomas Koomey is a prospect to keep an eye on this spring who could end up contributing on the mound or in the lineup.