2022 VHSL Preview: Regions 4A/4B
March 3, 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 C Champ Broad Run defeated heavy favorite and Region B Champ Hanover to capture the Class 4 State Championship. Menchville won Region A and Halifax County won Region D in the 2021 season, earning State Tournament berths. Region runners-up were Smithfield, Dinwiddie, James Wood, and Jefferson Forest.
Region A uses power points to seed a 10-team bracket. The bottom four teams have to play into the quarterfinals. Region B uses a 12-team bracket that is set with power points. The top four teams get a bye into the quarterfinals.
TOP PROSPECTS
4A/4B
| Name | High School | Position | Year | Commitment |
| Patrick Brizendine | Patrick Henry-Ashland | LHP | 2023 | |
| Colin Bunch | King George | RHP | 2024 | |
| Carter Childs | Chancellor | 3B | 2023 | |
| Owen DeShazo | Hanover | SS | 2022 | Boston College |
| CJ DiNapoli | Mechanicsville | RHP/OF | 2022 | William & Mary |
| Jackson Garland | Courtland | RHP | 2025 | Virginia |
| Dallas Hairfield | Mechanicsville | RHP/OF | 2022 | Longwood |
| Levi Huesman | Hanover | LHP | 2022 | Coastal Carolina |
| Chase Huestead | Hanover | RHP | 2022 | James Madison |
| Sam Kaczmarek | Patrick Henry-Ashland | SS | 2023 | |
| Seth Keller | Hanover | SS/RHP | 2022 | Old Dominion |
| Cameron Lamb | Mechanicsville | C | 2024 | Longwood |
| Jacob Lee | Matoaca | C | 2024 | VCU |
| Cannon Peebles | Hanover | C/RHP | 2022 | NC State |
| Ethan Serrano | Mechanicsville | SS | 2022 | VCU |
| Gunnar Stromberg | Atlee | 3B | 2023 | |
| Caden Ward | Great Bridge | SS | 2023 |
TEAMS TO WATCH
4A
Grafton
In what we feel like is a kind of wide open region, Grafton has one of the best arms that can shut down an opposing offense in Lynchburg commit Frank Engel. In addition to Engel, the Clippers have senior Neo Klemish and Jaxon Powell that should contribute to the offense. If Engel is on, they have a chance to win any game he takes the mound.
Great Bridge
Trenton Evans, Caden Ward, and Mike Keough are just a few potential names to know for Great Bridge. Their roster offers some versatility and athleticism, but they do not offer that big headline shut down arm. If they can piece it together on the mound then their athleticism and youth will give them a chance in the region.
Jamestown
Senior Reid Lampert should affect the lineup in a big way, as well as fill some important innings on the mound. Outside of that look for some potential young fresh faces like Caleb Ammons to make an impact this year for Jamestown.
King’s Fork
Landon Bonneville should do a little bit of everything for King’s Fork. He will more than likely anchor the offensive lineup, as well as fill important innings on the mound. He is a senior leader that has a plethora of experience and has the chance to help guide The Fork to a region title.
4B
Atlee
The Raiders' Dane Keith (Richard Bland), Kyle Woodall, and Chase Sanford (Hampden-Sydney) bring some different looks to the mound that will allow Atlee to compete with what is a strong 4B. Keith and Sanford should also be pivotal pieces to the lineup. Turner Fitzpatrick (Hampden-Sydney), Miguel Montoya, and Landon Scott (Richard Bland) will be big bats in the Atlee lineup. Gunnar Stromberg is an uncommitted ‘23 to keep an eye on, as he flashes some strength at the plate, in addition to potentially filling some innings on the mound.
Hanover
What is quite possibly the deepest pitching staff in the state in 2022 bolsters a couple of big time front end arms. Levi Huesman (Coastal Carolina) and Seth Keller (ODU) are two of the premier high school arms in the state and will limit opposing offenses. They have a stiff test at the NHSI in Cary in April, but outside of that they have a chance to roll through a fairly tough in-state schedule. The biggest question that remains is will the offense produce the runs necessary to win big games. Cannon Peebles (NC State), Owen DeShazo (Boston College), Cole Elrod, Nolan Williamson, Brett Alvis (Mt. St. Mary’s) and Seth Keller will be some of the potential tone setters for that offense. If they can manage to score a couple of runs in the big games, they will be tough to beat with Huesman, Keller, Chase Hustead (JMU), and company on the mound.
Mechanicsville
The Brett Allen (UMass-Amherst) departure is a huge loss for the Mustangs, but Dallas Hairfield (Longwood) and CJ DiNapoli (William & Mary) will be big parts of replacing Allen’s meaningful inninigs. DiNapoli and Ethan Serrano (VCU) will likely pace the offense and be accompanied by super sophomore Camden Lamb (Longwood), ‘23 Aaron Maxie, and senior Nolan Kruse (Shenandoah). Mechanicsville will have a tough task in 4B with some of the big arms that they will face, but if Hairfield and DiNapoli can log deep outings and keep offenses at bey the athleticism in their lineup has a chance to contribute to some important wins.