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For the next two weeks we will roll out our Preseason Power 25. Three staff members voted on their version of the thirty best teams in the Preseason Power 25, with a possibility of 90 total vote points for each team. Since we released 25-11 last week, this week we will reveal two teams per day until we get through the complete Power 25 on Friday. Voting for preseason teams centers more around the depth of talent on that team, as well as where it stacks up within their region/area, as opposed to strictly predicting schedule outcomes. 

Generally, larger schools and classifications have a greater depth of player talent on roster. However, once the season begins and records begin to take shape, the Power 25 will be adjusted as needed. In addition to that, we will debut our Private School Top 10 around April 1st and Small School Top 10 around mid-April. 

The #8 team is looking for another Class 5 State Title. Take a look at the full preview on the Douglas Freeman Mavericks.

# 8 Douglas Freeman   

The Mavericks won the state title in 2022, lost in the state quarters in 2023, and are primed for yet another title hunt in 2024. Coach Moore and the Freeman Mavericks will return five starters and five arms from last year’s team. The two headed monster for this team resides in Lee Sowers (UNC) and Cayman Goode (VCU). Both players will be MLB Draft follows this spring and give this team experience, talent, offensive firepower, and a top end arm that can beat any team, on any night. This is an upperclass heavy team, touting six contributing seniors, a tooled out junior, and some talented underclassmen that could get some time on this year’s squad. Sowers will be joined by Ryan Bland (Gettysburg), who with Sowers brings the most experience of any rostered player. Bland has two way impact for this club and should be joined by Willie Sellers to complete the top three of the rotation with Goode. Sowers and Bland will have plenty of talent to accompany them in the lineup, with Ryder Warren (Lynchburg), Cross Kingsbury, and Finn Whipple (UVA) rounding out some of their impact offensive weapons. This is as complete of a team in the Richmond area that there is and they should benefit from that balance.

Final Thoughts:

"Cayman Goode brings some of the best stuff from any arm in the state. Ryan Bland brings consistency, reliability, and experience. If Goode can be efficient and work deeper into games, allowing Bland to throw short work and/or game two of that week, Freeman could run off a pretty impressive record heading to the playoffs. With the way that tournament formatting works those two arms will be able to carry the brunt of the load in late May/early June. Their offense is probably the best in Region C and pair that with their two senior arms, the Mavericks could be a tough out in 2024."

- Jason Burton (Virginia/DC Scouting Director)