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The final region in our 2024 VHSL previews is Region 6D, home of the defending State Champions, the Madison Warhawks. Region D is made up of the Concorde and Liberty Districts, both of which are shaping up to be wide open dogfights this year.

VHSL 6A Region D Preview:

Centreville

2023 Record 14-10

The Wildcats finished 2023 with a winning record and reached the Region Semifinals before Westfield ended their season. Arguably the biggest story about that Centreville team was the success of freshman lefthander Michael Gambone. Gambone returns for his sophomore season this spring where he will top the rotation and be one of the most experienced arms in the Concorde District. Joining him at the top of that rotation will be senior lefty Logan Pilon (Shenandoah). An interesting player to keep an eye on in the rotation and the lineup this spring will be sophomore Caysen Chadha. Junior catcher Ian Weber and sophomore infielder Thomas Soules will be in the mix for significant roles for Centreville. Two juniors that could also make big contributions this year are Mason Kees and Jackson Rakes, with Rakes potentially getting some two-way time. There are a few other underclassmen that could see expanded roles this year, but we will be watching how those roles develop throughout the season. Keep an eye on Centreville in what is a wide-open Concorde this spring.

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Chantilly

2023 Record 5-16

The Chargers went through a tough 2023 season, and saw longtime Head Coach Kevin Ford hang it up after the season. New to the dugout this spring will be Eric Crozier, moving over from an extended successful run in charge of the Potomac School. The 2016 State Champs will be a bit of a rebuilding squad during Crozier's first season. On the mound, junior lefty Luke Tilley has been very effective so far in his career and will be a solid piece, and senior Ryan Garcia and junior Tanner Phillips should also be in the mix for innings. Phillips has shown some juice and figures to have a prominent role in the lineup.

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Marshall

2023 Record 15-9

The Statesmen are coming off of a great 2023 season that saw them win the Liberty District and advance to the Region tournament before falling to Centreville. The returning pitching staff will be the key to Marshall's 2024 success, as they bring back the Region Pitcher of the Year in senior Noah Grossman (Fordham) as well as senior lefty Vincent Salvo (Towson) and sophomore Jonah Maco. Junior lefty Nathan Lake also has a chance to be a factor in the rotation. Offensively, All-Region catcher Ben Jones (Bloomsburg), has graduated, but seniors Ethan Moore and Joey Dierbeck return after earning All-District nods in 2023 and senior infielder Will Thomas (Eastern Michigan) should also contribute.

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Herndon

2023 Record 9-12

The 2022 State Runners-up were gutted again by graduation as the rest of the core from the 2022 team graduated last spring, including offensive stallwart Liam Willson (Wake Forest) and centerfielder Mitch Mauer (Shenandoah) as well as pitchers Sam Fairhurst (Catholic) and Connor Godshalk (Christopher Newport). One piece the Hornets have back this spring is giant senior righthander James Beasley (Princeton), who will get some early looks from MLB Scouts. Offensively, junior outfielder Brayden Humpherys is coming off of All-District honors and junior catcher Malcolm Levenberry and junior infielder Jojo Palma are also back. Keep an eye on junior middle infielder Kyler Rodgers as he moves into a more central role for the team this spring. Behind Beasley on the mound, look for youth to be the hallmark of the Hornet rotation, and this is a team that will likely get stronger as the season goes on.

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Madison

2023 Record 24-5 *VHSL 6A State Champions*

Although the defending state champions lost some very big, key pieces to their 2023 team, they will return more than a dozen players from last year's roster, including five starters and six arms. Drew Hall (Elizabethtown) and Henry Novario (McDaniel) are the two lone committed players and both are seniors. In addition to those two, the Warhawks return four other seniors to this roster. Carter Tuft, Cord Yates, Jackson Bordeau, and Cole Desimone should all be contributors. Niko Papathanasiou is a talented junior and had some big moments as a sophomore on varsity. He should be joined by Kyle Tyrell, Cael Yates, Hector Orozco, and Nathan Tondreault as contributing juniors. There are some talented underclassmen in this program that you should be on the lookout for, including Chase Dorsey, who really really looks the part, and sophomore catcher Chase Adams. Although Madison may not have a James Triantos or Bryce Eldridge, you should expect the Warhawks to be deep and will be in the hunt for another region title come the end of May.

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Langley

2023 Record 10-11

The Saxons were in the middle of the Liberty District pack in 2023 and while they lost some offensive pieces to graduation, have plenty coming back in the rotation this spring. Seniors Nick Capps (Roanoke) and Patrick Lacy as well juniors Nick Newburn (Pennsylvania) and Gary Ahrens (VMI) should form a strong core to the rotation and give Langley a chance to keep every game tight. Offensively, big senior first baseman Adham Sahebzadah (George Washington) has a ton of raw power and bat speed and Cameron Talent and Parker Whelan also return to the offense coming off of strong 2023s. That rotation is going to make Langley dangerous every night and make them competitve in the Liberty District.

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McLean

2023 Record 11-8

The Highlanders had a tough 2023 season relative to the expectations that they entered the season with. While they lost Chris Morabito (Bucknell) and AJ Poole (Mary Washington) and a few others to graduation, the bulk of the core of the team is back this season and again on paper enters the spring as one of the most talented teams in the Region. Offensively, senior barrel machine Yuta Shimo is back as is that strong 2025 core to the lineup that includes infielder Ethan Ball (Virginia Tech) and centerfield Gabriel Pegues. On the mound, there is a ton of high-end options for McLean to fill out the rotation with. Look for a bounce-back season from senior Aidan Carey (George Washington) after a strong fall. Senior Jack Nance has a chance to be very good and junior Christian Dray (Richmond) has flashed ace potential. The Liberty District is shaping up to be a dogfight this spring and is the deepest its been in a while, and whoever emerges from there will be battle-tested and ready to push for a Region Championship. The pieces are there for McLean to be that team this spring and the Highlanders should challenge for a State Tournament berth.

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Oakton

2023 Record 16-8

The Cougars had a really strong season in 2023 but lost some key pieces to graduation with the departure of ace lefty Tanner Vislay and lefty closer Alex Crudder (Lynchburg) as well as catcher and offensive standout Robbie Lavey (George Washington). Offensively, the Cougars do bring back toolsy senior shortstop Noah Toole (Radford). Keep an eye on sophomore infielder Gordon Cozad and junior outfielder Beau Souders as guys who could take big steps forward this spring. Toole has been a two-way standout for Oakton and should continue in that role as he either moves to the top of the rotation or a late inning role. Despite those losses in the rotation, Oakton will be in the mix at the top of the Concorde this season.

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South Lakes

2023 Record 9-11

The 2022 Seahawks made a trip to the State Tournament before losing a lot to graduation, the 2023 edition took a small step back, but the 2024 South Lakes team has a chance to have one of the most dominant one-two punches in the Region this spring. Senior righthanders Owen Wojciekowski (James Madison) and Rocky Green give the Seahawks a pair of power arms with strikeout stuff. The offense will have to shake out after a lot of turnover the last two seasons, but those arms at the top of the rotation will make the Seahawks a team to be reckoned with in 2024.

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Wakefield

2023 Record: *No accurate reflection of record on MaxPreps or anywhere else*

The Warriors had a solid season, reaching the Liberty semifinals and advancing to the Region D tournament, where their quarterfinal loss in extra innings to eventual State Champ Madison was one of the best games of the 2023 playoffs. The Warriors graduated All-District players Michael Duncan (Richard Bland), Keegan Mahoney, and Charlie Grove (Mary Washington). They do bring back dynamic shortstop Mason Bull (West Virginia) for his junior season, and he will be one of the most dangerous offensive pieces in the District this spring.

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Westfield

2023 Record 20-8 *Region D Champs, Lost in 6A State Championship*

The Bulldogs finished 2023 as the Region D Champs and the State Runners-up. Gone is late-inning hero and superstar outfielder Jonny Farmelo (Virginia/Seattle Mariners) as well as head coach Rob Hahne. New to the dugout this spring will be 2006 Westfield alum and longtime assistant Val Arduini, who was a part of one of Westfield's dominant periods as a program. Back in the middle the lineup and behind the plate will be junior catcher Kase Cochran, and the rest of the starting infield is returning, including junior Blake Sanders and senior Matt Jenks on the left side. Junior Braden Knapp will take over in center and be in the mix on the mound, as will fellow juniors AJ Pritchard and Cal Oakley. Keep an eye on sophomore Tucker Whitacre as a guy who could force his way into innings this spring as the Bulldogs look to repeat as Region Champs and return to the State Tournament.

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Yorktown

2023 Record: 9-9

Add the Patriots to the slew of schools with a new face in the dugout this spring as John Skaggs stepped down at the end of the 2023 season. Graduated from last year's team are bat Kyle Langley (James Madison) and Trevor McAndrews (Emory). There are some strong pieces back for Yorktown this spring in senior lefty Jack Rucker (James Madison) and senior righty Thomas Koomey. A handful of other arms will compete for innings, including junior Grayson McCarthy. In the lineup, senior catcher Isaac Hobbs (Coast Guard), Rucker, and Koomey should be in the mix, and keep an eye on junior corner infielder and corner outfielder, Jack Rubin, who's power could be dangerous at Yorktown's home park this spring.