Having a deep pitching staff is a luxury for most high school baseball coaches, and for second-year Sherando head coach Craig Bodenschatz, it’s one he’ll be glad to have this spring.
Sherando brings back three of its top pitchers from last season when the Warriors finished 16-5 (7-1 Class 4 Northwestern District).
Right-handed junior Aaron DeHaven returns to the mound after leading the area in ERA (1.21) across 17.1 innings as a first-year varsity player. Junior Dean Lamb also comes back after posting the best record among area pitchers last season at 7-1 and throwing the most strikeouts (66). To top it off, senior Gavin McKelvey and his 5-2 record and 3.64 ERA are back.
Sherando also returns a strong number of bats, highlighted by senior catcher Dylan Frazier, who hit .366, led the area in RBIs (25) and tied for the most home runs (four) last year. Senior outfielders Hayden LaFever (.429 batting average, .550 on-base percentage, 16 RBIs, 23 runs) and Tucker LaFever (.345, .433, 13, 20) will also bring experience to the Warriors’ dugout.
Like Sherando, James Wood returns a crop of pitching talent after reaching the state tournament for the third straight season. The Colonels are coming off a state quarterfinals appearance last year in which they wound up finishing 14-10 and 7-1 in Class 4 Northwestern District action.
Wood returns sophomore Parker Kerns, who finished last season with the third-best ERA in the area (1.53) in 32 innings pitched, and senior Brock Whipkey (3.09 ERA, 33 strikeouts).
Senior outfielder/pitcher Logan Bower also comes back after hitting .318 and scoring 14 runs last spring.
Wood fifth-year coach Adrian Pullen has high expectations for the area’s competition but will have to manage without 11 players from last year’s roster, including John Copenhaver (.329 batting average, .448 on-base percentage, 12 RBIs), Garett McAlexander (2.48 ERA, 63 strikeouts) and Kemper Omps (.315 average, 14 RBIs, 21 runs).
Millbrook first-year coach Scott Jenkins will look to return the Pioneers to form after they finished 6-13 (3-5 Class 4 Northwestern District) last year. Jenkins takes over for Brian Burke, who is now the Winchester Royals manager after coaching Millbrook for the past 14 seasons. Jenkins served as Burke’s pitching assistant and has been with the Pioneers since 2014.
At his disposal on the mound, Jenkins will have senior Devin Reid (3.15 ERA, 33 strikeouts) and junior Dylan Apfel (2.92 ERA, 41 strikeouts). Infielder Mason Eaton (.424 on-base percentage) also returns for his senior year.
Millbrook will be without Chase Ford and Tanner Barb, who hit .400 and .339, respectively, last year.
The Pioneers aren’t the only area team that will be without some of its best hitting talent from last spring. Handley lost 2024 Winchester Star Player of the Year Kaplan Ambrose to graduation. Ambrose led the area in batting average (.517), runs (25), on-base percentage (.627) and stolen bases (19).
Handley will hope to supplement Ambrose’s departure by turning to senior catcher Charlie Allen (.382 average, 12 RBIs, 19 runs) and junior pitcher Jake Swartz (4.20 ERA, 27 strikeouts). Fresh off a deep run to the basketball state semifinals, senior center fielder Logan Ambrose and sophomore infielder Will Braun-Duin are two of six returning starters for the Judges.
Over in Berryville, Clarke County will look to build off last year, when the Eagles finished 11-12 (8-6 Bull Run District) and were a semifinalist team in Region 2B.
Clarke returns several members of its pitching staff, highlighted by junior Aiden Wagner (1.94 ERA, 43 strikeouts) and Wilson Taylor (3.62 ERA, 3-1). The Eagles also bring back junior infielder Jacob Reichert (.370 average, 20 RBIs, 15 runs).
The following is a breakdown provided by the area coaches:
Sherando
Coach: Craig Bodenschatz, second season
Last year: 16-5, 7-1 Class 4 Northwestern District. Region 4D quarterfinalist.
Key losses: Carlo Lisciandrello, Neil Holborn, Brady Largent, Tyler Strosnider, Trey Williams.
Top returning players: Dylan Frazier (Sr., C); Tucker Lafever (Sr., OF); Hayden Lafever (Sr., OF); Judson Dean (Sr., 3B); Isaiah Doeden (Sr., OF); Gavin McKelvey (Sr., P); Sam Ridings (Sr., IF/P); Dean Lamb (Jr., P); Nick Usa (Jr., 1B/P/OF); Aaron DeHaven (Jr., P/2B).
Top newcomers: Asher Morrow (Jr., P/SS); Brayden Phillips (Jr., P/OF); Zac Thomas (Jr., C); Braylon Clark (Jr., UT); Leland McIntyre (Jr., P/3B); Evan Combs (Fr., P/1B).
Bodenschatz’s expectations: “We hope to compete each night and play sound, aggressive baseball. We want to improve throughout the season and be playing our best baseball at playoff time. The district will be strong again, and we want to be in the mix at the top.
“We return more experience on the mound this year than last, so we are hoping that will keep us in games early. We’re relatively inexperienced in the infield defensively, so that is an area we are working hard on in practice but may take some time to develop in games.”
First game: Tuesday vs. Strasburg
James Wood
Coach: Adrian Pullen, fifth season
Last year: 14-10, 7-1 Class 4 Northwestern District. Region 4D runner-up, Class 4 quarterfinalist.
Key losses: John Copenhaver, Jacob Harty, Sam Jackson, Bradley Kimble, Evan LaFollette, Garett McAlexander, Coby Nesselrodt, Kemper Omps, Carson Southern, Deuce Strosnider, Richard Terry.
Top returning players: Logan Bower (Sr., OF/P); Cade Cornwell (Sr., INF); Fletcher Powell (Sr., INF/P); Ethan Rettke (Sr., P); Colin Thomas (Sr., INF); Brock Whipkey (Sr., P/UTL); Zach Woskobunik (Sr., INF); Cade Delawder (So., OF/P); Parker Kerns (So., INF/P).
Top newcomers: Kaden McCullough (Jr., OF); Avery Phelps (Jr., C); Maddox Wright (Jr., INF); Lane Herring (So., P/UTL); Owen Neal (So., UTL); Tyler Prusik (So., UTL/P); Cole Ritter (So., UTL); Brady Smith (So., INF); Jake Woskobunik (Fr., P/UTL).
Pullen’s expectations: “We hope to play sound and fundamental baseball. We expect to throw strikes, play defense and get the timely hits that will put us in a great position to win the ballgame. We return three pitchers from last year’s staff who will provide leadership and stability to our lineup. Offensively, we must find ways to score. We will need to execute and manufacture runs in scoring situations to be successful.
“Locally, Sherando, Millbrook and Handley will be tough matchups as always. The region, in my opinion, is the most talented in the state. With that, we will need to be in the top five in the North in order to give us a chance at the postseason. We were fortunate last year to beat some extremely talented ball clubs to put us once again in the state tournament, so we will look to repeat that task. If we work hard and have the drive to compete, we will give ourselves a chance to succeed. Our focus will be to control what we can control and prepare to execute the process of being successful. If we do that, we will be OK.”
First game: Monday vs. Skyline
Millbrook
Coach: Scott Jenkins, first season
Last year: 6-13, 3-5 Class 4 Northwestern District
Key losses: Micah George, Chase Ford, Tanner Barb.
Top returning players: Devin Reid (Sr., P/OF); Dylan Apfel (Jr., P/INF/C); Mason Eaton (Sr., INF).
Top newcomers: Carson Hammer (So., INF/P); Lane Williams (So., C/P); Trenton Conley (So., INF); Tyler Learn (So., P/OF).
Jenkins’ expectations: “We will be competitive. If we can make routine plays and not allow mistakes to compound into more mistakes that will go a long way to attributing to more wins.
“We will be overall much more athletic. Coach [Wyatt] Potter has done a phenomenal job transforming the way we lift [and] the way we are explosive athletically. His positive coaching style leads to kids wanting to do more than they think they could, and that should show on the field. So far, a week or two into the season, the overall attitude of the team seems to be very receptive.
“I think it is going to be a very tight district race. Every program is competitive.”
First game: Monday at Fauquier
Handley
Coach: Patrick Wingfield, 11th season
Last year: 7-13, 2-6 Class 4 Northwestern District
Key losses: Kaplan Ambrose, Landen Lewis, Staige Dolan, Galilea Marquez-Cardoso.
Top returning players: Charlie Allen (Sr., C); Logan Ambrose (Sr., OF); Jake Swartz (Jr., P); Will Braun-Duin (So., INF).
Top newcomers: Everett Otto (So., INF); Carson Otto (Jr., UT).
Wingfield’s expectations: “Our main goal is looking to build off the progression of the last few years and get to a winning record. It is a challenging district, and if we want to begin to make a push to compete, we will need a number of pitchers to take a step forward on the mound.
“Although we lost some key pieces with Kaplan, Landen and Staige, we do return six starters in the lineup who I believe have all grown and elevated their game.”
First game: March 17 vs. Warren County
Clarke County
Coach: Mike Smith, eighth season
Last year: 11-12, 8-6 Bull Run District; Region 2B semifinalist
Key losses: Quenton Slusher, Kaden McKenzie, Landon Roper and Caden Fowler.
Top returning players: Wilson Taylor (Sr., OF/P); Jacob Reichert (Jr., INF/P); Aiden Wagner (Jr., INF/P); Tucker Fox (Jr., INF/P); Cam McCarty (Jr., C); Caleb Erickson (Jr., OF/C); Brady MacDonald (Jr., INF/P); Logan Davis (Jr., (OF); Colton Johnson (So., INF/P).
Top Newcomers: Aiden Genda (Jr., INF/P); Aiden McLearen (Jr., INF/P); Ben Mason (Jr., OF); Leo DeSarno (Jr., OF); Danny Fairbanks (Jr., INF/P).
Smith’s expectations: “I like the makeup of this year’s team. We have postseason experience, which should help us along the way. We should match up well with other Bull Run teams. We have a lot of pitching this year and some guys who can swing it.
“The depth of our pitching is a plus this season. The fact we can take it easy on arms should help us in the long run. Our hitting needs to be more consistent up and down the lineup for us to make some noise in the district.”
First game: March 21 vs. Spring Mills (W.Va.)
— Contact Justin Robertson at jrobertson@winchesterstar.com
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