Region 1D baseball was once again ruled by the Hogoheegee District in 2022 as three of the four semifinalists in the regional tourney were from the league.
Chilhowie edged Hogo foe Rural Retreat in the semifinals and then stunned Lebanon in the finals to claim its second straight regional championship.
Lebanon compiled a 20-5 record a season ago, but lost its final two games in falling short of the expectations of many folks.
The Pioneers had zero graduation losses, have a new head coach as assistant Cody Compton takes over for the legendary Doc Adams and this will be their final season in the Class 1 Hogoheegee District as they shift to the Class 2 Southwest District in the fall.
The following is a look at each of the six teams in the Hogoheegee, as well as Mountain Empire District member George Wythe:
People are also reading…
LEBANON
The talent is abundant for the Lebanon Pioneers and they have plenty of motivation after last season ended with a loss to Grayson County in the state quarterfinals.
It’s no secret that Lebanon is the preseason favorite in the VHSL’s smallest classification.
Reigning Hogoheegee District player of the year Seth Buchanan leads the way as the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) signee pitched to the tune of a 1.80 ERA to go along with a .441 batting average last season.
Nathan Phillips (1.10 ERA), Dagan Barton (1.70 ERA), sophomore Eli Breeding and junior Carter Hess give Lebanon the edge in the district’s arm race. Lebanon had a team ERA of 1.40 ERA last season and collectively struck out 227 batters in 145 innings.
The Pioneers also had a fielding percentage of .959.
Catcher Jacob Crabtree (.308), first baseman Nick Belcher (.306), second baseman Chance Parker (.295), Phillips at third base (.284), Barton in the outfield (.481) and outfielder Zach Hertig (.368) join Buchanan in a potent lineup.
Jake Stamper, Noah Delp and Luke Garrett will get some playing time as well.
“We return everyone from a team that made a good run last year,” said first-year head coach Cody Compton. “Hopefully, we can stay focused and continue to work hard and develop and make another run this year.”
RURAL RETREAT
It was a season to remember in 2022 for the Rural Retreat Indians, who finished 17-7 and came painstakingly close to their first state tournament berth in program history.
Rural Retreat dropped a 6-5 decision to Hogoheegee District rival Chilhowie in the regional semifinals, the third time the Indians lost to the Warriors last spring.
Shortstop/pitcher Justin Gilman (.418, nine doubles, 17 RBIs, 24 runs; 4.40 ERA on the mound, 47 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings), outfielder Tucker Fontaine (.398, 29 runs, 28 stolen bases, 14 RBIs), Noah Bandrimer (.384, 14 RBIs; 3.38 ERA on the mound, 38 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings) and infielder/pitcher Caleb Roberts are the cornerstones for the squad.
Fontaine is a fine leadoff hitter and Bandrimer is one of Southwest Virginia’s most versatile players as he can pitch, catch, play first base and man shortstop as well.
Trevor Shelton, Justin Pritchard, Brody Childers, Holden Keefer, Kaiden Atkinson, Logan Miller and Gatlin Hight are others expected to contribute.
The Indians are solid, but coach Van Harris is not making any bold proclamations or looking ahead.
“Focus on the process,” Harris said.
CHILHOWIE
The 13-13 record the Chilhowie Warriors finished with last year is deceiving as the team pieced together a rather impressive in-season turnaround.
Head coach Jeff Robinson’s squad lost 10 of its first 15 games, but a late-season surge propelled the Warriors to their second straight Region 1D championship and a berth in the VHSL Class 1 state tournament.
The season ended with a 6-3 quarterfinal loss to the Auburn Eagles.
Seven guys who started the final three games of the season are back as Chilhowie looks to be a postseason factor again.
Ben Kilbourne (.243) played six different positions last year and will play catcher and in the outfield this season. Outfielder Zac Hall (.393, 18 RBIs), second baseman Levi Teaters, first baseman Connor Smith, shortstop Isaac Booth (.259, 16 RBIs, 17 runs), third baseman Dawson Tuell (.444), outfielder Brandon Bush (.333, 24 RBIs, 16 runs) are the returnees.
Booth, Hall, and Kilbourne were second-team All-Hogoheegee picks.
Booth (4-2, 3.72 ERA) is the ace of the pitching staff, while Hall, Tuell, Kevin Crewey, James Nash, Talan Poe, Noah Hill will log innings on the mound as well. Hall was the winning pitcher in the 2021 Region 1D title game. Freshman catcher Landon Bowman, Ezra Taylor, Bailey Booher, Jacob Olinger and Chris George will be counted on too.
Experience and pitching depth are strengths.
“Our goal is to steadily improve throughout the season and be playing our best when it counts the most,” Robinson said.
PATRICK HENRY
Senior Hamilton Addair and sophomore Waylon Daniels are the leaders for the Patrick Henry Rebels.
Addair hit .380 in 2022, but his season was curtailed due to an injury.
Daniels was a second-team All-Hogoheegee performer as a freshman and the third baseman compiled a .425 batting average.
Other than that, not much else is known about the Rebels as they seek to find their identity on the diamond.
Several ninth-graders figure to play pivotal roles for Patrick Henry.
Padgett is in his second season as PH’s head baseball coach. He is also the football boss and has led the Rebels to back-to-back regional runner-up finishes on the gridiron.
“Depth will be key,” Padgett said. “And trying to figure out pitching is an even bigger key to this season.”
HOLSTON
The Cavaliers lost ace pitcher Jordan Ezzell to graduation and somebody will have to step up in that role if the dudes from Damascus want to contend for the Hogoheegee’s top spot.
Six seniors provide the nucleus for Holston: Jake Bott (.342), Dustin Bott (.284), Brycen Richardson, Colt Millinger, Dalton Campbell and Dillon Bott.
Shortstop Noah Tweed joined Richardson and Jake Bott as second-team all-district honorees a season ago.
Collin Widener, Blake Widener, Brady Statzer, Caleb Casey, Brycen Lambert and Jackson Stanberry are names to remember as well.
“Really excited to get this season started with this group of guys,” said Holston coach Josh Ezzell. “We have six seniors who have played a lot of baseball and some young talent to go with them. We will have to develop some pitching throughout the season, but so far our guys seem up to the challenge.”
NORTHWOOD
Northwood has a new look this season as Ty Hall takes over for Austin Robbins as head coach.
Meanwhile, steady standouts Nick Prater, Chaz Cassell and Seth DeBusk graduated.
Third baseman/pitcher Caleb “C.B.” Johnson, outfielder/pitcher Richard Gonzales and shortstop/pitcher Drew Cardwell are the top returnees for Northwood. First baseman Denim Kirk and second baseman Owen Doane are also seniors who will be counted on to contribute.
Dylan Cardwell, Eli Williams, Bradee French, Will Minton, Marcus Moore and Jake Barlow are other guys Hall will lean on.
“This team has a lot of heart,” Hall said. “They all want to win baseball games and the way they build each other up has really impressed me so far. Even with this bad weather and having to be indoors very often early on, they are working hard and doing what it takes to win baseball games.”
MOUNTAIN EMPIRE DISTRICT
GEORGE WYTHE
The George Wythe Maroons finished as VHSL Class 1 state runner-up in football and boys basketball.
The baseball squad has plenty of talent too with a roster featuring six seniors and five juniors as they look to produce postseason success.
“We are returning everyone,” said GW coach Donnie Gamble. “This group has played together since youth league. The sky is the limit for this great group of athletes.”
Catcher Owen Repass (.344) is a Concord University signee and is the tone-setter.
Outfielder Ben Jollay (.319), second baseman Tandom Smith (.298), third baseman Luke Jollay (.293), first baseman Sebastian Gomez (.246), outfielder Brady Walters (.236), outfielder Colton Green (.236), shortstop Austin Repass (.196) and designated hitter Landon Bennett also have plenty of varsity experience.
Luke Jollay, Green, Bennett and Austin Repass head the pitching staff. Logan Mullins and T.J. Pulliam also bring talent to the table.
Hogoheegee District Preseason Coaches Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Lebanon (5) 25
2. (tie) Rural Retreat (1) 19
Chilhowie 19
4. Patrick Henry 10
5. Holston 9
6. Northwood 8
