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On Saturday afternoon, Jamie Naill and Cole Ledger both made the trip to Bethesda to witness Game 1 of a historic rivalry across Montgomery County and the state in general, as #17 Walter Johnson locked horns with #7 Walt Whitman. This game was intense from the very first pitch, and as the game progressed, there were SEVEN lead changes before we got to the sixth inning, where the Vikings would take the lead and collect the three outs needed to secure the win for Walt Whitman by a score of 6-5.

Two electric arms took the mound for their respective squads as WJ sent uncommitted junior southpaw Spencer Gilcrest to the hill to battle two-way Sammy Berman (Maryland). WJ came out of the gate hot, stringing together three hits to lead off the game in the first inning, including Nolan Ross' (Dickinson) two-RBI single to give the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead.  Whitman would immediately respond with 3 runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame thanks to an RBI single from Berman, a bases-loaded walk, and an RBI single from RJ Heller (Montgomery JC). Walter Johnson would slowly work their way back into the game, tying it back up in the fourth inning and holding onto that lead until the sixth. Junior Sam Clement came out of the bullpen for Walt Whitman and shut things down with 3 scoreless innings of his own, allowing Whitman to string together hits and capitalize. The Vikings would ultimately do so as Sammy Berman would once again send a rocket into left-center for a game-tying single, and Charlie Buckles (Florida State) would give them the lead with a sac fly to right field. Clement would return for the final inning again, slamming the door as Whitman secured a big-time rivalry win. 

Walt Whitman

 

Sammy Berman SS / Walt Whitman, MD / 2025 The talk of the day was Maryland commit Sammy Berman, as the senior had his hands all over this game on both sides of the ball. Berman got the start on the bump, limiting damage through his four innings of work while striking out eight. The fastball sat every bit of 89-92 throughout the outing, running the heater up to 94 in the 2nd inning with the ability to dot to both sides of the plate effectively. The curveball continues to impress, spinning in any count with the ability to tie right-handed hitters up on the inside corner. High intent, confident arm that continues to tick up stuff wise on the bump. At the dish, Berman finished 2-for-4, including a big game-tying RBI single in the 6th. It’s a controlled middle of the field approach with the ability to produce loud contact to all fields and showcasing some added power especially to the pull side gap.

RJ Heller OF / Walt Whitman, MD / 2025 One of the big-time bats in this matchup was RJ Heller, who strung together some critical hits that ultimately led to Whitman's eventual victory on Saturday afternoon. Heller started his afternoon off on a good note as he struck an RBI single up the middle off an 0-2 fastball that was in on the hands, giving the Vikings a 3-1 lead in the first. Later in the contest, he would find grass once again with another single up the middle for his second hit of the contest. In a day where timely hitting was crucial to victory, the Montgomery College commit certainly played his part and fit that agenda.

Sam Clement RHP / Walt Whitman, MD / 2026 After Sammy Berman's electric outing to start the game, Sam Clement was the x-factor for the Vikings out of the pen, tossing three scoreless innings en route to victory, ultimately collecting the win on the mound. Showed feel throughout for the two-seam fastball, consistently sitting in the low-80s up to 81 while freezing hitters with the pitch on the outer half of the zone. Clement primarily worked this two-seamer on the outer half as he continued to locate the pitch for called strikes. He flashed a couple of sliders early in the outing that failed to land, which forced him to rely heavily on that fastball but he started to show some feel as he settled in throughout the sixth and seventh innings. With a Whitman squad that is filled with talent on both sides, Clement showed that he can be a significant bullpen piece while feeling unphased in big-time moments.

Walter Johnson

Spencer Gilcrest LHP / Walter Johnson, MD / 2026 Got the start for WJ on the bump and had to work around traffic on the bases consistently throughout. It was the best in-game fastball that I’ve seen from the southpaw, running it up to 88 and living in the mid to upper 80s consistently throughout his 4+ innings of work. The tight slider was the go-to in this one, running it with exceptional feel in on right-handed hitters hands with the ability to induce weak contact and the occasional swing and miss when down in the zone. The changeup is effective when down and works well off the FB/SL mix and has shown promise when the confidence is thrown with it. This is a true three-pitch mix, uncommitted lefty with plenty to like in the frame and stuff.

Sam Weston C / Walter Johnson, MD / 2026 The uncommitted backstop has stepped into a new role for WJ this spring and has certainly impacted on both sides of the ball. Weston has solidified himself as the starting catcher and has shown the ability to pick up big hits in the bottom tier of the lineup, showcasing present strength to the pull side with line drive tendencies to the middle. I like the rhythm at the dish, working a toe-tap load into an explosive lower half that should only add power numbers as the spring rolls on, with the ability to cut it down with two strikes and produce barrels consistently. Possessing an accurate arm behind the dish, Weston won’t blow you away with the arm strength just yet, however a quick release with throws on the bag limit the run game consistently.

Brady Chan OF / Walter Johnson, MD / 2025 Brady Chan has always impressed us throughout his four years at Walter Johnson. The senior outfielder continues to be a jumpstarter at the top of the Wildcat lineup, and he showed much of the same on Saturday afternoon. Chan led off the game by attacking a slider left over the zone, sending a hard line drive into left field to set the game's tone very early. Every time Walter Johnson was able to string together some offense, it seemed as if the top of the lineup played a significant role, and Chan was continuously the one to lead the charge. This high-contact bat will continue to lead this Wildcat offense down the stretch as he continues to spray line drives all over the diamond.

Ethan Pletter SS / Walter Johnson, MD / 2026 One of my favorite in-game bats that I’ve seen in this class so far this spring, the uncommitted infielder has a knack for finding the barrel and showcases the ability to spray line drives to all fields. Defensive versatility also shines, as Pletter can sure up the left side of the infield with quick instincts and an above-average arm. This is a high contact hit tool with strength continuously being added to the frame that should see power numbers increase in the near future.