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VHSL Class 6 Previews: Region B

Battlefield Bobcats  

2025 Record: 25-4

25-4 season and state runner up in Class 6 was how 2025 went for the Bobcats. Once again this Battlefield team was fairly youthful, starting five sophomores and one freshman for the majority of the year. While they lost essentially nothing from the 2024 Battlefield team, the 2025 team did lose a few contributors, most notably Sam Michel (Northwestern) and Luis Sanchez (Grove City). Both played significant roles, with Michel being staff ace and having the year everyone expected him to have as a senior. While they were both big losses, replacing Michel will be no easy task. Looking to take that ace role is senior Josh Weppner (CNU). Weppner is one of the most consistent arms in the state and will give you a chance to win every game he is on the mound. Joining Weppner on the mound are names like Josh Gunning, Max Lusk, Shaun Peratt, and Alex Kamprowski. At the plate is where the Bobcats do not have much figuring out to do. This loaded lineup returns eight hitters, including the entire top of their order. Brady Burkhart and Grayson Abell are the lone returning seniors that were everyday pieces, while the rest of the lineup, outside of Josh Gunning, is junior loaded. Nico Moritz-Toledo (Virginia Tech), Teagan Leach (Virginia Tech), Luke Raflo, Yogi Colangelo (Virginia Tech), and Christian Gomez (UNC) are all high end offensive threats and would be key pieces in any lineup in the state, so you can see why having them all together makes the most potent offensive group in the state. This is one of the best offensive groups in the past few years, making them an easy choice for a top team in the state, let alone Class 6. If they figure out the arm depth and how to replace Michel, look out.

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Colgan Sharks  

2025 Record: 18-4

The Sharks were 18-4 last season, with notable wins over Gainesville and Woodbridge. While it was a very solid year, it will be tough to duplicate with all they lost from the lineup. Marco and Miguel Smith (Harford CC), Jesse Owen, Julius Bagnerise (George Mason), Michael Brown (US Merchant Marines Acad.), and Nick Romer all graduated. All of those, except for Romer, were integral pieces for the offense. In addition to the offensive losses, the Sharks lose both middle infielders, two outfielders, and their DH. Replacing players up the middle of the field is a very tough thing to do, but Colgan will return their senior catcher, Christopher Delamater (Ferrum). He will be joined by fellow senior Tanyon Jarboe (Chowan). Those are two of the very few offensive pieces coming back, making it very tough on this pitching staff. Gavin Knox (Virginia Tech) is staff ace, but after him, who will take that #2 spot? There are a lot of question marks and a lot of weight on this thin pitching staff, but their schedule usually shapes up well for them to navigate the regular season, navigating the region may be a different story.

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Colonial Forge Eagles  

2025 Record: 15-8

Anthony DiClemente, Ayden Mitchell (Marymount), Dylan McCarthy (William & Mary), and Brock Stempin (Concord) all graduated after being long term key pieces for the Eagles. On the mound may be where they took the biggest hit, after losing McCarthy and Stempin, but Forge does return names like Bryce Arbogast and Michael Guckian to their pitching staff. Braidan Luper saw the majority of the time behind the plate in 2025 and hit all over the lineup, making him an important piece coming back for his junior season. Joining Luper are names like Guckian, Arbogast, and Alwin Teruya. The Eagles have some figuring out to do in the lineup and on the mound, but they have some upperclassmen that should be able to carry the load as the newer faces settle in.

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Gainesville Cardinals  

2025 Record: 23-5 *VHSL Class 6 State Champions*

The Cardinals are your defending Class 6 State Champions after a miraculous 23-5 season in 2025. Gainesville had probably the hardest schedule of any public school team in the state, playing eight teams that were at one time ranked in the Power 25, and that is not counting playing Battlefield five times, even though it seemed like it was once a week. At one point this Cardinals team played St. Christopher’s, Highland, Abingdon, and St. John’s in a four day stretch, going 3-1, with the only loss being to St. John’s by one run. After all of those accomplishments and highlights from last season, this roster was gutted, probably mostly on the mound. Gainesville lost key arms like Caden Merritt (Atlanta Braves), Nathan Loy (Bridgewater), Brody Cassedy, Gavin Elliott (Marymount), and Ryan Petro (Lynchburg). They have zero big innings returning this season, so they will need some arms to step up in a big way this year if they want to compete in the region. While they are light on arms, they do return some important offensive pieces. Ian Fournier (Lynchburg), Gavin Genovese (Lynchburg), Aaron Ritenour (ETSU), Luke Gravley, and Matthew Eidemiller are four hitters that were regulars in the Cardinals lineup. The middle of the field is where the biggest voids were left after they lost Merritt, Ben Ackerman, and JW Kohlmeyer (VMI). Keep and eye on names like Cam Weeks, Sean Mellinger, Brady Card, and Jackson Morgan as guys who could step into important roles in the near future, especially with Weeks and Card on the mound. The offense should be in a solid place, but the defense up the middle and how they are going to stop the other team from scoring are some of the biggest questions with this year’s Gainesville squad.

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Independence Tigers  

2025 Record: 21-3

The Tigers make the move up to Class 6, after some very strong years in Class 5. Since the opening of Indy, the Tigers have been perennial contenders in Class 3 and Class 5. A 21-3 season in 2025 ended at the hands of the Cox Falcons in the state semifinals. With that loss came losses of a few important players, most notably Chase Obstgarten (Bridgewater), Zach Brennan (Tufts), Shane Howie (Marymount), and Brady Yates (Mary Washington). The Tigers lost three starters from the offensive lineup and a few arms from last season. While they did have some losses, they return some very important pieces in seniors Aidan Spagna (Boston College), Colton Hicks (Gardner-Webb), Quinn Pak (Eastern Conn. State), Edward Ridolfi (Shenandoah), Michael Zingaro (Allegheny), Matthew Feldmann, Michael Bowden (CNU), and Xavier Bologna (Washington College). Spagna, Bowden, Pak, and Hicks are essential pieces to this lineup will Hicks and the other seniors will be important pieces on the mound. A healthy season from Joe Joe McDonald is very important to this team positionally and on the mound, as well as the potential emergence of junior middle infielder Reid Hydock. Mound depth will probably be the main question mark for this team, that if they figure out, they could challenge for a state tournament berth in their first year in Class 6.

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Woodbridge Vikings  

2025 Record: 15-10

The Vikings finished the season 17-11 with big wins over Patriot, Marshall, and Colonial Forge. A few of their most important pieces move on from graduation, including staff ace Caelan Goodwin-Slater (Longwood) Goodwin-Slater his .362 on the season while also throwing 38 innings and striking out 67. Also missing from the lineup this season will be names like Aiden Simoneau (Marymount), Ethan Jackson, and Kory Barbier (Shepherd). Ethan Simoneau, Julius Pabon, Max Powell, and Mason Young will be the main names to watch in the lineup this year. Noah Parker, Pabon, and Young should all be back after throwing some important innings last season. Those three alone put the Vikings in a solid spot coming into the season. The offense will need to pick up the pieces that were left behind from those seniors, but they have some arm depth to get off to a solid start in 2026.