Richmond-Area HS Season!

For those not aware, Benedictine is freakin' loaded again this year.  The senior class includes Jamari Baylor (Louisburg commit), who may be the most talented player in the area this year, proven stud RHP Casey Green (Coastal Carolina commit), as well as Brett Cook (Tulane commit, back after a stint at IMG Academy in FL), who is not only talented but tough as nails.  West Point commit Jack Anderson (RHP/1B/OF) has come over from James River, while Jay Woolfolk and Brett Allen anchor a strong sophomore class.  Jack Hall showed HR power last year, and Matt Sylvia is healthy this year.  Those are just the guys that come immediately to mind -- apologies if I overlooked anyone.

I love going to Benedictine games.  Always going to see good baseball talent, and ... IT'S FREE!

Perfect Game has ranked Benedictine # 3 among Mid-Atlantic teams, pre-season.  Jamari Baylor made the pre-season all region team, and was noted as the best defensive infielder and also the best base runner in the region.

Please post here if you become aware of any scrimmages scheduled.  Need to know day, date, time, place, and the 2 teams.

Here's what I know so far -- and I'll edit to add to this as new info comes to me:

Saturday, March 2 -- everything that I knew of got cancelled due to the heavy rains the night before.

Monday, March 4

4:30 Meadowbrook at L.C. Bird

Tuesday, March 5

5:00 Benedictine split squad at J.R. Tucker

Time uncertain:  Benedictine split squad at Hermitage

 5:30  Atlee at Colonial Heights (Note:  JV game, Colonial Heights at Atlee)

Wed. March 6

no games known

Thurs. March 7

5:00 Thos. Dale at Hermitage

5:00 Benedictine at Goochland

6:00 Maggie Walker at Lee-Davis

Friday March 8

4:30 Powhatan at Matoaca

5:15 Deep Run at James River (JV teams playing at Deep Run)

Sat. March 9

10:00 Atlee at Stafford (Note:  JV game, Stafford at Atlee)

11:00 Liberty Christian at Godwin

1:00 Riverbend at Clover HIll

1:00 Fredericksburg Christian at Trinity

2:00 Midlothian at Benedictine

Wednesday 3/6 Atlee @ Colonial Heights 5:30pm.

Saturday 3/9 Atlee @ Stafford 10AM, JV is opposite both days

Benedictine's Monday game didn't happen.  My understanding is they will play 2 split-squad games tonight, one at Tucker and one at Hermitage.

The Cosby-Powhatan game has been pushed back to Thursday.

Above listing has been edited to incorporate these changes, as well as the Atlee info (thanks, JimmyMac!).

10-4, also both Atlee games got moved up to today...High tomorrow is 38 can't say I blame them!

Atlee/CH games that is...

Just glad they got to play, though it was definitely a cold one last night!  I understand both Benedictine plans for last night got scratched due to ongoing, poor field conditions.  At this rate, we'll get to the regular season without anyone having had any live action beyond intrasquads at their own practices.

Cosby at Powhatan was supposed to happen today (Thursday), but it has been cancelled.

Two months ago, I asked if anyone could compete with Benedictine.  Well, the answer is a qualified "no." 

There have been some close calls, to be sure, but Benedictine won its 20th game yesterday, and is still unbeaten.

They're in all the national rankings at this point.  Perfect Game's list has them at # 14.  Like all rankings, if you keep winning, you move up every time someone ahead of you drops a game.  (That's about as scientific as it gets for those types of rankings where, for the most part, the ranked teams don't play each other.)

My apologies to Benedictine, as apparently I jinxed them!  Just hours after my post yesterday, Miller School rallied to tie in the 6th and then win in the 7th. 

20-1 is still pretty darned strong.

I'm not sure, but I think that leaves Hanover as the area's only undefeated team, albeit having played only 12 games.

Thanks for posting, I'm a former southsider. Graduated in Monacan's second graduating class. My kid is playing hs ball in the Philly suburbs now. I enjoy hearing about all team from the past.

No matter how well your regular season goes, you end up in single-elimination at the end of it.  And at that point, anything can happen.

Case in point:  The 8-9 winner got to Casey Green early and to Jay Woolfolk late and took Benedictine into extras yesterday.  It got dark on them, so they're resuming today at 4:30.  Wonder how that will turn out?  This weekend's semis and finals would certainly get wide open if the Cadets fell today.

Wish I could've been there, but couldn't -- Benedictine did manage to escape its quarterfinal with a win, on a walk-off HR in the bottom of the 14th!

It'll be interesting to see if the stress this put on its pitching staff affects Benedictine this weekend.  It's scheduled to play Cape Henry Collegiate Friday at 4:30, with the winner of that game advancing to Saturday's title game vs. the winner of the 7:00 St. Chris-Collegiate semifinal.

Another Chesterfield County graduate here (Manchester) who lives elsewhere. Also enjoy your posts about the Richmond area teams. Thanks for updating!

We used to get greater participation in discussions, but it seems some have moved on and we have not had new folks come in to replace them.

But for fans, today is one of the more interesting days of the year.  The private school "final four" games for Divisions I and II are today at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights.  I personally plan on seeing the Div. I games at 4:30 and 7:00.  No better way to spend an evening of what we can hope will be good weather!

Thanks for posting. Lets us know the outcomes............. Who are the top dogs in the public schools?

I got to see Benedictine start out with some sloppy play, then catch fire to end up with a slaughter-rule victory in the semifinal Friday night. Jamari Baylor and Jay Woolfolk hit tremendous HR's, while Brett Cook filled up the stat sheet with 4 stolen basis, a single, double, hit-by-pitch, 2 or 3 runs and 3 RBI.  Brett Allen was key in relief, given that both Woolfolk and Casey Green were ineligible to pitch until Saturday.

The ambitious day's schedule pushed all starting times back, and then the St. Chris-Collegiate game fell victim to a late night storm and resulting suspension. 

I wasn't there Saturday, but I understand St. Chris won its semi going away.  The championship game was tight well into the game, before Benedictine got 3 runs late and won the state VISAA Div. 1 title.  An appropriate capper for an outstanding season.

Congrats to our Va. Cardinals players on the championship team!  Seniors Brett Cook and Jamari Baylor, juniors Jack Anderson and Matt Sylvia, sophomores Brett Allen and Jay Woolfolk.

We've got some Richmond-area teams still alive as we start the state championship tournament rounds.

Today (Tuesday):

Class 6 has Cox visiting James River, 5:00

Class 5 has Menchville visiting Godwin, 7:00

Class 4 has Midlothian traveling to Lafayette, 6:00

We are also fortunate to have the "final 4's" for Classes 5 and 6 at Glen Allen HS and Deep Run HS, respectively, this weekend.   The only problem is, if both James River and Godwin advance today, they'll both play at 2:00.  And on Saturday, the championship games are likewise scheduled to take place simultaneously at 12:30.

I suppose the early game times are smart in terms of increasing the odds of avoiding any possible late-day lightning or storms, and if there are rain delays, it does provide some hours to fall back to.  But c'mon, VHSL, would it be that hard to stagger the times a bit so that us baseball junkies could see more games?

Also, fingers crossed for a lot of guys with local ties as the draft moves into rounds 3-10 today and rounds 11-40 tomorrow.  I know we've got a few Cardinals alumni who'll be hoping to see their names go on the board.  Good luck!

Does anyone know if the semifinal or final games will be webcast this year?  If so, where can they be found?

So, no webcasts, that's confirmed.  (I e-mailed VHSL and they were kind enough to reply promptly.)

Playoffs at levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been postponed to Thursday/Friday, June 13-14.

At levels 5 and 6, today's semifinals have been pushed to 9:00 and noon tomorrow, with championship games at 6:00 p.m.  Godwin and James River both play at noon.  Godwin plays at Glen Allen, James River at Deep Run.

Midlo, Thanks for all the updates.

D

Midlo Dad posted:

So, no webcasts, that's confirmed.  (I e-mailed VHSL and they were kind enough to reply promptly.)

Playoffs at levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been postponed to Thursday/Friday, June 13-14.

At levels 5 and 6, today's semifinals have been pushed to 9:00 and noon tomorrow, with championship games at 6:00 p.m.  Godwin and James River both play at noon.  Godwin plays at Glen Allen, James River at Deep Run.

Midlo Dad, check this out.  There is a link at the bottom for live stream (after you click on the link below) and you may have to subscribe.  I was checking for any postponements for tomorrow, uh, later today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82MjKA2rHf0

Thanks!

FYI, this weekend's games have been postponed to Thursday  & Friday.