2023 MPSSAA 2A Season Preview
March 16, 2023
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Our 2023 Season Previews continues today with our preview of the MPSSAA 2A in Maryland. We will dive into key players and players to watch, as well as make our predictions on who we believe will win each region.
MPSSAA 3A Season Preview
MPSSAA 4A Season Preview
MIAA "A" Preseason All-Conference Team
MIAA "A" Conference Preview Part 1
MIAA "A" Conference Preview Part 2
WCAC Preview
IAC Preview
Lets take a look into the 2A…
2022 Recap
The 2A State Championship featured a powerhouse SMAC team in Patuxent locking horns with a Glenelg team that certainly got hot at the right time. Coach Tiffany's Gladiators defeated Patuxent, behind great pitching and a huge three RBI double off the bat of Nicholas Duvall.
The 2A Classification is intriguing once again this season, and may provide some surprising teams make deep runs as we saw a year ago. Plenty of depth throughout with big time names to keep eyes on should make for a fun Spring throughout the 2A.
2022 Preview
Players to Watch
Player | High School | Year | Commitment |
Chris Baynard | Easton | 2023 | |
Cam Bott | Patuxent | 2023 | |
Churchill Bridgman | Southern-AA | 2023 | Wilson |
Andrew Brill | Poolesville | 2024 | |
Aidan Brinsfield | Parkside | 2023 | Salisbury |
Truitt Brinsfield | Hereford | 2023 | |
Colin Brosh | North Harford | 2023 | |
Carson Brown | Easton | 2023 | |
Logan Burns | Kent Island | 2023 | Elizabethtown |
Devin Canter | Queen Anne's | 2023 | UMES |
Brody Carroll | Queen Anne's | 2023 | |
Landon Castor | Glenelg | 2023 | High Point |
Noah Collier | North Harford | 2023 | Penn State-Scranton |
Will Collison | Queen Anne's | 2023 | Chesapeake College |
Brody Comer | Century | 2023 | McDaniel |
Chris Coombs | La Plata | 2025 | |
Alfonse Dello Russo | Glenelg | 2023 | |
Fredy Diaz Jr | Middletown | 2024 | |
Dominic DiBlasi | Liberty | 2023 | McDaniel |
Liam Diehl | Hereford | 2023 | High Point |
Nick Duvall | Glenelg | 2023 | |
Chase Endres | Hammond | 2024 | |
Ethan Flaugher | North East | 2024 | Mount St. Mary's |
Coen Harvey | Winters Mill | 2023 | McDaniel |
Camden Hodges | Liberty | 2023 | |
Kevin Hyde | Liberty | 2023 | McDaniel |
Finley Jourdan | Fallston | 2023 | McDaniel |
Luke Keefer | North East | 2024 | Maryland |
Jackson Kelley | Glenelg | 2023 | York |
Jack Kinsey | Hereford | 2024 | |
Cam Klotz | Rising Sun | 2023 | |
Zach LaFountain | Glenelg | 2024 | |
Andrew Larkin | Hereford | 2024 | |
Ryan Larkin | Hereford | 2024 | |
Nathan Martin | Liberty | 2023 | |
Thomas Martin | Southern-AA | 2024 | |
Gino Meienschein | Parkside | 2023 | |
Colby Moran | Middletown | 2023 | |
Ryan Moran | Patuxent | 2023 | |
Andrew Murphy | Fallston | 2024 | |
Joey Nicholson | Middletown | 2024 | |
Casey Parsons | Parkside | 2024 | |
Ben Pearcy | Glenelg | 2023 | |
Luke Pearre | Poolesville | 2024 | Rhode Island |
Ryan Prehoda | Lackey | 2023 | |
Logan Pusheck | Glenelg | 2024 | |
Andrew Raymond | Middletown | 2024 | George Mason |
Owen Roach | Century | 2023 | |
Zachary Robinson | Parkside | 2023 | |
Caeden Schulte | Kent Island | 2023 | Messiah |
Ashton Siwald | Queen Anne's | 2023 | Frostburg State |
John Smith | Parkside | 2023 | |
DJ Stolba | Glenelg | 2023 | McDaniel |
Kayden Webb | Easton | 2025 | Maryland |
Logan White | Fallston | 2023 | LaRoche |
Grey Willis | Rising Sun | 2024 | |
Jacob Young | Eastern Tech | 2023 | McDaniel |
Ryan Zickefoose | Sparrows Point | 2024 | |
Tyler Zimmerman | Eastern Tech | 2023 | CCBC Essex |
Region Breakdown
2A West
Region I | Region II |
Century | Glenelg |
Liberty | Hammond |
Southern-AA | Middletown |
Winters Mill | Oakland Mills |
Poolesville | |
Walkersville |
Notes
Region I this year may see a little more parity than it did just a year ago, as Liberty rolled through the Region playoffs with blowout wins over Winters Mill and Century before falling just short in the State Semi-finals to Patuxent. Other than Sophomore standout Nate Martin, Coach Travis Inch will rely on his Senior leadership to make another deep run this season, as we look for Dominic DiBlasi (McDaniel), Jack Davidson, Camden Hodges and Kevin Hyde (McDaniel) to have bog seasons for the Lions in 2023. Century will be intriguing to watch once again, as Brody Comer (McDaniel), Colin Perrier, Owen Roach, Ryan Von Stein (McDaniel) and Sophomore standout Chase Speiden will look to lead Coach Poe's Knights. Southern-AA returns ace Churchill Bridgman who can go toe-to-toe with any offense in this Region, however lack the offensive depth in our eyes to make a deep run in 2023. Winters Mill is interesting, as the Falcons will lean heavily on Senior leadership led by two-way Coen Harvey (McDaniel), Kameron Becker and Brandon Taylor. Keep eyes on Sophomore Aidan Koerbel as well for the Falcons, as Coach Andrew Davis looks to turn around what has been a struggling program for the past few years.
The Glenelg Gladiators enter the 2023 season looking to repeat as 2A State Champions, and they certainly have the roster and coaching to get it done. Coach Tiffany has plenty of talent and experience at his disposal, returning almost every starter from last year's state championship team. Landon Castor (High Point), Nick Duvall, Jackson Kelley and Zach LaFountain all look to lead the pitching rotation. Along with Duvall leading the offensive onslaught, look for Alfonse Dello Russo (Saint Vincent), Ben Pearcy, Logan Pusheck, and DJ Stolba (McDaniel) to provide depth and consistency throughout. A name to circle is two-way Sophomore Nicholas Bilotto who brings a spark on both sides of the ball. The biggest threat to Glenelg in our eyes is Middletown; an offensive powerhouse led by Andrew Raymond (George Mason), Joey Nicholson, Colby Moran and Fredy Diaz Jr. If the pitching can hold up for the Knights, throw strikes and the defense remains close to "mistake-free", look for the Knights to threaten Glenelg's reign.
Top 4
1. Glenelg
2. Middletown
3. Liberty
4. Century
2A North
Region I | Region II |
Carver A&T | Carver Vo. Tech |
Hereford | Chesapeake-BC |
Lansdowne | Dunbar |
Milford Mill | Eastern Tech |
New Town | Overlea |
Owings Mills | Patterson |
Randallstown | Sparrows Point |
Notes
Region I will continue to run through Hereford, as the Bulls may have the most talented pitching staff across the entire state. Led by Senior Liam Diehl (High Point), the Bulls return Juniors Andrew Larkin, Ryan Larkin, Jack Kinsey and Senior Truitt Brinsfield. The only question mark is on the offensive side, as the Bulls graduated standout bats from a year ago and will look for other players to step up. Randallstown looks to be the next best team in the region, and return for a Regional Championship rematch with Hereford in 2023.
As true from a year ago, this region looks to be led by two teams; Sparrows Point and Eastern Tech. Sparrows Point is relatively young, however has been extremely competitive ever since their State Championship appearance in 2021. Look for Juniors Ryan Zickefoose and Austin Shifflett to lead the Pointers this season. Eastern Tech on the other hand ha stwo Senior leaders in Jacob Young (McDaniel) and Tyler Zimmerman (CCBC Essex) who look primed to lead the Mavericks to a Regional title this season.
Top 4
1. Hereford
2. Eastern Tech
3. Sparrows Point
4. Randallstown
2A South
Region I | Region II |
Douglass-PG | Calvert |
Fairmont Heights | Lackey |
Friendly | La Plata |
Gwynn Park | McDonough |
Potomac | Patuxent |
Thomas Stone | |
Westlake |
Notes
Region I always seems to be wide open, with perennial contenders Fairmont Heights and Gwynn Park the two favorites to meet in the regional championship. We're going to go with Gwynn Park to repeat as 2A South Region I Champions.
Region II is perennially and historically one of the toughest, grittiest and most competitive regions across the entire 2A Classification. This season, Patuxent comes off of two consecutive Regional titles and an appearance in last year's State Championship game, however lose three key pieces in Jeff DeLair, Nathan Robey and standout Brady Powell. Although the Panthers return a slew of upperclassmen from a year ago, we don't believe Coach Powell's squad will be quite as dominant this season, however, we do still believe the Panthers make it out of the 2A South Region II. Seniors Ryan Moran, Cameron Bott, George Libby, Nick Boswell and Kaleb Elliott look to lead Patuxent to their 3rd consecutive Regional title. La Plata should return closer to form in 2023, as Coach John Childers has impact players on both sides of the ball eager to bounce back after a tough 2022 campaign. Sophomore standout Chris Coombs looks to lead the Warriors on both sides with a slew of players chomping at the bit. Look for the Lackey Chargers to compete this year, as they have one of the more dynamic catchers on their roster in Senior Ryan Prehoda.
Top 4
1. Patuxent
2. La Plata
3. Lackey
4. Calvert
2A East
Region I | Region II |
Elkton | Easton |
Fallston |
Kent Island |
Harford Tech | North Caroline |
North East | Parkside |
North Harford | Queen Anne's |
Rising Sun | Wicomico |
Notes
North East looks to repeat as Regional Champions, however will have to replace innings on the bump after the graduations of Austin Keefer and righty ace Jacob Whiteman. This will put the load on standout Junior Luke Keefer (Maryland), who is one of the more dynamic players across the Old Line State and will need to be consistent if the Indians look to repeat. Ethan Flaugher (Mount St. Mary's) will also be a leader on this year's North East team and provide impactful AB's on the offensive end. Coach Grant Morlock's Fallston team may be the biggest threat to North East, as they have plenty of pieces to compete in Finley Jourdan (McDaniel), Logan White (LaRoche), Jason Foxx and transfers Andrew Murphy and Drew Rommel. Rising Sun has a slew of young talent vying for impactful playing time, including Junior left-hander Grey Willis, however we see them as needing possibly one more year to make a deep run. Keep eyes on a talented North Harford team led by Wyatt Canapp, Colin Brosh, Noah Collier (Penn State-Scranton) and Freshman Colin Kight to make some noise throughout this region.
As we predicted in last year's preseason write-ups, the 2A East Region II was extremely competitive and nothing looks to change too much in 2023. Parkside is the favorite in our eyes, led by the likes of Aidan Brinsfield (Salisbury), Connor Bailey, Gino Meienschein, Casey Parsons, Eric Braica, Zachary Robinson and John Smith. The depth on both sides of the ball is eye-opening and bodes well for a deep run for the Rams. Queen Anne's is intriguing with a deep pitching rotation and offensive prowess led by Will Collison and Ashton Siwald. Kent Island looks to be the third top team in this region, as Logan Burns and Caeden Schulte look to lead the Buccaneers.
Top 4
1. North East
2. Parkside
3. Fallston
4. Kent Island