Follow @PBRVirginiaDC

Over the coming months, Prep Baseball Report Virginia/DC will take a look back at the 2015 season for each school that finished the spring in the final 2015 Power 25. In each article, we will not only recap the successful seasons of these 40 schools, but highlight the individuals who drove that success and preview what the outlook is for each team in 2016.

11. Loudoun Valley Vikings

Season Recap:
Loudoun Valley entered the 2015 season as the defending 3A State Champions and came very close to repeating. The Vikings won their District and Conference championships and were named co-3A East Region Champions, sharing the title with Lafayette because rain significantly delayed the 3A East Regional Tournament. The Vikings reached the State Championship game and lost to Lafayette in the last inning after battling back from an early deficit to tie the game. The Vikings were a superb defensive team that was anchored by its pitching staff as Loudoun Valley recorded 14 shutouts on their way to a 23-3 overall record.

+Key Performers:
Justin Ager: (RHP, 2016, Yale) Ager was named 1st Team All-Conference and 2nd Team All-Region as he emerged as one of Loudoun Valley’s top options on the mound. Ager is currently ranked 20th in the Class of 2016 Rankings.

Jack DeGroat: (RHP, 2015, Liberty) DeGroat improved on a spectacular 2014 season as he emerged as the Vikings’ ace. DeGroat was named 3A State Player of Year and finished his high school career with a 17-strikeout, 2-hit shutout of Rustburg in the State Semifinals.

Hunter Gore: (C, 2016, Liberty) Gore emerged as the centerpiece of the Viking lineup down the stretch as he produced the game-winning hit in all of Loudoun Valley’s Conference and Regional tournament games including a monstrous home run in extra innings of the Regional Semifinals to win the game. Gore led the team in runs batted in and also did a very good job of handling the Viking pitching staff. Gore is ranked 47th in the Virginia/DC Class of 2016.

Adam Lockhart: (1B, 2016) Lockhart played good defense at first base and led the team in batting average, helping to set the table in front of Gore.

Andrew Lohr: (3B/RHP, 2015) Lohr was named 1st Team All-Conference, All-Region, and 2nd Team 3A All-State at third base. Lohr made a lot of big plays in clutch spots for the Vikings, and also chipped in with some quality work on the mound in important spots as the season wound down.

Trey McDyre: (MIF, 2016, Liberty) McDyre anchored the Loudoun Valley defense at shortstop and his bat developed as the year progressed as he became an integral part of the Viking lineup. McDyre has continued to improve throughout the summer and is currently ranked 51st in the Class of 2016.

2016 Outlook:
The Vikings will have to work hard to replace DeGroat, Lohr, and Sam Urban (OF, 2015, Liberty), but otherwise return all of their position starters from the 2015 team as well as Ager on the mound. Loudoun Valley will move up from 3A to 4A in 2016 and the Vikings should again have a strong defensive team with an experienced lineup. If Ager can step into the role of ace and another quality arm or two can emerge, Loudoun Valley will be one of the better teams in what is shaping up to be a very competetive and deep 4A West.