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By John Nolan
Assistant Director of Scouting/Content Management 

As we enter February, the high school season is quickly approaching. As the month progresses and February turns into March, we will take a look at high school programs throughout our coverage area as they prepare for the 2016 season.
 

Team: Nansemond River
Nickname: Warriors
Class: 5A South
Conference: PenSouth Conference 10
Coach: Mark Stuffel
Twitter: @nrwarriorsBBC
2015 Record: 18-5
2015 Post Season: Conference Champions, Regional Tournament
Returning Starters/Position: 8
Returning Pitchers: 3


PLAYERS TO WATCH
Michael Blanchard (RHP/1B, 2016, Old Dominion) Blanchard is a tall righty who throws from a low slot with a good three pitch mix. He is ranked 68^th in the Class of 2016.
Wil Davis (OF, 2016, Anderson) Davis has a good line drive stroke and a decent arm in the outfield to go with some speed. He is ranked 97^th in the Class of 2016. 
Corey Fago (LHP/OF, 2016, Chowan) Fago has an athletic frame and can pound the strike zone with his fastball which he pairs with an outstanding slider.
Matt Holt (RHP/1B, 2016, LaSalle) Holt has big power potential at the plate and has the stuff to be very good on the mound with his three pitch mix.
Dion Jordan (OF, 2016, Norfolk State) Jordan is an athletic outfielder with gap power and a decent arm. He is currently ranked 72^nd in the Class of 2016. 
Nick Lees (SS, 2016, Chowan) Lees is an athletic infielder with an accurate arm who is a good line drive hitter.
Johnny Mayer (2B, 2016, Morehouse) Mayer is an athletic infielder with soft hands and a line drive swing to go with some speed. 
Reid Williams (C, 2016, King) Williams is a line drive hitter and a good defensive catcher who can control the running game with his accurate arm to second.


SEASON OUTLOOK
Nansemond River is coming off of a very good 2015 season that saw the Warriors win their Conference Championship and advance to the Regional Tournament before losing to State Semifinalist Hanover. The Warriors finished the season ranked 19^th in the PBR VA/DC Power 25. Nansemond River has also been impacted by another round of reclassification and has moved up to Group 5A this spring. The 2016 Warriors are going to have a very talented rotation built around Blanchard, Fago, and Holt as well as a solid underclassmen Jarret Henderson (2017) and Gage Williams (RHP, 2018). Behind that pitching staff will be a solid defense made it primarily of experienced seniors. The Warriors will have a deep lineup and plenty of speed throughout their order to put pressure on their opponents with. Nansemond River has one of the deepest stables of talent in the Commonwealth and will be one of the most dangerous teams in the 5A South and a threat to return to the State Tournament after missing it in 2015.