June 17 - As part of this week’s NOVA Nine Team feature, we tasked the area’s coaches with nominating players to be among other ‘Nines’, including a ‘Utility Nine’, a ‘Sophomore Nine’, ‘Nine Dirtballs’, an ‘All-Name Nine’, and a ‘No-No Nine’, which consists of players who threw seven-inning no-hitters this spring.
Players who were selected to the NOVA Nine Team were not eligible for the coach-nominated ‘Nines’, as the focus of the feature was to recognize other players from the 80 schools in the magazine’s coverage area.
Here are the other ‘Nines’ from our 2016 NOVA Nine Team feature. A thanks once again to this year’s NOVA Nine sponsor, Rip City Fit.
Utility Nine
Logan Barker, Colonial Forge: A second-team 6A Conference 4 selection, the junior hit .426 with three homers and 22 RBI while primarily playing second base but also filling in at shortstop and third base. Also went 5-1 with a 2.84 ERA on the mound.
John Caicedo, Potomac: The first-team 5A Conference 15 and second-team 5A North Region pick as a utility player helped spur the Panthers’ run to the state tournament after his return from a knee injury.
Ben Davenport, Edison: A first-team 5A Conference 13 selection, the senior played eight positions this spring, all except catcher. Hit .493 with three homers and 22 RBI, and went 6-2 with a 2.22 ERA on the mound.
Kevin Kelly, Paul VI Catholic: A second-team All-WCAC pick, the senior went 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA and had 50 strikeouts in 35.2 innings on the mound, and hit .294 with a homer and 13 RBI while playing first base and in the outfield when not on the mound for the Panthers.
Isaak Lyons, West Springfield: A second baseman and right-handed pitcher, the senior was named a first-team 6A Conference 7 and second-team 6A North Region pick after helping the Spartans clinch the top seed in the league’s tournament.
Danny Hosley, Langley: Primarily a catcher, the junior hit .355, threw out 10 base runners attempting to steal, picked up a win and a save on the mound, and also saw time at shortstop and left field while earning 6A Conference 6 first-team honors.
Pete Nielsen, Madison: A first-team 6A North Region selection as the utility player, the senior hit .339 with a homer and 20 RBI as the Warhawks’ defensive anchor at shortstop, and also served as both a starter and reliever on the mound, recording a 4-1 record with two saves and a 2.22 ERA in 28.1 innings of work.
Bryce Pearson, Tuscarora: A first-team 5A Conference 14 selection as the utility player, the senior hit .427 with four triples, 14 RBI and eight steals while playing second base and third base, and also compiled a 6-2 mark with a 2.54 ERA for the Huskies.
Rafi Vazquez, Bishop O’Connell: A three-time first-team All-WCAC selection, the senior went 6-0 with a 1.30 ERA and had 49 strikeouts in 43 innings this spring, starting at first base when not on the mound and hitting .280 with five homers and 16 RBI for the Knights.
Sophomore Nine
Jimmy Baumstark, Osbourn Park: The lone sophomore to earn first-team 6A Conference 8 honors went 5-3 with a 1.01 ERA this spring for the Yellow Jackets.
Logan Cooper, Loudoun Valley: A first-team 4A West Region selection, he led the Vikings with a .444 batting average and drove in 16 runs this season.
Flynn Hopkins, Robinson: Outfielder was the lone sophomore selected as a first-team 6A Conference 5 pick, when he hit .361 with 10 RBI and eight steals for the Rams this spring.
Kyle Novak, Madison: A first-team 6A Conference 6 and second-team 6A North Region selection, the second baseman hit .415 as a second-year starter for the Warhawks this season.
Blaze O’Saben, Fauquier: A first-team 4A Conference 22 selection, the shortstop hit .417 with six doubles and 10 RBI this spring for the Falcons.
Will Schroeder, Loudoun County: A first-team 4A West Region selection and the Conference 21B Player of the Year, he hit .514 with seven doubles and 14 RBI and went 6-2 with a save and a 1.18 ERA on the mound.
Justin Taylor, Flint Hill: A first-team VISAA Division All-State selection, the shortstop hit .507 with 23 RBI and committed just four errors for the Huskies this season.
Matt Thomas, Lake Braddock: A second-team 6A Conference 7 selection at third base, he hit .366 with 21 RBI for the Bruins this spring.
Jack Weeks. Paul VI Catholic: Left-hander transferred from Herndon and went 5-2 with a 1.91 ERA and had 28 strikeouts to just five walks in 25.2 innings of work this season.
All-Name Nine
Saaketh Anjutgi, Jefferson
Parker Derflinger, Hayfield
Lars Erceg-Warner, JEB Stuart
Noz Honda, Madison
Octavio Orona, T.C. Williams
Trevor Schleppenbach, McLean
Toma Shigaki-Than, Oakton
Ferdie Sityar, Herndon
Evangelos Strifas, Edison
Nine Dirtballs
Omar Ashraf, Edison: “This kid works all the time. I have met him to open cage in pouring rain. [He] played catcher this year as a sophomore and did well. Before practice. you will hear, ‘Time to go to work. Let’s go!’.” - Eagles coach Adam Wells
Caleb Barnes, Briar Woods: “The most competitive player I've ever seen. He treats every pitch, at-bat, and practice rep at 120 percent. Caleb was the first kid to the park and always the last to leave. He represented Briar Woods baseball everyday for four years to the fullest. For the last two seasons he was the guy we needed that on the mound and hitting in the four-hole! He's the man!” - Falcons coach Jason Miller
Brent Boggs, Battlefield: “A gritty player who would run through a wall for you and old school. He just plays hard and needs nothing said to him to do so.” - Bobcats coach Jay Burkhart
Matt Collins, McLean: “In 11 years of coaching high school baseball, I have never, ever, met a kid that loves baseball more than Matt does. During the summer, we would find him all by himself, hitting off a tee at home plate, seeing how many balls he could put out. I’m confident in saying he has spent more time at the McLean baseball field than any other person in the last four years (and probably ever for a player). He’s that consummate baseball passionate, obsessed kid – the first to practice, last to leave. He does nothing but watch and play baseball, he wears exclusively baseball clothes to school, and a lot of days would carry his glove around with him from class-to-class. He’s also a pretty darn good player.” - Highlanders coach John Dowling
Marty Gryski, South Lakes: “I’m not sure there is a baseball adjective that describes Marty better than 'dirtball'. He is the type of guy that just gets it done both offensively and defensively. He is ridiculous defensively and constantly takes away hits with his range. With 30 stolen bases this season, he is a menace on the base paths. The kid was covered in dirt from head to toe every single practice and every single game. He only knows one speed … 100%. You want this kid on your team. Quick story: on the road, we’re up one in the bottom of the seventh, with the tying run at third base. Their kid smokes a ball at Marty, and 99 percent of shortstops try and pick it and risk the run scoring. Marty goes to a knee and wears it off the chest and throws the guy out at first to end the game. He comes in the dugout and says, ‘I told myself as soon as he hit, ‘This is gonna hurt’. He’s a gamer!” - Seahawks coach Morgan Spencer
Hunter Hoopes, W.T. Woodson: “This guy absolutely loves the game! It shows by the way he plays…all out, all the time! Hunter is the no-doubt hardest-worker on our team as he consistently the first one to arrive and last to leave on game and practice days. He works his tail off in the weight room and on the field in the offseason to improve his game. He’s one of those guys who you have to kicked off the field because he just can’t get enough baseball.” - Cavaliers coach Brett McColley
Max Lilek, Kettle Run: “Max has played tremendous defense (only 4 errors) at both shortstop and second base this season. He's very aggressive on the bases and he goes home full of dirt every night. He also drove in the winning run against Jefferson Forest [in the 4A West quarterfinals].” - Cougars coach Ty Thorpe
Frank Sammartino, Jefferson: “The kind of player you wish you had more of. He gives 100%, 100% of the time.” - Colonials coach Nick Richards
Steven White, Colonial Forge: “The kid is 5-foot-5 and was our shortstop for all but three innings this year. Not your typical shortstop by any means, but made up for it by hustle. For a team full of seniors, he was the the most vocal. Nicknamed ‘Little Pedroia’. The definition of a dirtball." - Eagles coach Jake Norman
No-No Nine
Jake Agnos, Battlefield: March 15 vs. C.D. Hylton
Nathan Bass, JEB Stuart: May 10 vs. Lee (perfect game)
Ryan Billy, C.D. Hylton: March 30 vs. Patriot
Ben Davenport, Edison: March 23 vs. Freedom-Woodbridge
Ryan Haynes, Falls Church: April 8 vs. JEB Stuart
Antonio Menendez, Herndon: April 2 vs. South Lakes
Sam Ryan, Fairfax: April 5 vs. Langley
Scotty Schaffler, John Champe: March 16 vs. Rock Ridge
Michael Taylor, Osbourn: April 20 vs. Stonewall Jackson
Photo of Kevin Kelly courtesy of Paul VI Catholic baseball, of Kyle Novak by Albert Jacquez, and of Caleb Barnes courtesy of Briar Woods baseball
