by Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi
Senior pitcher Brayden Hayes and coach Jim Bieger, who led the Rappahannock High School baseball team to the Class 1 state semifinals, were named the player and coach of the year for Region 1A.
After winning the Northern Neck District regular season championship and the Region 1A tournament final, the Raiders went on to beat William Campbell, 12-2, in the state quarterfinals before losing, 3-2 in extra innings, to Auburn in the semifinals.
Hayes was joined by five teammates on the all-region first team including junior catcher Chase Self, junior second baseman Carter Sullivan, senior outfielders Josh Thomas and Ethan White and senior designated hitter Landon Shefflien.
Northumberland junior pitcher JP Withers and sophomore third baseman Camden Brann also received first team honors. The Indians finished as the region runner-up then beat Altavista, 3-1, in the state quarterfinal before losing 4-1 to Fort Chiswell to finish the season as a state semifinalist.
Essex completed the all-region first team with senior pitcher Noah Thompson, senior first baseman Kyron Howard, senior shortstop Keion Hence and senior Hunter Byrd.
The second team was made up of all Tidewater and Eastern Shore districts players including Mathews senior pitcher Justin Jones, sophomore catcher Zac Salvadori, senior first baseman Jordyn Crosby, senior outfielder Colin Moore, senior third baseman Christian Blue and sophomore designated hitter Hayden Owens; Middlesex sophomore shortstop Bryson Bulgin, sophomore outfielder Jakub Bowen and sophomore pitcher Henry Fleet; Chincoteague senior pitcher Kent Reed and freshman second baseman Bryce Luck; and West Point senior outfielder Calvin Robinson.
