I am well aware of both Berry and Jones, and last years team. All the pitchers you mentioned pitched against VA High last year. Outside of the fluke loss at Richlands what was the outcome in those games? I will grant you that each team has a couple of arms, but so does VA High. Jones not playing is a blow, but not as big as of blow as one might think.
The district race was very close last year, but with VA Highs youngest and worst team in years still won the district without an injured player, and one that didn’t play due to personal reasons. Tazewell and Marion will have to prove it can beat VA High, which hasn’t happened in many years, and I was shocked as anyone that it didn’t happen last year. VA High doesn’t play Coppinger competition. They play Abingdon, Battle, Lebanon, Dobyns Bennett, and West Ridge. This prepares them a lot more!
When I think of a shut down pitcher, I think of names like Buchanan, Gibson, Hankins, and Gobble! The SWD hasn’t had that in a few years. The last group of shutdown pitchers in SWD was Matt Buchanan, Jordan Dixon, and Griffin. That level of baseball isn’t in the SWD right now. I would argue it will be another tight race in the district, but until someone can prove they can beat VA High consistently, it is still theirs to lose!