As spring season kicks into full swing, The Washington Post has published its annual preseason top 10, where they rank high school teams in the area based on their predictions for the season. This year, three of McLean’s sports teams have made their way into the top 10 and are projected to do very well this spring.
In boys varsity soccer, McLean is ranked second, below only the Riverside Rams, a Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 5 team. The Highlanders took the VHSLClass 6 finals to overtime last year, losing by just one goal, and the team is determined to redeem that loss this year. McLean’s team is looking strong, having won both of their scrimmages so far this season, and there are high hopes for the rest of the season.
“Our team goal is to finish what we started last year and win states,” junior Carter Courey said. “We are going to get there because of our mentality as a family. Every game we aim to prove that we are the best team in the state, and we are constantly pushing each other to get better and holding each other accountable for our mistakes.”
McLean’s baseball team, last year’s Class 6 state champions, is ranked number five in the preseason rankings. , below only private schools who will not compete in the same state championship as the Highlanders. The Washington Post notes that McLean’s team is made up of many returning stars, including senior second baseman Ethan Ball, who is committed to play Division 1 baseball at Virginia Tech next year. The Highlanders have six players committed to play in college and three going D-I, giving their team an edge that they hope will lead them to back-to-back state titles.
“The state [championship] is definitely in our sights, but we’re just going to need to get there one step at a time,” junior Ryan Riggins said. “One of our main priorities right now at the start of our season is staying healthy and competing in every single game leading up to the postseason.”
McLean’s softball team also made it into the top 10, slated at number eight in the ranking of the area’s softball programs. The Washington Post labeled the Highlanders as a “talented lineup” and a “favorite in Virginia Class 6,” and six of their returning players earned all district honors last season, with three earning all region awards and junior Gennie Fagan being named as last year’s regional player of the year. The Highlanders brought a lot of new faces to their roster this year but hope to look to these returning players to lead them to a state championship.
“I think the season is going to go pretty well for us,” Fagan said. “We have a full team of great hitters and defense, which I think will carry us to our wins.”
Check out the original stories by The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/03/12/preseason-boys-spring-soccer-top-10/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/03/12/preseason-baseball-top-10/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/03/12/preseason-softball-top-10/
