HS: Berkshire, Nobles end as Prep No. 1s

by Sheldon Shealer

November 22, 2018

It took four years, but Berkshire School (Mass.) boys and Noble and Greenough (Mass.) girls have returned to the position of TopDrawerSoccer Prep Top 10 national champion.

Berkshire won or shared the Prep Top 10 national title three of the first four years the rankings existed, with the most recent title in 2014. The team took a backseat in recent years as it went through three head coaches in three seasons. But it all came together once again in 2018 as the Bears posted a perfect season, going coast-to-coast as the Prep No. 1 boys team.

By contrast, Nobles was a preseason favorite, but the No. 1 ranking this season cycled through four teams through the first month of play. After the No. 1 termoil settled down, Nobles was back at No. 1 and held that all the way through, ending with a NEPSAC Prep A title over two-time defending Prep Top 10 national national Loomis Chaffee (Conn.).

The Prep Top 10 is a ranking system for the nation's fall-playing prep school programs. Most of these teams exist in the Northeast and are affiliated with the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council. There are other independent, post-grad and prep teams scattered around the country that are eligible for the Prep Top 10 since they do not qualify for the FAB 50 high school rankings.

BOYS

2018: Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.)
2017: Brooks School (North Andover, Mass.)
2016: South Kent School (South Kent, Conn.)
2015: South Kent School (South Kent, Conn.)
2014: Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.)
2013: Hill School (Pottstown, Pa.)/Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.)
2012: Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.)
2011: South Kent School (South Kent, Conn.)

GIRLS

2018: Noble and Greenough (Dedham, Mass.)
2017: Loomis Chaffee (Windsor, Conn.)
2016: Loomis Chaffee (Windsor, Conn.)
2015: Rivers School (Weston, Mass.)
2014: Noble and Greenough (Dedham, Mass.)
2013: Rivers School (Weston, Mass.)/Tabor Academy (Marion, Mass.)
2012: Governor's Academy (Byfield, Mass.)
2011: Worcester Academy (Worcester, Mass.)