HS: Fall state, region rankings, Oct. 2

by Sheldon Shealer

October 2, 2017

With nearly 20 NCAA commits dotting the lineups between Penn (Ind.) and Norwin (Pa.), it made those two easy choices at the top of the FAB 50 girls soccer rankings.

An early season draw by Penn knocked the defending state champion from the No. 1 position. Norwin seemed poised to inherit the top ranking and run with it -- then came Penn-Trafford (Pa.). The Warriors stunned Norwin 1-0 last week, ending Norwin's 47-game regular-season undefeated streak and handing the team its first league loss since 2013.

Since Penn was hanging out at No. 2 in the FAB 50, the Kingsmen are likely to run to the top spot as it enters the playoffs, which start this week in Indiana.

THINGS TO WATCH

BOYS

* Edwardsville (Ill.) slowly has been climbing the Illinois state and Mid-East Region rankings. This St. Louis-area team is likely to be No. 1 in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Large School rankings this week when it takes on Christian Brothers College (Mo.), the area's preseason No. 1 team that worked its way back up the rankings following a nine-match undefeated run.

* The annual St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.) vs. Salesianum (Del.) clash on Saturday will have more than bragging rights on the line. Both of these perennial powerhouses are perfect on the season and will be FAB 50 Top 10 foes when they meet, making the match important in the bid for No. 1 this season.

* Dublin Coffman (Ohio) and St. Ignatius (Ohio) meet in Cleveland on Saturday, pitting two of the nation's top programs this season. St. Ignatius is the defending state champs. Coffman has spent most of the season raniked No. 1 or 2 in the state.

GIRLS

* Archbishop Spalding (Md.) vs. [McDonogh md-w] (Md.), Take II. These perennial private school powers meet on Tuesday for the second time in what should be three meetings this year. The teams played a scoreless draw the previous week. As members of the IAAM, Spalding and McDonogh will be favored to meet a third time -- in the IAAM final. This meeting, coupled with McDonogh's upcoming match with Urbana (Md.) will go a long way in determining the state No. 1 in Maryland.

* Freehold Township (N.J.) faces a resurging Colts Neck (N.J.) side on Monday in what will be a key test for Freehold's state No. 2 ranking.

CLICK BELOW FOR THE COMPLETE FALL HIGH SCHOOL RANKINGS

FALL REGION RANKINGS: BOYS (Oct. 2) | GIRLS (Oct. 2)

FALL STATE RANKINGS: BOYS (Oct. 2) | GIRLS (Oct. 2)

Related Topics: SIMA FAB 50 / Event