HS: Fall FAB 50 rankings, Oct. 9

by Sheldon Shealer

October 9, 2018

We're in that part of the season where the out-of-state showcases are finished and playoffs, in most states, have yet to begin.

It's this time of year where there's very little movement in the Top 25 as the elite teams already have cemented their place in the rankings and are simply enhancing their pre-playoff resumes with contests against league rivals.

On the boys side, the only ranking change in the Top 10 was Loyola (Md.) and McDonogh School (Md.) swapping places. On the girls side, one New Jersey team fell out of the Top 10 -- Eastern (N.J.) -- and another -- Ramapo (N.J.) -- leaped to No. 4 this week.

St. Christopher's (Va.) moves from No. 26 to No. 25 this week, making it the only new squad in this week's boys Top 25. Meanwhile, Franklin (Tenn.), Seattle Prep (Wash.) and Mars (Pa.) move up from Nos. 26, 27 and 28 to inherit the No. 23, 24 and 25 spots this week on the girls side.

Now on with the rankings ...

BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Troy Athens (Troy, Mich.). A six-spot jump wasn't the largest of the week, but in this case seems the most important. Troy Athens' perfect start as this team up to No. 13 this week. It's very possible that Athens could leapfrog a few more teams and find itself in the FAB 50 Top 10 very soon. ... GIRLS: Ramapo (Franklin Lakes, N.J.). They're back! Anyone with any historical knowledge of girls high school soccer would recognize Ramapo, a perennial national power for decades under former cach Paul Heenahan. Sarah Francini, who replaced Heenahan, has Ramapo back in the national title conversation following the team's 3-2 win over former FAB 50 No. 2 Northern Highlands (N.J.) last week. Ramapo's lineup was beefed up in August when PDA left the Development Academy, allowing for several of the state's top prospects a chance to play high school soccer.

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 40 Washington Township (Sewell, N.J.), No. 43 Scotch Plains-Fanwood (Scotch Plains, N.J.), No. 48 Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio), No. 49 Monroe-Woodbury (Central Valley, N.Y.) and No. 50 Dayton Carroll (Dayton, Ohio). ... GIRLS: No. 33 Centennial (Las Cruces, N.M.), No. 40 St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.), No. 41 Glastonbury (Conn.), No. 43 Pearl River (N.Y.), No. 44 Mansfield (Mansfield, Mass.), No. 45 Arlington (LaGrangeville, N.Y.), No. 47 Eagan (Minn.) and No. 50 Madison (Mansfield, Ohio).