HS: Fall SIMA FAB 50, Oct. 4

by Sheldon Shealer

October 4, 2016

The revolving door at No. 1 in the SIMA FAB 50 boys rankings probably has not stopped. But for the time being, a public school is making a rare appearance at No. 1.

This week Conestoga (Pa.), formerly No. 5, is the top-ranked team after the previous 1-4 teams all lost or tied last week. Conestoga is the first public school team to hold the top spot this season, and the first Pennsylvania squad in this position since the Downingtown dynasty -- before the school split into East and West -- in the early 2000s. Brentwood (N.Y.) was the last public school to finish the year ranked No. 1 in the SIMA FAB 50 fall boys rankings.

While Conestoga's schedule is primarly public and private schools in Pennsylvania, it has one result that helps justify the lofty position for the time being. Conestoga handed SIMA FAB 50 No. 13 West Chester Henderson (Pa.) its only loss. Henderson handled Malvern Prep (Pa.) 3-0, the same Malvern Prep team that beat Kiski School (Pa.) 3-0. Kiski School pinned the first loss on SIMA FAB 50 No. 5 Milwaukee Marquette (Wis.) this past weekend at the Gateway City Soccer Classic.

Morton (Ill.) moves into No. 2, followed by Christian Brothers Academy (N.J.). St. Ignatius (Ohio) and Milwaukee Marquette round out the Top 5.

On the girls side, the only change near the top was Penn (Ind.) moving to No. 4 and Strongsville (Ohio) and Medina (Ohio) inching up into the Nos. 5 and 6 spots. The three were able to advance as [Germantown Houston tn-w] (Tenn.) tied a pair of matches last week and Massapequa (N.Y.) was upset by a league rival that it had easily beat earlier in the season.

BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Rockwood Summit (Fenton, Mo.). Summit won the Gateway City Soccer Classic Bracket C title and vaulted from No. 45 to No. 14 this week. Summit is likely to move to No. 2 in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch rankings this week, just in time for a clash top-ranked and SIMA FAB 50 No. 12 Ladue Horton Watkins (St. Louis, Mo.). ... GIRLS: Central Dauphin (Harrisburg, Pa.). Central Dauphin proved the early tie with perennial District 3 power Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) was no fluke by defeating its league rival in the rematch. The win allows Central Dauphin to move from No. 49 to No. 43 and the six-spot jump is the highest among previously ranked teams.

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 17 Christian Brothers College (St. Louis, Mo.), No. 27 St. Charles North (Ill.), No. 31 Glenbrook North (Northbrook, Ill.), No. 38 Marquette (Chesterfield, Mo.), No. 39 DeSmet (St. Louis, Mo.), No. 40 Shaker Heights (Ohio), No. 42 Ramapo (Franklin Lakes, N.J.), No. 43 Nauset (Eastham, Mass.), No. 44 Daviess County (Owensboro, Ky.), No. 45 Avon (Ind.), No. 46 Shawnee Mission East (Prairie Village, Kan.), No. 47 Wheaton Academy (West Chicago, Ill.), No. 49 [Mount Saint Joseph md-m] (Baltimore, Md.) and No. 50 Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.). ... GIRLS: No. 25 Scotch Plains-Fanwood (Scotch Plains, N.J.), No. 44 Sheldon (Eugene, Ore.), No. 45 St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.), No. 46 Canon-McMillan (Canonsburg, Pa.), No. 47 Pennington School (Pennington, N.J.), No. 48 Portland Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), No. 49 East Brunswick (N.J.) and No. 50 Bishop Feehan (Attleboro, Mass.).