HS: Fall SIMA FAB 50, Sept. 6

by Sheldon Shealer

September 6, 2016

Let the churn begin!

With almost the entire fall-playing country in action, the SIMA FAB 50s start to cycle through teams. Each week, FAB 50 teams tie or lose, thus opening the door for new teams to enter the rankings. Or, in the case of the Olathe East (Olathe, Kan.) boys this week, a team simply wins their way into the rankings by defeating ranked opponents.

In any case, moving forward, look for on average eight new teams to join the rankings on a weekly basis as previously ranked teams lose their way out of the SIMA FAB 50. Some teams taking early losses very well could return to the SIMA FAB 50, but for the time being they need to take a step back in line. The next three weeks will prove pivotal as most of the nonleague and interstate matches take place in September, establishing a fair pecking order for teams as they enter league and postseason play.

BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Walt Whitman (Huntington Station, N.Y.). In a battle of defending state champs and SIMA FAB 50 teams, Walt Whitman and SIMA FAB 50 Top 10-ranked Chaminade (Mineola, N.Y.) played to a 2-2 tie. The result helped Whitman jump from No. 36 to No. 11 this week, settling in right behind Chaminade . ... GIRLS: Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville, Ky.). Sacred Heart Academy leaped from No. 49 to No. 18 this week, powered mostly by a 1-0 victory over No. 19 Carmel (Ind.) at the Lady Eagle Invitational. Sacred Heart also dealt a 4-1 setback to Cincinnati St. Ursula (Ohio), which was in the preseason SIMA FAB 50 until an early loss bumped them from the state, region and national rankings.

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 15 Olathe East (Olathe, Kan.), No. 40 Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.), No. 41 McMinnville (Ore.), No. 42 Bishop Miege (Roeland Park, Kan.), No. 43 Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis.), No. 44 Hood River (Ore.), No. 45 Sandia (Albuquerque, N.M.), No. 48 Olathe Northwest (Olathe, Kan.), No. 49 Harrison (Lafayette, Ind.) and No. 50 Edwardsville (Ill.). ... GIRLS: No. 25 Independence (Thompson's Station, Tenn.), No. 38 Neshaminy (Langhorne, Pa.), No. 39 Toledo St. Ursula (Toledo, Ohio), No. 40 Cleveland (Rio Rancho, N.M.), No. 41 Loveland (Loveland, Ohio), No. 42 Summit (Bend, Ore.), No. 43 Pennridge (Perkasie, Pa.), No. 44 Magnificat (Rocky River, Ohio), No. 45 Toledo Notre Dame (Toledo, Ohio), No. 48 Collierville (Tenn.), No. 49 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) and No. 50 Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.).