HS: Final Fall FAB 50, Nov. 21

by Sheldon Shealer

November 21, 2017

Tears were aplenty over the weekend as the final state championships of the 2017 fall season brought about victory for some, near misses for others and the end of eras for many.

In Washington, Tom Bunnell had announced his retirement from coaching and the Issaquah girls team sent him off with a fifth state title in 14 years. In Pennsylvania, Conestoga and Lower Dauphin boys Moon girls delivered on preseason expectations with repeat state titles, and Norwin simply girls came through when it mattered most. In New Jersey, the once dominant Kearny program saw its boys team return to the top of the state public school rankings with an undefeated season, while Wall Township and Freehold Township etched their places among the nation's elite.

As this season ends, focus toward next fall starts in earnest. St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.) will be an easy preseason frontrunner as this year's squad was loaded with underclass starters. On the girls side, the Development Academy will impact play moving forward, but some of the "way too early" favorites figure to be Carmel (Ind.), Pennington School (N.J.) and Penn (Ind.).

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 31 West Morris Mendham (Mendham, N.J.), No. 35 Brockton (Mass.), No. 40 Holmdel (N.J.), No. 48 Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.), No. 49 [Vestal Sr ny-m] (N.Y.) and No. 50 Christian Brothers Academy (Lincroft, N.J.). ... GIRLS: No. 10 Wachusett (Holden, Mass.), No. 37 Broadneck (Annapolis, Md.), No. 39 Ridge (Basking Ridge, N.J.), No. 40 Westfield (Westfield, N.J.), No. 43 Bridgewater-Raritan (Bridgewater, N.J.), No. 46 St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.), No. 49 Linganore (Frederick, Md.) and No. 50 Central Valley (Spokane Valley, Wash.).

ALL-TIME FAB 50 FALL No. 1s

Year: Boys; Girls

2017: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.); Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.)
2016: St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio); Davis (Kaysville, Utah)
2015: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.); McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)
2014: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.); McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)
2013: McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.); Maria Carrillo (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
2012: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.); Maria Carrillo (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
2011: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.); Carmel (Ind.)
2010: St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio); Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)
2009: St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.); Portland Jesuit (Portland, Ore.)
2008: Brentwood (N.Y.); Pennington School (Pennington, N.J.)
2007: Broughton (Raleigh, N.C.); South Side (Rockville Center, N.Y.)
2006: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.); Walsh Jesuit(Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)
2005: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.)/St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio); Massapequa (N.Y.)
2004: Upper St. Clair (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Montgomery (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
2003: Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.); Dublin Coffman (Dublin, Ohio)
2002: Hudson (Ohio); Carmel (Ind.)
2001: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.); South Side (Rockville Center, N.Y.)
2000: Horizon (Thornton, Colo.); Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)
1999: Davis (Calif.); Germantown (Tenn.)