HS: South Kent, Loomis named Prep No. 1s

by Sheldon Shealer

November 23, 2016

The Prep Top 10 girls soccer national title is heading to Connecticut for the first time ever. Meanwhile, a Connecticut boys power is keeping the No. 1 ranking in the Constitution State for the second straight season and third time in six years.

Loomis Chaffee (Conn.), a one-time girls power in the early 2000s, claimed its first Prep Top 10 national title with a 3-1 victory over Worcester Academy (Mass.) in the NEPSAC A final on Sunday. The five previous Prep Top 10 girls champions hailed from Massachusetts. Worcester settles in at No. 2, followed by NEPSAC B champ Pingree School (Mass.) at No. 3.

On the boys side, South Kent School (Conn.) secured its second straight Prep Top 10 national title -- and third in six years -- with a 2-0 victory over Brooks School (Mass.) in the NEPSAC B final. South Kent was the preseason No. 1 team, fell to No. 2 early in the season, then returned to No. 1 following a 2-1 victory over Berkshire School (Mass.), the eventual Prep A champion. Berkshire finished No. 2, followed by Peddie School (N.J.) at No. 3 in what is the strongest Top 10 in the six-year history of the rankings.

Here is the all-time list of Prep Top 10 national champions:

BOYS

2016: South Kent School (South Kent, Conn.)
2015: South Kent School (South Kent, Conn.)
2014: Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.)
2013: Hill School (Pottstown, Pa.)/Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.)
2012: Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.)
2011: South Kent School (South Kent, Conn.)

GIRLS

2016: Loomis Chaffee (Windsor, Conn.)
2015: Rivers School (Weston, Mass.)
2014: Noble and Greenough (Dedham, Mass.)
2013: Rivers School (Weston, Mass.)/Tabor Academy (Marion, Mass.)
2012: Governor's Academy (Byfield, Mass.)
2011: Worcester Academy (Worcester, Mass.)

The Prep Top 10 is comprised of schools in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council and the Mid-Atlantic Prep League, as well as other independent prep schools. Schools in these rankings are not eligible for the FAB 50 high school rankings because these programs either field post-grad players or compete in a league with or against teams with post-grad and/or fifth-year athletes.

Click below to find out who else made the list:

PREP Top 10s: BOYS (FINAL) | GIRLS (FINAL)