HS: Spring SIMA FAB 50, April 28

by Sheldon Shealer

April 28, 2015

TOP STORY: The Georgia playoffs start this week and both SIMA FAB 50 titles will be on the line. [St. Pius X Catholic ga-m] boys and Harrison girls hold down the No. 1 rankings, but knocking on the door are a pair of No. 2 teams that are building hefty resumes. Dalton (Dalton, Ga.) boys remain No. 2, but a 6-0 win over former SIMA FAB 50-ranked Riverwood helps build a case for this team to top the charts. Dalton also has a playoff grouping that includes four SIMA FAB 50 teams, while St. Pius will not see any. On the girls side, No. 2 New Trier (Winnetka, Ill.) won the PepsiCo Showdown on Sunday and could add a Naperville Invitational title to its list of accomplishments. Sweeping those major events, coupled with a perfect run through highly talented Illinois also could warrant a move to No. 1.

This week, the rankings focus will lead us to Burlington, Iowa, where the annual Tournament of Champions event will bring together top programs from just about every Midwest state that offers spring soccer. While only two teams are in the SIMA FAB 50, several others are in the state and regional rankings, and a strong showing this week could change the ranking fortunes of any number of teams. The ToC is the last major multi-state high school soccer event for the school year.

BIG MOVER: BOYS: Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.) makes a 13-spot move to land at No. 28 after playing to a tie with undefeated Hardin Valley Academy (Knoxvile, Tenn. GIRLS: [Broad Run] (Ashburn, Va.) jumps from No. 23 to No. 9 after defeating defending state champion and former SIMA FAB 50 No. 3 Battlefield (Haymarket, Va.) 1-0 in a showdown of the state's top two-ranked teams.

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 44 [Ankney Centennial ia-m] (Ankeny, Iowa), No. 45 Central Gwinnett (Lawrenceville, Ga.), No. 46 East Central (Tulsa, Okla.), No. 47 Edison Preparatory (Tulsa, Okla.), No. 48 Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville, Tenn.), No. 49 Battle Ground Academy (Franklin, Tenn.) and No. 50 Duluth (Duluth, Ga.). GIRLS: No. 30 Blue Valley Southwest (Overland Park, Kan.), No. 32 McLean (McLean, Va.), No. 33 Grandview (Aurora, Colo.), No. 35 Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), No. 36 Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), No. 37 Gull Lake (Richland, Mich.), No. 40 Grandville (Grandville, Mich.), No. 44 Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), No. 48 Elkhorn South (Omaha, Neb.) and No. 49 Nerinx Hall (St. Louis, Mo.).