HS: TDS preseason state, region rankings

by Sheldon Shealer

August 8, 2016

TopDrawerSoccer releases its elaborate high school state and region rankings for the fall-playing states. Nearly 300 teams earned state recognition and nearly 190 made their respective regional ranking. The SIMA FAB 50 preseason national rankings will be released Tuesday, Aug. 9, which narrows the massive list to the top 50 boys and top 50 girls programs.

It should be noted that the SIMA FAB 50 preseason rankings were compiled in July, long before most teams assemble for preseason practice. Hundreds of coaches and media members provide information that shape the preseason rankings. Teams are rated based on the expected returning talent. As is common, one or two key players opting out of high school soccer could drastically change expectations and fortunes of a team. Also, there are sure to be surprise teams entering the rankings later that benefit from players returning to the high school game from club soccer.

The seven region preseason No. 1 teams in fall girls soccer combined for a 133-6-5 mark last year. The preseason region No. 1s are Whitman-Hanson (Mass.) in the Northeast, Northern Highlands (N.J.) in N.J./N.Y., McDonogh School (Md.) in the Mid-Atlantic, Walsh Jesuit (Ohio) in Ohio, Brebeuf Jesuit (Ind.) in the Mid-East, Issaquah (Wash.) in the Northwest and Davis (Utah) in the West.

Equally impressive are the seven region preseason No. 1 fall boys teams, which combined for a 146-11-5 mark in 2015. Take away Rockhurst Jesuit's record and that number is 125-4-3. Starting atop the region rankings are La Salle Academy (R.I.) in the Northeast, St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.) in the East, McDonogh School (Md.) in the Mid-Atlantic, St. Ignatius (Ohio) in the Great Lakes, Morton (Ill.) in the Mid-East, Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.) in the Midwest and Albuquerque Academy (N.M.) in the West.

TOP STORYLINES

NOTABLY MISSING: Jesuit (Calif.), a fixture in the SIMA FAB 50 fall rankings, made its final fall appearance last school year. The final fall holdout sections, which included the CIF-Sac-Joaquin, voted to move high school soccer to the winter. The move caused a slight rearranging of the TopDrawerSoccer regions as Colorado moved out of the Midwest region and into the West to replace California. While the boys have now vacated fall play in California, the CIF-North Coast girls teams have fault to remain playing fall soccer.

SHIFTING BOUNDARIES: In girls soccer, New Jersey was removed from the East Region and coupled with New York in a New York-New Jersey Region. The East, meanwhile, has been renamed Mid-Atlantic, to better reflect the included states. Last year, the powerhouse region that included New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland -- among others -- combined for 14 SIMA FAB 50 teams in the final rankings. The region was so loaded that several players with Youth National Team experience had no chance at making the 11-player all-region team. Moving New Jersey will strengthen the former New York region and allow more representation -- both in terms of teams and players -- in the Mid-Atlantic.

CLICK BELOW FOR THE COMPLETE FALL STATE AND REGION RANKINGS

FALL REGION RANKINGS: BOYS (Preseason) | GIRLS (Preseason)

FALL STATE RANKINGS: BOYS (Preseason) | GIRLS (Preseason)

Related Topics: SIMA FAB 50 / Event