HS: Top teams will be challenged this week

by Sheldon Shealer

September 3, 2019

Five girls FAB 50 Top 25 teams are participating this week in the Lady Eagle Invitational in Zionsville, Ind., making it the place to be this weekend.

The event, in its 12th year, has become a fixture on the schedule for state title hopefuls from Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. In addition, it plays an important role in sizing up teams from several states for the national rankings. No. 7 Noblesville (Ind.), No. 14 Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), No. 16 Evansville Memorial (Ind.), No. 19 Carmel (Ind.) and No. 25 Brunswick (Ohio) are the top-ranked teams at this year's event. No. 35 Notre Dame Academy (Ky.) and No. 41 Highlands (Ky.) also are part of the 19-team field.

There was not much movement in this week's FAB 50 rankings as most of the East Coast states have yet to play, but that changes starting Tuesday. Girls FAB 50 No. 1 McDonogh School (Md.) faces No. 21 Good Counsel on Tuesday, kicking off a week full of major clashes, which ends with the Lady Eagle Invitational.

On the boys side this week, top-ranked St. Ignatius (Ohio) clashes with defending state champion and No. 25 St. Xavier (Ky.). Also, No. 8 McDonogh School (Md.) tanks on No. 15 Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.) in another featured contest.

TopDrawerSoccer is making it easy to follow the results of top teams this season with a FAB 50 scoreboard tracker, which will be updated each day with results from Top 25 teams.

Now, on with the rest of the rankings ...

BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Cleveland (Rio Rancho, N.M.). Gabriel Legendre is creating quite a resume in a bid for New Mexico state player of the year honors. The senior scored six goals last week and has 11 on the season, which has helped Cleveland jump from No. 49 to No. 24 in this week's FAB 50. ... GIRLS: Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.). There does not seem to be a clear favorite among the PIAA Class AAAA programs this fall, but CV has made an early statement with 14 goals through two matches, which included a comfortable win over Central Bucks West. The results helped CV move from No. 27 to No. 23 this week.

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 39 Conestoga (Berwyn, Pa.), No. 46 Rockford (Mich.), No. 47 Edina (Minn.) and No. 50 Centaurus (Lafayette, Colo.). ... GIRLS: No. 25 Brunswick (Ohio), No. 40 Stillwater (Minn.), No. 47 La Cueva (Albuquerque, N.M.), No. 48 Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), No. 49 Rocky Mountain (Meridian, Idaho) and No. 50 Berea-Midpark (Berea, Ohio).