HS: Winter FAB 50 rankings, Dec. 18

by Sheldon Shealer

December 18, 2018

We're right back where we started.

Montverde Academy (Fla.) boys returned to the top spot this week and JSerra (Calif.) has never left the No. 1 ranking since the preseason poll was released in early November.

Montverde Academy, riding an eight-year undefated streak, moved up as a result of Loyola (Calif.) tying a league match last week. Right now, the top three teams -- Montverde Academy, Alief Elsik (Texas) and Loyola figure to rotate through those top positions as long as they do not lose any matches. On the girls side, JSerra and Monte Vista (Calif.) are comfortably ranked Nos. 1 and 2.

One might notice an abundance of Texas teams creeping into the Top 10 without playing a match.

This happens every winter season during December, and is part of the FAB 50 churn.

The early-starting states, such as Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, then joined by California, Arizona and Hawaii, spend November and December sorting out their rankings through a series of tournaments and high-profile matches. As those teams take ties and losses, they fall behind the Texas teams, which are technically undefeated at this point.

Once the projected elite Texas teams start play Jan. 3, they will start taking ties and losses and will be repositioned in the FAB 50.

Now on with the rankings ...

BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.). Hamilton moves up eight spots to No. 17 this week after winning the Adidas West Coast Showcase. Interestingly, Hamilton moves up despite a loss last week. The Huskies fell to Chaparral in a battle of undefeated teams, meaning that Chaparral jumps in front of Hamilton in the FAB 50 as Arizona is looking good thanks to Hamilton's results. ... GIRLS: Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.). For the second straight week an East Bay Athletic League member is the week's big mover. Undefeated Amador Valley vaults from No. 33 to No. 17 this week.

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 11 San Luis Obispo (Calif.), No. 16 Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.), No. 46 St. Francis-Mountain View (Mountain View, Calif.), No. 47 Mission (San Francisco, Calif.), No. 48 Simi Valley (Calif.) and No. 49 Fullerton (Calif.). ... GIRLS: No. 10 Villa Park (Calif.), No. 30 Newsome (Lithia, Fla.), No. 32 Ventura (Calif.), No. 33 Sunny Hills (Fullerton, Calif.), No. 43 Grapevine (Texas), No. 46 Bishop Lynch (Dallas, Texas), No. 48 Branson School (Ross, Calif.) and No. 49 John Paul II (Plano, Texas).