HS: Winter FAB 50 rankings, Feb. 5

by Sheldon Shealer

February 5, 2019

The revolving door at the top continues to spin.

A loss by Flower Mound (Texas) boys and a draw by Davis (Calif.) girls opened the door for a pair of new FAB 50 No. 1s this week.

Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) boys and Tompkins (Katy, Texas) girls move into the top spots this week.

Southlake Carroll and Tompkins each has long way to go -- two months to be exact -- before any real thoughts of finishing No. 1. Therefore, let's take a look how teams are lining up behind these early february frontrunners.

On the boys side, Houston Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas) and Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) check in at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. Episcopal will be the clear favorite in the upcoming Southwest Preparatory Conference tournament. A perfect run would keep Episcopal in front of California No. 1 Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.). The teams had a common opponent, which Episcopal defeated and Loyola sustained its only loss to date. Montverde has hit the finish line, and its 15-match schedule might not be strong enough to hold the No. 3 spot. Then again, if all the favorites loss, the Eagles could be back in the conversation for another FAB 50 No. 1 finish. Sunnyside (Tucson, Ariz.), the current No. 4 team, could jump into the No. 1 conversation if it finishes with a state title. Sunnyside has an impressive win over FAB 50-ranked Brophy Prep (Ariz.) and handed Downey (Calif.) one of its few losses, as well.

On the girls side, Davis drops to No. 2 while JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) checks in at No. 3. If Tompkins falters, the FAB 50 No. 1 spot likely will head back to California for the stretch run. Florida powers Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) and Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) check in at No. 4 and 5 this week.

Now, on with the rankings ...

BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas). Marcus' win over Hebron (Texas), which in turn beat then FAB 50 No. 1 Flower Mound, and Seven Lakes' (Texas) tie with Tompkins (Texas) sparked Marcus' 13-spot jump in the rankings. The Marauders had defeated Tompkins earlier this season. Marcus now checks in at No. 23. ... GIRLS: Denton Guyer (Denton, Texas). Guyer's 1-0 win over then FAB 50 No. 3 Southlake Carroll (Texas) helped this team jump from No. 29 to No. 10 in this week's FAB 50.

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 36 Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.), No. 39 Simi Valley (Calif.), No. 40 Duncanville (Texas), No. 42 Pasadena Memorial (Pasadena, Texas), No. 43 Brownsville Veterans Memorial (Brownsville, Texas), No. 44 Pflugerville (Texas), No. 45 Hebron (Carrollton, Texas), No. 47 Downey (Calif.), No. 49 Santa Barbara (Calif.), No. 50 Dobie (Houston, Texas). ... GIRLS: No. 24 Troy (Fullerton, Calif.), No. 26 St. Francis (Sacramento, Calif.), No. 27 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.), No. 44 Kingwood (Texas), No. 45 Cypress Woods (Houston, Texas), No. 48 St. Ignatius (San Francisco, Calif.), No. 50 Kamehameha-Kapalama (Honolulu, Hawaii).