HS: Winter FAB 50 rankings, Jan. 8

by Sheldon Shealer

January 8, 2019

Much has been written about the North Texas Elite Showcase and National Elite Prep Showcase events in Texas and how those events helped reshape the FAB 50.

So here's a take on other happenings last week that had a major impact on the rankings.

Sunnyside (Ariz.) boys carried an undefeated record into the AZ Showcase final against perennial power Brophy Prep (Ariz.), and came away with an eye-popping 5-1 victory last Monday. That result jumped Sunnyside into the FAB 50 Top 5 and into national title contention.

Tampa Jesuit (Fla.) continued to deliver on a promising season by winning the Tampa Bay Invitational to move back into the boys Top 10 this week.

The Woodlands (Texas) upended Alief Elsik (Texas) 1-0 in the Kilt Cup final contest in a clash of Top 25 boys teams.

On the girls side, Houston Memorial (Texas), Kingwood (Texas), Allen (Texas), and Tompkins (Texas) all went undefeated at showcase events last week to move up in the FAB 50 girls rankings.

The series of Texas events led to quite an overhaul of both the boys and girls FAB 50. See how things shook out ...

BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Central Catholic (San Antonio, Texas). A move from No. 20 to No. 1 is probably the largest jump to the top spot in the 20-year history of the FAB 50. It happened as a combination of Central Catholic beating three Top 25 teams while several Top 5 teams lost last week. ... GIRLS: Tompkins (Katy, Texas). A

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 5 Sunnyside (Tucson, Ariz.), No. 18 Houston Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas), No. 34 Tompkins (Katy, Texas), No. 40 Berkeley (Calif.), No. 44 McKinney (Texas), No. 47 Dallas Jesuit (Dallas, Texas), No. 48 Turlock (Calif.), No. 49 Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.), No. 50 Tupelo (Miss.). ... GIRLS: No. 31 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), No. 33 Plano West (Plano, Texas), No. 43 Mountain View (Calif.), No. 44 Livermore (Calif.), No. 45 Rockwall-Heath (Heath, Texas), No. 47 Mansfield Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas), No. 49 Flintridge Prep (La Canada, Calif.), No. 50 Corona del Mar (Newport Beach, Calif.).