HS: Winter SIMA FAB 50, Feb. 16

by Sheldon Shealer

February 16, 2016

Undefeated, state champions.

That's the new title for this group of Belen Jesuit (Miami, Fla.) boys soccer players.

However, the private school's journey to a first-ever soccer state title might be unparalleled in U.S. high school sports history. It is likely that by winning the Florida Class 4A crown last week, Belen Jesuit became the first school to win a U.S. high school soccer state title despite the fact the school was not founded in the U.S.

The story goes something like this: Belen Jesuit opened in 1854 in Havana, Cuba. And there it stayed, educating the elite of Cuban society for more than a century until the communist regime took over the country and ousted the Jesuits in 1961. The school, which counts now-retired Cuban communist leader Fidel Castro among its alumni, was re-established later in 1961 in Miami, Fla., where it remains today.

There are other private schools that have changed state locations, most notably on a high school sports front is Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.), which moved from D.C. to Maryland. There are even a few public schools that compete as members in neighboring states due to geographic reasons -- most notably the Tahoe, Calif., schools, which are members of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association instead of the California Interscholastic Federation. But Belen Jesuit likely stands alone, Hawaii schools aside, as the only U.S. high school whose relocation crossed national boundaries.

BIG MOVERS -- BOYS: McNeil (Austin, Texas). For the second straight week, McNeil makes the biggest jump among the previously ranked programs. A tie with undefeated Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) helped McNeil settle in at No. 17 this week, an eight-spot improvement over last week. GIRLS: Episcopal School of Dallas (Dallas, Texas). ESD jumps from No. 46 to No. 34 following an SPC state title performance to cap an undefeated season. One of the team's key results this year is a tie with Top 25-ranked Ursuline Academy (Dallas, Texas).

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 18 Bellarmine Prep (San Jose, Calif.), No. 19 Alisal (Salinas, Calif.), No. 37 Boca Raton (Boca Raton, Fla.), No. 49 [Jesuit College Prep tx-m] (Dallas, Texas) and No. 50 Plano West (Plano, Texas). GIRLS: No. 24 Round Rock (Round Rock, Texas), No. 25 San Antonio Johnson (San Antonio, Texas), No. 44 Brazoswood (Clute, Texas) and No. 45 Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas).

See the entire WINTER high school rankings:

WINTER SIMA FAB 50: BOYS (Feb. 16) | GIRLS (Feb. 16)

WINTER REGION RANKINGS: BOYS (Feb. 15) | GIRLS (Feb. 15)

WINTER STATE RANKINGS: BOYS (Feb. 15) | GIRLS (Feb. 15)

Related Topics: SIMA FAB 50 / Event