SIMA FAB 50: St. Benedict's back at No. 1

by Sheldon Shealer

October 8, 2019

The weekend of truth played out Friday and Saturday and the result -- well, the top of the boys rankings looks much like they did in the preseason poll at the end of July.

St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) and St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) are back in the Nos. 1 and 2 spots, although simply reversed from their July 30 order. The Gray Bees get the nod over the Wildcats despite a head-to-head tie since St. Ignatius has an additional tie. Delbarton School (Morristown, N.J.), which started No. 4, is up to No. 3 -- and these teams appear to be the real frontrunners for this year's SIMA FAB 50 boys fall national champion.

Overall, seven of the preseason Top 10 teams remain in the SIMA FAB 50 this week.

This past weekend, St. Benedict's Prep rallied for a 2-1 win over Top 25-ranked Salesianum (Wilmington, Del.), a day after St. Ignatius took down top-ranked Peoria Notre Dame (Peoria, Ill.) with a pair of second-half goals. Also, a surprise champion at the Go 4 The Goal Fall Classic -- Mount Carmel (Chicago) (Chicago, Ill.) -- in a field that featured four Top 25 teams -- vaults Mount Carmel into the Top 25 while ending the FAB 50 national title hopes of the teams in the top bracket.

The girls side saw little change this week, but the team to watch over the next several days is Strongsville (Ohio). The Mustangs face three Top 25 opponents this week, each from a different state, and Strongsville's results figure to play a major role in shaping the Top 10 for the balance of the season. SIMA FAB 50 No. 17 Strongsville first takes on state and local rival Medina (Ohio), ranked No. 20. Strongsville then travels to New York where it will face current No. 3 [St, Anthony's ny-w] (Melville, N.Y.) and No. 15 McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.).

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

BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Archbishop Curley (Baltimore, Md.). Powered by an 11-match undefeated run, most of that coming through a loaded MIAA schedule, Curley moved from No. 45 to No. 22 this week. The Friars have a major test with perennial league power McDonogh School (Md.) early in the week. A win in that contest would very further validate this team, which already has a four-goal win over New Jersey state-ranked [St. Augustine nj-m] (N.J.), a team that Top 25-ranked Salesianum (Del.) edged by a goal. ... GIRLS: Briarcrest Christian (Memphis, Tenn.). Briarcrest leaps from No. 49 to No. 27 this week following a victory over previous Top 10-ranked Houston (Germantown, Tenn.). This annual clash pitted the top two teams in the Memphis area this fall, and the outcome led to a rare instate loss for Houston.

NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 15 Mount Carmel (Chicago) (Chicago, Ill.), No. 41 Mamaroneck (N.Y.), No. 42 Elizabeth (N.J.), No. 43 Clifton (N.J.), No. 44 Novi (Mich.), No. 45 Henry Clay (Ky.), No. 46 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), No. 48 McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.), No. 49 Walt Whitman (Bethesda, Md.) and No. 50 Franklin Regional (Murrysville, Pa.). ... GIRLS: No. 39 Massillon Jackson (Massillon, Ohio), No. 41 Jackson Memorial (Jackson, N.J.), No. 42 [Midletown South nj-w] (Middletown, N.J.), No 46 King Philip (Wrentham, Mass.), No. 48 [Champlain Park mn-w] (Champlin, Minn.), No. 49 Ramapo (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) and No. 50 Magnificat (Rocky River, Ohio).