Montverde tops list of best boys programs

Montverde tops list of best boys programs
by Sheldon Shealer
July 7, 2015

Unlike most high school sports, soccer is not confined to a set season. In fact, geography plays a large part in the sport’s placement on the high school calendar. Soccer is a fall sport in most of the old-guard East, a winter sport in warm-weather states such as California, Florida and Texas, and a spring sport in the Southeast for boys. 

With soccer in the 50 states and D.C. spread around the calendar, there is a need for separate fall, winter and spring SIMA FAB 50 rankings. But with the school year now complete, it’s time to put together one final FAB 50 that consolidates the three rankings. [Prep Schools are not included in these rankings.] 

Teams were measured against each other based on quality of results and players. In assembling this final FAB 50 for the 2014-15 school year, teams needed to stay ranked relative to others in its fall, winter or spring season. 

1. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), 21-0-0 [Winter-1]

It should come as no surprise that Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) tops the list for the third straight year. The Eagles have not lost in the five years under coach Mike Potempa — a string that now stands at 117 matches. As for quality of players, eight seniors signed with NCAA Division I programs, including both the starting and backup goalkeepers. As for opponents, Montverde simply dominates Florida, yet thanks to its season-ending invitational, shows its relative strength against the rest of the winter states. Montverde won the event, which included four of the final top eight teams in the SIMA FAB 50 Winter rankings.

2. Rivera (Brownsville, Texas), 28-0-0 [Winter-2]

In just about any other year, Rivera would have been No. 1. Unfortunately for this program, Montverde Academy is simply on another level. Rivera turned in one of the most dominating seasons ever in Texas 5A soccer. The Raiders outscored their opponents 134-20 while winning all 28 matches, which included the 128-team, single-elimination 5A tournament. Rivera capped a perfect season with a 2-0 win over Cinco Ranch in a state final that pitted undefeated teams. 

3. St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.), 19-1-0 [Fall-1]

The St. Benedict’s dynasty lives on. The program netted its third SIMA FAB 50 Fall title in the last four years after claiming its 26th straight state title. Monmouth signee Anderson Asiedu, one of the nation’s top Class of 2015 prospects, highlighted a team with six NCAA Division I commitments. The GrayBees defeated teams from eight states in 2014 and outscored its opponents 77-8.

4. [St. Pius X Catholic ga-m] (Atlanta, Ga.), 22-0-0 [Spring-1] 

St. Pius added its second SIMA FAB 50 title to the trophy case, and this time did it with defense. St. Pius won 18 matches by shutout en route to its third straight state title and fourth in five years under coach David Shea. 

5. Washington Township (Sewell, N.J.), 24-1-0 [Fall-2]

This New Jersey team could make a claim as the most talented public school program in the country this year. The team featured four NCAA Division I signees, led by St. Joseph’s-bound Derek McKinnon and Lou Vilotti. After a postseason heartbreak in 2013, Washington Township bounced back to claim a state title in 2014 with a 1-0 win over perennial state power Scotch Plains.

6. Dalton (Dalton, Ga.), 20-0-0 [Spring-2]

Dalton certainly could make a case for No. 1 in the spring, but settled in as No. 2 in the SIMA FAB 50. In the final assessment, though, there was no doubt this was one of the Top 10 high school teams in the land this school year. Standout Kobe Perez led Dalton to a perfect season, extending the program’s undefeated streak to 65 (64-0-1). Dalton trounced its five playoff opponents by a 32-0 margin.

7. Cinco Ranch (Katy, Texas), 24-1-4 [Winter-3]

Cinco Ranch’s postseason run helped validate its placement among the nation’s elite. After all, there’s no shame in finishing second in Texas’ 128-team, single-elimination playoff system. The Houston-area program had to settle for a runner-up finish to Rivera, which had a magical season. On the way to the final, Cinco Ranch beat Houston-area power Alief Elsik, which placed seventh in the Montverde Academy Soccer Tournament in Florida, and Sam Houston, the top-ranked team in Dallas. 

8. Canton (Canton, Mich.), 24-0-3 [Fall-3]

Three high schools — Canton, Plymouth and Salem — share one 6,000-plus student school complex in suburban Detroit, and Canton earned the soccer bragging rights for the year with an undefeated season and Division 1 state title. Coach Mark Zemanski has now guided Canton to two state titles.

9. [Germantown Houston tn-m] (Germantown, Tenn.), 22-1-2 [Spring-3]

There’s a loss on the record, but Houston certainly cleaned up that result. This school, which has won boys and girls state titles in recent school years, capped a stellar spring with a 3-2 win over Science Hill in the state final. Science Hill had handed Houston its only loss, early in the season. Houston also had a win over private school state runner-up and perennial spring FAB 50-ranked Christian Brothers. 

10. Langley (McLean, Va.), 20-1-1 [Spring-4]

Northern Virginia’s dominance of Virginia soccer is well documented, and Langley added yet another chapter this year. The underclassmen-led team defeated fellow Northern Virginia foe Madison 2-0 in the large-school state final. Sophomore Jacob Labovitz, who had recently returned from trained with a club in England, scored the team’s first goal. Delaware commit William Stinger recorded the shutout. 

11. Sam Houston (Arlington, Texas), 23-3-2 [Winter-4]

12. Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas), 25-2-0 [Winter-5]

13. Air Academy [USAF Academy, Colo.), 20-0-0 [Fall-4]

14. Commack (Commack, N.Y.), 21-1-1 [Fall-5]

15. Coppell (Coppell, Texas), 19-3-1 [Winter-6]

16. Cathedral (Los Angeles, Calif.), 24-2-4 [Winter-7]

17. Gulliver Prep (Miami, Fla.), 18-2-0 [Winter-8]

18. St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio), 20-2-1 [Fall-6]

19. St. Paul's (Covington, La.), 31-0-3 [Winter-9]

20. Chula Vista (Chula Vista, Calif.), 19-3-6 [Winter-10]

21. El Camino Real (Woodland Hills, Calif.), 28-1-5 [Winter-11]

22. Milwaukee Marquette (Milwaukee, Wis.), 23-1-2 [Fall-7]

23. Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.), 30-0-1 [Winter-12]

24. Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.), 16-1-3 [Winter-13]

25. Norman North (Norman, Okla.), 16-1-0 [Spring-5]

26. Olathe East (Olathe, Kan.), 20-1-0 [Fall-8]

27. Copley (Copley, Ohio), 20-1-1 [Fall-9]

28. J.L. Mann (Greenville, S.C.), 22-2-0 [Spring-6]

29. Wando (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), 25-2-0 [Spring-7]

30. Cypress Bay (Weston, Fla.), 20-1-2 [Winter-14]

31. River Hill (Clarksville, Md.), 18-0-1 [Fall-10]

32. Wheaton Academy (West Chicago, Ill.), 25-1-1 [Fall-11]

33. DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), 15-1-4 [Fall-12]

34. Duluth (Duluth, Ga.), 18-2-0 [Spring-8]

35. Peters Township (McMurray, Pa.), 22-2-0 [Fall-13]

36. Madison Central (Madison, Miss.), 22-1-1 [Winter-15]

37. San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.), 22-2-4 [Winter-16]

38. Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), 21-3-1 [Winter-17]

39. Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.), 16-3-2 [Fall-14]

40. Chaffey (Ontario, Calif.), 22-2-5 [Winter-18]

41. Loyola (Towson, Md.), 15-4-1 [Fall-15]

42. McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.), 19-1-0 [Fall-16]

43. Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, Ill.), 19-4-4 [Fall-17]

44. Lee's Summit (Lee’s Summit, Mo.), 21-3-0 [Fall-18]

45. Chaminade (Creve Coeur, Mo.), 25-3-1 [Fall-19]

46. River Bluff (Lexington, S.C.), 20-3-1 [Spring-9]

47. Alta (Sandy, Utah), 19-1-1 [Spring-10]

48. Canoga Park (Canoga Park, Calif.), 25-4-4 [Winter-19]

49. St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), 19-2-0 [Fall-20]

50. Wesleyan Christian (High Point, N.C.), 21-0-2 [Fall-21]


ALL-TIME YEAR-END NO. 1s

2014-15: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
2013-14: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
2012-13: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
2011-12: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.)
2010-11: St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio)
2009-10: Frank Cox (Virginia Beach, Va.)
2008-09: Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.)
2007-08: Varela (Miami, Fla.)
2006-07: St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.)
2005-06: Thomas Dale (Midlothian, Va.)
2004-05: Upper St. Clair (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
2003-04: Sacramento Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.)
2002-03: Mills Godwin (Richmond, Va.)
2001-02: Bellarmine Prep (San Jose, Calif.)
2000-01: Horizon (Thornton, Colo.)
1999-00: Bellarmine Prep (San Jose, Calif.)

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