Madness at top in NSCAA boys regions

Madness at top in NSCAA boys regions
by Will Parchman
November 1, 2013

The biggest upset of the season triggered an avalanche of movement in this week's NSCAA boys regional polls. St. Benedict's loss changed the landscape at the top in Region II, while Salesianum solidified its spot atop Region IV headed into the stretch run of the season.

Here's a shakedown on how the rest of the nation came out in this week's NSCAA boys polls.

Click here to view the boys national top 25 poll

Region I

Greenwich held fast to its top spot in Region I for a third consecutive week, a run buoyed by a 14-0-2 record and a real shot at a state title. The only perfect team on this list? Connecticut's Suffield, the two-time defending state Class M champs at 15-0-0.

1. Greenwich (Greenwich, Conn.)

2. LaSalle Academy (Providence, R.I.)

3. Joel Barlow (Redding, Conn.)

4. New Bedford (New Bedford, Mass.)

5. Hanover (Hanover, N.H.)

6. Champlain Valley Union (Hinesburg, Vt.)

7. Scarborough (Scarborough, Maine)

8. Suffield (Suffield, Conn.)

9. Barrington (Barrington, R.I.)

10. Manchester Central (Manchester, N.H.)

Region II

Mamaroneck and Martin Luther King Jr. swapping places inside the top four was the only real movement at the top in a region that has upheld its core structure all year. Arlington was unmoved at the top, while No. 8 Half Hollow Hills West has made a hard charge in the rankings over the last half of the season with a 14-0-2 mark. 

1. Arlington (LaGrangeville, N.Y.)

2. St. Anthony's (Melville, N.Y.)

3. Mamaroneck (Mamaroneck, N.Y.)

4. Martin Luther King, Jr. (New York, N.Y.)

5. Smithtown West (Smithtown, N.Y.)

6. Fairport (Fairport, N.Y.)

7. Massapequa (Massapequa, N.Y.)

8. Half Hollow Hills West (Dix Hills, N.Y.)

9. Fordham Prep (Bronx, N.Y.)

10. Fowler (Syracuse, N.Y.)

11. Clarence (Clarence, N.Y.)

12. Central Islip (Islip, N.Y.)

13. Churchville-Chili (Chili, N.Y.)

14. Walkill Senior (Walkill, N.Y.)

15. Brentwood (Brentwood, N.Y.)

Region III

Goodbye, status quo. St. Benedict's shocking 1-0 loss to Salesianum last week snapped the Gray Bees' 71-game winning streak and brought an end to their reign atop the nation's poll. Region III also has a new No. 1 for the first time this year, Upper St. Clair riding its 18-0-1 record to the top. St. Benedict's will have to settle for No. 2 this week, though another loss this season seems unlikely.

1. Upper St. Clair (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

2. St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.)

3. Great Valley (Malvern, Pa.)

4. Washington Township (Sewell, N.J.)

5. Delbarton School (Morristown, N.J.)

6. Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.)

7. Father Judge (Philadelphia, Pa.)

8. Cliffside Park (Cliffside Park, N.J.)

9. Timber Creek (Sicklersville, N.J.)

10. Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.)

11. Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.)

12. Central York (York, Pa.)

13. Watchung Hills (Warren, N.J.)

14. Conestoga Valley (Lancaster, Pa.)

15. Neshaminy (Langhorne, Pa.)

Region IV

Perhaps the least shocking turn of events in this week's regional update is Salesianum's retention of No. 1 in Region IV. After snapping one of the longest winning streaks in U.S. high school soccer history last week, the Delaware outfit is an easy choice with its 12-0-1 mark. McDonogh is in a holding pattern at No. 2 at a perfect 18-0-0 and No. 3 Providence is an even better 21-0-0. The big dogs in this region are legion, and Salesianum just put an even bigger bull's-eye on its back.

1. Salesianum School (Wilmington, Del.)

2. McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)

3. Providence Day School (Charlotte, N.C.)

4. George Washington (Charleston, W.Va.)

5. Appoquinimink (Middletown, Del.)

6. St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School (Alexandria, Va.)

7. Marriotts Ridge (Marriottsville, Md.)

8. Garinger (Charlotte, N.C.)

9. River Hill (Clarksburg, Md.)

10. Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Beach, Va.)

11. Charter School of Wilmington (Wilmington, Del.)

12. Morgantown (Morgantown, W.Va.)

Region V

Salesianum's rise in the national poll after its seismic upset may have been impressive, but voters stopped the buck at Mason, which held at No. 2 nationally this week to Salesianum's No. 3. So at 18-0-1, Mason is a healthy and rather obvious No. 1 pick in this region. Now that Columbus North has fallen off the top-three pace, Avon has assumed the role of Mason's heaviest chaser with its 22-0-1 mark. The playoffs will decide who ends up No. 1 here at season's end.

1. Mason (Mason, Ohio)

2. Avon (Avon, Ind.)

3. Revere (Richfield, Ohio)

4. Anthony (Wayne, Ohio)

5. Crown Point (Crown Point, Ind.)

6. Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)

7. Paul Laurence Dunbar (Lexington, Ky.)

8. Dublin Coffman (Dublin, Ohio)

9. Mentor (Mentor, Ohio)

10. Guerin Catholic (Noblesville, Ind.)

11. Bowling Green (Bowling Green, Ky.)

12. Providence (Clarksville, Ind.)

13. North Oldham (Goshen, Ky.)

14. Columbus North (Columbus, Ind.)

15. Collins (Shelbyville, Ky.)

Region VI

Troy Athens holds again at No. 1 to bring some stability that had witnessed some level of discord. Neither Marquette University nor East Lansing could hang onto No. 1, which Athens has done admirably for the last few weeks with a 19-0-1 mark. The late-season rise of No. 4 Muskego (21-4-1) is one of the stories of the region.

1. Troy Athens (Troy, Mich.)

2. Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis.)

3. Canton (Plymouth, Mich.)

4. Muskego (Muskego, Wis.)

5. North St. Paul (St. Paul, Minn.)

6. Holland (Holland, Mich.)

7. Edina (Edina, Minn.)

8. Green Bay Preble (Green Bay, Wis.)

9. East View (Apple Valley, Minn.)

10. Linden (Linden, Mich.)

11. Skyline (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

12. Eagan (Eagan, Minn.)

13. Minneapolis Southwest (Minneapolis, Minn.)

14. Whitefish Bay (Whitefish Bay, Wis.)

15. Brookfield East (Brookfield, Wis.)

Region VII

Minimal change at the top here, with no sizable losses upsetting the balance of the region's top 10. If a team can knock No. 1 Hinsdale Central (20-0-2) off its perch, it'll be a surprise.

1. Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, Ill.)

2. St. Dominic (O'Fallon, Mo.)

3. Olathe East (Olathe, Kan.)

4. St. Charles East (St. Charles, Ill.)

5. St. John Vianney (St. Louis, Mo.)

6. Lee's Summit North (Lee's Summit, Mo.)

7. Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.)

8. Morton (Cicero, Ill.)

9. Naperville Central (Naperville, Ill.)

10. Marquette (Chesterfield, Mo.)

11. Wichita Northwest (Wichita, Kan.)

12. Lake Park (Roselle, Ill.)

13. Lee's Summit West (Lee's Summit, Mo.) 

14. St. James Academy (Overland Park, Kan.)

15. Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.)

Region VIII

The west doesn't have a new regional No. 1, but it does have a new national top team. California outfit Jesuit used St. Benedict's rare loss to hop to No. 1 in the nation behind a 21-0-3 record. A fall-end No. 1 ranking and NSCAA national title is not far off in the distance for Paul Rose's crew now. Rose reached 700 career victories in October. This would be one more feather for another outstanding season.

1. Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.)

2. Jesuit (Portland, Ore.) 

3. Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, N.M.)

4. Rangeview (Aurora, Colo.)

5. Palo Verde (Las Vegas, Nev.)

6. Granite Bay (Granite Bay, Calif.)

7. Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)

8. Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.)

9. Eldorado (Albuquerque, N.M.)

10. Eldorado (Las Vegas, Nev.)

11. Boise (Boise, Idaho)

12. Capital Christian (Sacramento, Calif.)

13. Sandia Prep (Albuquerque, N.M.)

14. Smoky Hill (Aurora, Colo.)

15. Analy (Sebestopol, Calif.)

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