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The National Soccer Coaches Association of America and USA TODAY released their weekly ranking of high school soccer teams, and as usual South Jersey, Southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware were well represented in both the boys and girls Top 25 Lists.
The biggest news of the week saw Cleveland, Ohio's St. Ignatius leapfrog St. Benedict's Prep out of Newark, New Jersey, who had held the top spot since September 15. St. Benedict is the New Jersey State Prep A Champions, however St. Ignatius won the Ohio State High School Championship pushing them to the top spot. The highest ranked local team is Central Bucks East from Doylestown, who are ranked eighth. CBE are scheduled to play the next-highest ranked local team, number 17 ranked Conestoga from Berwyn, in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) semifinals next Tuesday. Not far below Conestoga is Wilmington, Delaware's Salesianum at number 20. Sallies is set to play Cape Henlopen tonight at 8:00 PM at Smyrna High School in the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) semifinal. Also receiving votes locally were the Haverford School, who defeated Friends Central 5-1 in the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association (PISAA) tournament, and Washington Township from Sewell, New Jersey who faced off against Freehold High School in the New Jersey State Semifinals for Public Schools last night (however the match had not finished by deadline).
On the girls' side, Northern Allandale in Allandale, New Jersey retained the top spot in the polls. The highest ranked local side is Central Bucks East from Doylestown in 14th place, who beat Cumberland Valley 2-0 in the PIAA semifinals last night. One time number one Immaculate Heart Academy from Washington Township, New Jersey finished the season at number 19, winning the New Jersey Non-Public A Final Championship in a double-overtime thriller against Notre Dame High School of Lawrenceville.
The final poll of the season will be released next week.