State tournaments are influencing the rankings.
With state tournaments ending, getting started, or being somewhere in the middle, the battle for the top spot in the Maxpreps Xcellent 25 National Girls Soccer Rankings as the nation's best team has really boiled down to a four-team race.
Neuqua Valley, which holds on to the top spot despite having the week off, really controls its own destiny and Ardrey Kell, which will have to beat tough teams to win the North Carolina state title, could have a claim if it goes undefeated.
If both of those teams slip up, the argument may boil down between Wando and Harrison. Wando, with one loss on the year, will play its title game on Friday night, while Harrison, which has two draws, has
wrapped everything up, clinching the Georgia state title. How Wando does, and how impressive it is in the final, could determine whether Harrison jumps.
MaxPreps girls soccer state playoffs update
We have a new team to the Top five and two new teams to the Top 10 as Green Hope moves up two spots to No. 5, but will have to deal with perennial North Carolina power Leesville Road in the state playoffs. (Editor's note: Leesville Road beat Green Hope just before publication).
Spain Park jumps up four spots to No. 7 after winning its 25th game of the year and clinching its third straight Alabama state title, while Edmond North of Oklahoma moves in at No. 10 after topping top-seeded
Union 3-2 in the 6A finals.
There are two new teams, and two more returning to the Top 25 as unbeaten Forest Hills Central debuts at No. 22 and Nebraska state champ Millard North comes in at No. 25.
Troy makes it three teams from Michigan in the Top 25, returning to the rankings after just a week of being unranked, and after two weeks of being out, Lyons returns at No. 24 to give Illinois four ranked teams.
MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 NATIONAL GIRLS SOCCER RANKINGS1. (Last week No. 1) Neuqua Valley (Naperville, Ill.) 21-0-0The Wildcats had the week off as they prepare for Illinois state regional playoffs, which begin this week.
2. (2) Wando (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) 22-1-0The Warriors have advanced to the South Carolina 4A state championship game, beating Lexington 1-0 in the semifinals. They will play Mauldin for the crown on Friday night.
3. (3) Harrison (Kennesaw, Ga.) 21-0-2The Hoyas finished their season in fine fashion, winning a state championship and making a case for No. 1 in the country if somebody slips up. They beat North Gwinnett 1-0 for the 5A title and had 19 shutouts on the year, did not give up a goal during the playoffs and allowed just five goals all year.
4. (5) Ardrey Kell (Charlotte, N.C.) 22-0-0A 4-1 win over Ragsdale keeps the Knights unbeaten and keeps them alive in the 4A playoffs as they now advance to face Southeast Guilford.
5. (7) Green Hope (Cary, N.C.) 19-1-0The Fighting Falcons beat Holly Springs 6-0 in the 4A state playoffs, and next face off with Leesville Road in the battle of highly ranked teams. (Editor's note: Leesville Road won the contest on Wednesday night)
No. 7 Spain Park and Simone Charleyare Alabama champs in the 6A division.
Photo by Joe Boyd
Loyola Academy ended the regular season with a 3-1 win over Maine South as the regional playoffs are up next.
7. (11) Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.) 25-3-1The Jaguars won their third consecutive 6A state title and set a school record for wins, beating Daphne 5-0 in the championship game. They led by one at halftime, but went to a four-midfielder formation in the second half and opened the game up quickly, as sophomore and Alabama's National Gatorade Player of the Year,
Simone Charley, had two goals and two assists in the game. It was also the third straight year the school had the state's player of the year. Spain Park also did not allow a goal during the playoffs and had shutouts in 10 of its last 11 games.
8. (9) Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) 19-1-0The Eagles continued in the Mid-Penn soccer playoffs with a 2-0 win over Trinity High as they moved on to play Conestoga Valley last night, a team they beat 3-2 on April 19.
9. (10) Bishop Kelley (Tulsa, Okla.) 17-1-0The Comets did not fall short of their goal, winning the Oklahoma 5A state title by beating Deer Creek by a 1-0 score.
10. (13) Edmond North (Okla.) 15-2-1The Huskies shoot up into the Top 10 after beating Union 3-2 to claim the Oklahoma 6A state title.
Courtney Dike scored two goals and had an assist and
Kristi Davis scored the third goal in the win. Prior to the title game, goals by
Carleigh Wood and
Zelle Garman helped them beat Broken Arrow 2-1 in the semifinals.
11. (6) Novi (Mich.) 10-0-2Just a small slip for the Wildcats, who couldn't find their goal in a 0-0 tie with Plymouth, but before that were a pair of 4-0 wins over Livonia Stevenson and Plymouth Salem.
12. (12) Deep Run (Glen Allen, Va.) 14-0-0The Wildcats stayed unbeaten in district, and overall, with a recent 7-1 win over Atlee that was preceded by a 3-1 victory over Freeman.
13. (14) Leesville Road (Raleigh, N.C.) 20-1-1In the second round of the 4A North Carolina state playoffs, the Pride got past a very good Panther Creek team, winning 1-0. They also beat Green Hope, which should warrant a jump higher in the rankings.
14. (15) Davis (Calif.) 23-1-1The Blue Devils had a bye in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, then beat Will C. Wood 3-0 in the second round and advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 win over Sheldon.
15. (5) Union (Tulsa, Okla.) 15-2-0The Redskins reached the 6A state finals, losing a 3-2 heartbreaker to Edmond North.
16. (16) Rio Americano (Sacramento, Calif.) 17-0-0The Raiders started their SJS Division III run with a playoff match with Inderkum, winning 6-1 to advance to the semifinals.
17. (17) St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.) 26-2-1The Rams beat Tracy 6-1 in the second round of the SJS playoffs after receiving a first-round bye, then beat previously undefeated Enochs 2-0 to advance to the semifinals against St. Francis.
18. (18) Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) 14-0-2The Golden Eagles advanced to the Colorado 5A quarterfinals with a 4-0 win over Rock Canyon. They will face Denver East next.
19. (19) Huntley (Ill.) 17-1-1The Red Raiders piled up three wins to end the regular season as they will hope to carry the momentum into the regional playoffs.
20. (20) West (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 14-1-1The Vikings stay at No. 20 and stay atop the Kansas polls with a win to close out the regular season as they will enter the state tournament as the top seed.
21. (23) Broad Run (Ashburn, Va.) 14-1-0The Spartans beat Freedom 3-1 in a battle of the two top teams in the Dulles District.
Ellie Zoepfl led the way with two goals and Whitney Church had two assists.
22. (NR) Forest Hills Central (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 10-0-0The Rangers have remained steady and unbeaten this season, and have not only climbed to No. 2 in the polls in Michigan, but are now debuting in the Maxpreps Xcellent 25.
23. (NR) Troy (Troy, Mich.) 12-1-2The Colts jump back into the rankings after a week's absence, getting back on track with three recent wins. Most recently they beat Avondale 1-0, and before that beat Berkley 4-0 and Clarkston 4-0.
24. (NR) Lyons (LaGrange, Ill.) 17-4-1Just like Troy, Lyons returns to the rankings, this time after being absent for a couple of weeks. The Lions had one game recently, beating Glenbard East 1-0.
25. (NR) Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 20-2-0The Mustangs held off an upstart Lincoln Southeast team and won the Nebraska state title, coming up with an overtime goal for a 2-1 win. Millard North is a team with eight collegiate level players, including five Division I recruits.
Dropped: No. 21 Burke (Omaha, Neb.), No. 22 Padua (Wilmington, Del.), No. 24 Waukesha West (Wisc.), No. 25 Waukee (Iowa).
