Several familiar names missing from soccer poll

In the debut boys soccer poll of the year, some familiar names are missing. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy has taken upwards of 80 of the top high school soccer talents and kept them from their prep squads. This talent raid has shaken some of the best programs in the state, including Collins Hill, which is not in the initial poll. Walton and Whitewater are both uncharacteristically off to slow starts.

Lassiter, McIntosh, Dalton, St. Pius and Paideia are all undefeated squads at the top of their respective classes. Westminster, the Class AA top dog, has lost just one game which came against Class AAA No. 3 Blessed Trinity.

Lambert was one of the top teams in all of America last year, and has adjusted well in its move to Class AAAAAA. Greenbrier defeated Collins Hill and is a strong No. 2 in Class AAAAA with Glynn Academy right on its heels.

But the most impressive team in the state thus far could be St. Pius, which has already convincingly beaten Collins Hill, Starrs Mill and Druid Hills. The Golden Lions did not give up a goal until their last game, a 2-2 draw to Berkmar.



Boys rankings

Class AAAAAA

1. Lassiter

2. Lambert

3. Peachtree Ridge

4. Centennial

5. Central Gwinnett

6. Johns Creek

7. Brookwood

8. East Coweta

9. Roswell

10. Meadowcreek



Class AAAAA

1. McIntosh

2. Greenbrier

3. Glynn Academy

4. Dunwoody

5. Starrs Mill

6. Tucker

7. Allatoona

8. Houston County

9. Gainesville

10. Clarke Central



Class AAAA

1. Dalton

2. Johnson-Gainesville

3. Carrollton

4. Alexander

5. Northwest Whitfield

6. Stone Mountain

7. Chamblee

8. Grady

9. Chestatee

10. North Murray



Class AAA

1. St. Pius

2. Dawson County

3. Blessed Trinity

4. North Murray

5. Buford

6. Cross Keys

7. Woodward Academy

8. Sonoraville

9. Cartersville

10. Decatur



Class AA

1. Westminster

2. GAC

3. Calhoun

4. Wesleyan

5. Lovett

6. Coosa

7. Benedictine

8. Union County

9. Westside-Augusts

10. Thomasville



Class A

1. Paideia

2. AIS

3. Galloway

4. Pacelli

5. Holy Innocents

6. Pace Academy

7. Hebron Christian

8. Savannah Christian

9. Savannah Country Day

10. Athens Academy



Girls Rankings

With soccer beginning to settle into a rhythm, the top of the Class AAAAAA poll has a distinctly Gwinnett flavor with the top four teams and five of the top 10 coming from Gwinnett County. Brookwood, which just suffered its first loss of the season over the weekend to Walton via penalty kicks, tops the list, followed by No. 2 Collins Hill, No. 3 Mill Creek and No. 4 Grayson. Brookwood, Grayson, No. 10 Dacula and unranked Parkview will battle all season in Region 8-AAAAAA. Lassiter checks in at No. 8 after knocking off defending Class AAAAA champion Milton over the weekend.

In Class AAAAA, Northview leads two-time defending AAAA champ McIntosh with Union Grove appearing at No. 3. Cambridge makes its debut at No. 6.

Marist is No. 1 in Class AAAA, but it is Grady with a strong senior class that is the surprise of the classification. The Grey Knights have looked dominating in four victories this season with just two losses to Class AAAAA No. 8 Lakeside-DeKalb and Class AA No. 2 Westminster.

In Class AAA, No. 1 St. Pius and No. 2 Blessed Trinity have combined to win eight titles over the past 11 years and it will be interesting to see these two facing each other once again in the postseason.

Defending Class AA champion Greater Atlanta Christian is atop the Class AA poll with few teams looking to have enough firepower to slow Rachel Garcia and the Spartans down.

In Class A, Josh Triestes No. 1 First Presbyterian squad has won two straight GHSA titles and could very well win a third straight. Hebron Christian checks in at No. 4 while Eagles Landing Christian wraps up the rankings at No. 10.



Class AAAAAA

1. Brookwood

2. Collins Hill

3. Mill Creek

4. Grayson

5. South Forsyth

6. Lambert

7. Johns Creek

8. Lassiter

9. Harrison

10. Dacula



Class AAAAA

1. Northview

2. McIntosh

3. Union Grove

4. Starrs Mill

5. Heritage-Conyers

6. Cambridge

7. Whitewater

8. Lakeside-DeKalb

9. Gainesville

10. Dunwoody



Class AAAA

1. Marist

2. Heritage-Catoosa

3. Locust Grove

4. Cairo

5. Grady

6. Columbus

7. Wayne County

8. Alexander

9. Westover

10. Spalding



Class AAA

1. St. Pius

2. Blessed Trinity

3. Buford

4. Dawson County

5. Woodward Academy

6. Jackson County

7. White County

8. Morgan County

9. North Hall

10. Ringgold



Class AA

1. Greater Atlanta Christian

2. Westminster

3. Calhoun

4. Oglethorpe County

5. Berrien County

6. Temple

7. Vidalia

8. Westside-Augusta

9. Armuchee

10. St. Vincents Academy



Class A

1. First Presbyterian Day

2. Holy Innocents

3. Providence Christian

4. Hebron Christian

5. Calvary Day

6. Strong Rock Christian

7. Athens Academy

8. North Cobb Christian

9. Mount Pisgah

10. Eagles Landing Christian