Taft Remains No. 1 in High School On SI Preseason Prep Soccer Top 15

The landscape of prep-school soccer is changing heading into the 2026 season, but one thing remains consistent: Taft School (Conn.), even with a new coach, starts the year at No. 1 in the High School On SI Prep Top 15.

Taft carries a 33-match unbeaten streak into the 2026 season after winning back-to-back NEPSAC A titles. The Rhinos shared last year's national championship with Northwood School (N.Y.), but defending that title will require navigating a new postseason setup.

NEPSAC, which has about 150 schools divided among four playoff divisions, is introducing an eight-team Open tournament this year to go along with its current eight-team Class A, B, C and D playoff structure. The Open tournament could feature teams from any division, although the reality is that it is likely to consist mostly of NEPSAC A teams.

While NEPSAC is expanding its postseason, the Prep Premier League is expanding its membership. The fourth-year league is growing from eight to 10 residential and academy-based programs. The new additions include Masters Academy International, a well-funded academy in Massachusetts that hired successful Worcester Academy coach James Proctor to lead a program that debuts in the Top 15.

Yet amid all this expansion, there is also some pullback. The Founders League, which includes No. 1 Taft, No. 9 Avon Old Farms, No. 10 Loomis Chaffee, No. 11 Choate Rosemary Hall and No. 12 Hotchkiss School, will no longer schedule games against residential programs, limiting opportunities for its traditional powers to test themselves against Prep Premier League and independent teams.

Here is the High School On SI preseason Prep Top 15, along with an outlook for each team as the 2026 season gets underway. Teams are listed with last year's final records.

1. Taft School [Conn.], 20-0-1

League: NEPSAC-A

Outlook: Last year's NEPSAC A and co-national champion has a new coach but should not miss a beat. The roster features Fairfield commit Fields DeShaw, Lehigh commit Reed Orben and Middlebury commit Miguel Kwebou. Senior forward Alex Calabro and midfielder Mason Barron are also NCAA Division I prospects for first-year head coach Hiro Suzuki, a former Yale standout, professional player and Yale assistant coach.

Three newcomers could make an immediate impact: forward Kade Ladner, a big, agile target player; center back Daniel Garrido, a junior and Dominican Republic youth international; and center back/midfielder Jeremy Ye. Taft faces a demanding schedule that includes three nationally ranked opponents in the final stretch before the NEPSAC postseason.

2. Hoosac School [N.Y.], 13-4-2

League: Prep Premier League

Outlook: Hoosac has been on a hot streak since spring 2025. The program won the summer league title, followed with an upset of Woodstock Academy for the fall Prep Premier League championship and finished No. 3 nationally, then repeated as spring champion in 2026.

The fall squad has reloaded. Major college prospect Bernardo Herdy, from Brazil, takes over in goal, while returning defensive midfielder Marcio Chaves is joined by newcomers Hiro Brasileiro, Martin Ortiz, Eduardo Sutil and Matheu Belucio, all NCAA Division I prospects. Pedro Fontes, junior Michel Tapoko and Dakari Smith are also players to watch.

Hoosac added a Serbian player over the weekend who could factor into the lineup as well. The projected starting lineup is almost evenly divided between postgraduates and seniors, with Tapoko potentially the lone underclassman. Hoosac competes in the PPL, where it will face Woodstock Academy and Masters Academy in regular-season play.

3. Woodstock Academy [Conn.], 14-1-1

League: Prep Premier League

Outlook: Woodstock Academy has lost only one match in its three-year Prep Premier League history, and that defeat cost the team the No. 1 national ranking last year. This could be a rebuilding season, but Woodstock still has enough talent to contend for a third national title in four seasons.

Wake Forest commit Richard Sarpong returns after scoring 13 goals last season and winning the PPL Golden Boot. Arthur Masson, a Missouri State commit, is back as an attacking midfielder. The team also added postgraduate Jeremie Kasongo, a High School On SI Third-Team All-American last year at Northfield Mount Hermon who has committed to Coastal Carolina.

Woodstock's new-look lineup features two highly regarded juniors: German goalkeeper Bruno Bartel, who joins the program from Union Berlin, and Canadian midfielder Mateo Henry-Lacombe. Woodstock opens with an early-season showdown against Northwood School, rekindling a rivalry that took a year off in 2025.

4. Northwood School [N.Y.], 9-0-0

League: Independent

Outlook: Northwood School was the national co-champion last fall but graduated much of its firepower. Still, the program could find itself in the national title chase again as it reloads and faces a more demanding schedule.

Attacking midfielder Thiago Cesar, a Third-Team All-American last year, is the top returning player and is drawing significant NCAA Division I interest. Other Division I prospects include attacking midfielder Josh Baker and center forward Samuel Andoh, both juniors; center back Luca Giugnio; central midfielder Max Notley; and forward Richard Szekely. Seniors Ashton Turcotte (Gettysburg College) and Matias Settles (Vassar College) are early commits.

Northwood also has added several high-profile international players, including center back Alan Fentaman, a sophomore who joins the program from Leicester City FC in England; forward Wilfredo Reyes, a sophomore who was Puerto Rico's U15 national team leading scorer; forward Jeon Wolfe, a sophomore who was the Bermuda U17 national team leading scorer; center back Shiia Davis, a junior and member of Bermuda's U17 national team; and Vashon Martin, a freshman and member of Bermuda's U15 national team.

5. Pennington School [N.J.], 13-3-1

League: Mid-Atlantic Prep League

Outlook: Rutgers commit Matthew Addai, who scored 22 goals and added eight assists in 2025, and Army commit Joey Riley lead a Pennington squad loaded with returning talent and experience.

Pennington closed last season on a 12-match unbeaten streak, winning the NJISAA Prep A and Mid-Atlantic Prep League titles. Other key returners include midfielder Gus Shapiro, forward Alex Benamou and center back Daniel Youn. Junior defender Max Garner is a top Class of 2028 prospect.

The Raiders return nearly all of their offensive production from last season. Underclassmen accounted for 56 of the team's 58 goals and 45 of its 52 assists in 2025. Pennington will face Northwood, Loomis Chaffee and South Kent School during the regular season.

6. Milton Academy [Mass.], 12-5-3

League: NEPSAC-A

Outlook: With eight returning starters, Milton Academy appears poised for a run at the NEPSAC title after reaching the quarterfinals in 2025. Midfielder Nicky Pittarelli and forward Ethan Fine highlight the returners, as both were All-New England selections last year as juniors.

Forward/midfielder Emmanuel Cheyo, junior midfielder/defender Sam Li and sophomore forward Henry Brown figure to contribute offensively. Li captained the Hong Kong youth national team that defeated Manchester United's U16 team this past summer.

Finn Hughes is back in goal and has a solid defense led by Kwaku Jean-Charles Asare, Lucas Gomes, Ben Pierog and Ty Villela. Milton has added depth with newcomers Zak Skulte-Ouaiss, a member of Lebanon's U17 national team; junior Cameron Mayhew; sophomore Cormac Corrigan from Jamaica; and local goalkeeper Eli Hoyt.

7. Masters Academy International [Mass.], 0-0-0

League: Prep Premier League

Outlook: Masters is a bit of a wild card, having yet to play a game, but all signs point to a high-caliber squad. It starts at the top. Masters launches its program this fall with James Proctor as head coach, luring him from a highly successful tenure at Worcester Academy that included a recent NEPSAC title.

The entire roster consists of newcomers, including three early commits: Brayden Marta (Holy Cross), Nathan Marchan (Tufts) and Pedro De Souza (Swarthmore). Postgraduates Nathaniel Chung, Matt Panton and Frankie Santtaniello are also drawing NCAA Division I interest.

Masters will have opportunities to establish itself quickly, with regular-season matches against Northwood and PPL rivals Hoosac and Woodstock.

8. Mount St. Charles [R.I.], 20-0-3

League: NEPSAC-B

Outlook: Mount St. Charles put together a breakthrough season last year, going 20-0-3 and winning the NEPSAC B championship. Central midfielder Luis Fontalvo, a New England Revolution Academy player, is the top returner.

Coach Nick Woodruff has added 18 newcomers as Mount St. Charles looks to maintain its elite status. Among the key additions are Ryan Scholz, Ben Crowe, Braydon Fagundes, Mario Harrison and Corven Thomas. Crowe, Harrison and Thomas come from MLS NEXT clubs, while Scholz and Fagundes are former New England Revolution Academy players.

9. Avon Old Farms [Conn.], 13-3-2

League: NEPSAC-A

Outlook: Center back Max Daigle, forward Jordan Alabre and left back Hunter Collins will serve as tri-captains for the defending Founders League co-champions. Avon Old Farms will lean on several newcomers as it looks to remain a NEPSAC contender.

Center back Caleb Albertson, a top prospect and captain of the U17 Seacoast MLS NEXT team, will join Daigle to form a strong backline. Junior winger Keegan McCullough arrives after an all-state season at nearby public school Simsbury. Defensive midfielder Will Kourakis, a 6-foot-2 postgraduate from Florida, and Jacob Chapman also add quality to the lineup.

10. Loomis Chaffee School [Conn.], 14-6-0

League: NEPSAC-A

Outlook: Loomis Chaffee graduated eight college soccer-bound seniors from last year's playoff team, but coach Scott Halpern has a history of reloading rather than rebuilding.

Defender Luca Gallo, midfielder Jaden Behm and forward James Drago are expected to headline the returning group, while the addition of former Vermont Academy standout Airidas Voveris gives the Pelicans another major piece. The junior forward was a member of Lithuania's U17 national team.

Junior defender Chris Saunders, an MLS NEXT Best 11 selection, is another key newcomer. Seniors Joe Orszulak (Trinity College) and Thomas Grindle (Bates College) have also made verbal commitments.

11. Choate Rosemary Hall [Conn.], 16-5-2

League: NEPSAC-A

Outlook: Choate is coming off a NEPSAC A semifinal appearance and could be in position for another deep playoff run this fall. A key factor will be the health of star forward Wisdom Humalie, who played in only nine matches last season. If Choate can get a full season from Humalie, it could position the team for a high playoff seed.

12. Hotchkiss School [Conn.], 12-5-3

League: NEPSAC-A

Outlook: Forward Isaiah Blake, an NCAA Division I prospect following an all-state performance in 2025, is the top returning player for high-scoring Hotchkiss. The Bearcats return several starters from a team that scored 51 goals last season.

Other key returners include sophomore winger/forward Bless Obey, center back Charlie Wright, right back Anders Johnson and central midfielder Hudson Dwyer. Hotchkiss also added several intriguing postgraduates, including goalkeeper Oliver Lopez, forward Liam Jones and midfielder Carlos Ventura.

Lopez recorded 17 shutouts in 21 games at his previous school and earned all-state honors, while Jones is a 6-foot-6 striker from The Bahamas. Hotchkiss faces a demanding schedule that includes regular-season matches against fellow nationally ranked teams Avon Old Farms, Northfield Mount Hermon, Choate Rosemary Hall, Loomis Chaffee and Taft School.

13. Northfield Mount Hermon [Mass.], 11-4-2

League: NEPSAC-A

Outlook: Forward Efe Iyahen, who scored 16 goals last season, and attacking central midfielder Charlie Fauth are the top returners from last year's NEPSAC A semifinalist.

NMH has added several promising newcomers, including Trinity College commit Alex Erdos and goalkeeper Jean Chretien, who played for FC Toulouse Academy. Junior center back Casey Bestler and midfielder Elliot Trott also figure to be impact players.

NMH faces a demanding schedule that includes Brooks School, Loomis Chaffee, Milton Academy, Worcester Academy, Berkshire School, Avon Old Farms and Choate Rosemary Hall.

14. Brooks School [Mass.], 11-4-3

League: NEPSAC-B

Outlook: Led by Duke-bound forward/midfielder Latu Kayira, Brooks appears poised to challenge for a NEPSAC title. The team also returns midfielder Fernando Rivas-Lora and junior defender Jax Cloutier, both of whom earned All-ISL honors in 2025. Brooks' ranking could hinge largely on its league performance, as the schedule features just one preseason Top 10 opponent.

15. Noble and Greenough [Mass.], 18-2-1

League: NEPSAC-A

Outlook: Nobles made a run to the NEPSAC A final last year before falling to top-ranked Taft. Coach Steve Ginsberg has a knack for reloading, but expectations might be more modest in 2026.

Still, Nobles returns Harvard commit Nate Sykora and prospect Oliver Stookey. The Bulldogs could turn to their youth, with promising newcomers midfielder Nathen Barack-Anidi, a sophomore, and forward Luke Gellert, a freshman, joining the roster.

OTHERS UNDER CONSIDERATION (in alphabetical order):

Andrew Osbourne Academy [Ohio], Berkshire School [Mass.], Buckingham Browne & Nichols [Mass.], Kimball Union Academy [N.H.], Middlesex School [Mass.], Millbrook School [N.Y.], Rivers School [Mass.], St. George's School [R.I.], St. Sebastian's [Mass.], South Kent School [Conn.], Spire Academy [Ohio], Suffield Academy [Conn.], Vermont Academy [Vt.], Williston Northampton [Mass.].

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