Taft Stays No. 1 as Prep Soccer Top 15 Takes Shape After Opening Week

Early-season results did little to alter the High School On SI Prep Soccer Top 15, as 14 of the 15 teams from the preseason rankings remained in the rankings. There was some slight movement, however, as most Top 15 teams navigated a challenging slate of non-league competition against other ranked programs.

The lone newcomer this week is Deerfield Academy, which earned its spot with a season-opening 1-0 win over Avon Old Farms, a fellow Top 15 squad.

Now, on with the rankings:

1. Taft School [Conn.], 2-0-0

League: NEPSAC-A

Notes: Reigning NEPSAC A Player of the Year Alex Calabro scored three goals last week as Taft School opened the season with a pair of victories, defeating Greenwich Country Day and Brunswick School by a combined 11-1 margin. Taft will face Bridgton Academy at the NXT LVL Invitational in Albany, N.Y., on Sunday.

2. Hoosac School [N.Y.], 2-0-0

League: Prep Premier League

Notes: Michel Tapoko scored three goals over the weekend as Hoosac School opened the season with victories over Kiski School and Spire Academy at the Mainline Jamboree. Hoosac’s Prep team will face RMPUS of Canada at the NXT LVL Invitational on Sunday.

3. Woodstock Academy [Conn.], 2-0-1

League: Prep Premier League

Notes: Wake Forest commit Richard Sarpong scored in both Prep Premier League matches at the Mainline Jamboree, a 3-1 victory over Andrews Osborne Academy and a 1-1 draw with Western Reserve Academy. Woodstock kicked off the season with a 4-3 win over Northwood School in a clash of Prep School powers. HaeSung Kim and Sarpong each scored twice in the win over Northwood. Woodstock will face Florida Prep at the NXT LVL Invitational on Sunday.

4. Northwood School [N.Y.], 1-1-1

League: Independent

Notes: Northwood has faced perhaps the most difficult schedule of any prep team, taking on perennial Top 5 programs Woodstock Academy and Pennington School as well as high school powerhouse St. Benedict’s. After falling to Woodstock 4-3, Northwood defeated Pennington 3-1 and rallied to draw St. Benedict’s 2-2. Northwood will be playing all three days at the NXT LVL Invitational, facing Combine Academy on Friday, Western Reserve Academy on Saturday, and Masters Academy on Sunday.

5. Masters Academy International [Mass.], 3-0-0

League: Prep Premier League

Notes: Holy Cross commit Brayden Marta scored both goals in Masters Academy’s 2-0 victory over Andrews Osborne Academy, capping a two-win showing in its Prep Premier League debut at the Mainline Jamboree. Marta also had an assist in a 5-1 victory over Linsly School. Masters will face Northwood School at the NXT LVL Invitational on Sunday.

6. Milton Academy [Mass.], 1-0-1

League: NEPSAC-A

Notes: Emmanuel Cheyo scored two goals and added an assist in Milton's first two matches. Fellow seniors Nicky Pittarelli and Kwaku Jean-Charles Asare also showed well in the first wek of play as Milton defeated Phillips Exeter and tied Top 15-ranked Northfield Mount Hermon. Milton Academy clashes with Berkshire School on Sunday at the NXT LVL Invitational.

7. Northfield Mount Hermon [Mass.], 1-0-1

League: NEPSAC-A

Notes: Northfield Mount Hermon opened the season with a 2-0 win over Loomis Chaffee before tying Milton Academy last week. Trinity College commit Alex Erdos, junior Casey Bestler and senior goalkeeper Jean Chretien were among NMH’s standout performers. Bestler scored in both games to start the season. Northfield Mount Hermon will face St. Andrew’s College (Canada) on Sunday at the NXT LVL Invitational.

8. Pennington School [N.J.], 2-1-0

League: Mid-Atlantic Prep League
Notes: Rutgers commit Matthew Addai and Sandro Cunningham scored to lead Pennington School past Westtown School (Pa.), 2-1, at the Mainline Jamboree. Addai has three goals, while Alexandre Benamou has two goals and an assist to pace the offense. Pennington routed Kiski School (Pa.) to open the season before falling to Northwood School, 3-1. Pennington will face Mount St. Charles on Saturday and Loomis Chaffee on Sunday at the NXT LVL Invitational.

9. Choate Rosemary Hall [Conn.], 1-0-0

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Wisdom Humalie scored twice to pace Choate to a 3-1 season-opening win over BB&N. Junior midfielder Owen Ciaglo also impressed in his Choate debut. Choate will face the Puerto Rico Sea Raiders on Saturday and St. George’s School on Sunday at the NXT LVL Invitational.

10. Loomis Chaffee School [Conn.], 1-1-0

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Loomis Chaffee bounced back from a season-opening 2-0 loss to Northfield Mount Hermon with a 3-0 win over St. Sebastian's. Loomis Chaffee will face Pennington School in a clash of Top 10 programs at the NXT LVL Invitational on Sunday.

11. Brooks School [Mass.], 2-0-0

League: NEPSAC-B
Notes: Duke commit Latu Kayira had two goals and two assists in Brook's 10-0 opening win over New Hampton School, and added a goal and one assist in the 2-0 win over Kent School to start the season. Underclassmen Jax Cloutier, Sanders Bertos, and Vincent and Damian Pagliuca were standout performers on defense as Brooks posted a pair of shutouts.

12. Hotchkiss School [Conn.], 2-0-0

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Isaiah Blake scored five goals last week to pace Hotchkiss to a pair of one-sided wins. Blake and Hudson Dwyer reach had hat tricks in a 6-0 win over Kingswood-Oxford. Blake and Michael Ji each scored twice in a 7-1 win over Canterbury School. Hotchkiss will face Hill School in its annual clash on Saturday at the NXT LVL Invitational.

13. Deerfield Academy [Mass.], 2-0-0

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Teddy Cyr, a two-sport standout, scored the game-winner to lift Deerfield Academy to a 1-0 win over Avon Old Farms. Deerfield will face Brunswick School on Saturday and Vermont Academy on Sunday at the NXT LVL Invitational.

14. Avon Old Farms [Conn.], 1-1-0

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Avon Old Farms bounced back from a 1-0 season-opening loss to Deerfield Academy with a 2-1 victory over Roxbury Latin. Junior Keegan McCullough opened the scoring, and junior Yvann Oulai added a second goal before Avon Old Farms held on for the win. Avon Old Farms faces Bridgton Academy on Saturday and Kimball Union Academy on Sunday at the NXT LVL Showcase.

15. Mount St. Charles [R.I.], 1-0-2

League: NEPSAC-B
Notes: Mount St. Charles was held to draws by Suffield Academy and St. George’s last week, a pair of teams sitting just outside the Top 15. Mount St. Charles faces Pennington School on Saturday and South Kent School on Sunday at the NXT LVL Invitational.

OTHERS UNDER CONSIDERATION (in alphabetical order): Berkshire School [Mass.], Kimball Union Academy [N.H.], Middlesex School [Mass.], Millbrook School [N.Y.], Noble & Greenough School [Mass.], Rivers School [Mass.], St. George's School [R.I.], St. Sebastian's [Mass.], South Kent School [Conn.], Suffield Academy [Conn.], Vermont Academy [Vt.], Western Reserve Academy [Ohio], Williston Northampton [Mass.], Worcester Academy [Mass.]

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