High School On SI Prep Soccer Top 15 Rankings: Taft Holds No. 1 Heading Into the Stretch Run

At this point in the season, what remains to be played is just as important as what has been accomplished for the teams chasing the High School On SI Prep Soccer national title.

That's why there is no movement among the top three, despite a pair of ties last week by No. 1 Taft School.

Prep Premier League frontrunners Hoosac School and Woodstock Academy remain at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively.

Here's how the title chase shapes up:

TAFT: After tying two Top 15 teams last week, Taft faces another ranked opponent this week in Hotchkiss. Then, to retain No. 1, the Rhinos will need to sweep the NEPSAC Open tournament, potentially adding three more victories over Top 15 opponents. Winning out would extend Taft's unbeaten streak to 52 matches, with seven of those results coming against Top 15 teams.

HOOSAC: If Taft falters, Hoosac appears to be in an ideal position to claim its first Prep Top 15 national title. The defending PPL champions open postseason play Saturday and could reach their third consecutive PPL final without facing a ranked opponent. The final, however, would likely bring a matchup with Woodstock Academy, Masters or Western Reserve — all Top 15 teams. A victory over Woodstock would be particularly significant, avenging Hoosac’s only loss of the season and making a compelling case for No. 1.

WOODSTOCK: This perennial power remains on the fringe of the title chase, but its path is particularly challenging. Woodstock needs three consecutive victories, all against Prep Top 15 opponents, to make a legitimate claim for No. 1. It starts Saturday against Masters Academy, the only team to defeat Woodstock this season. A victory would avenge that loss and keep alive the possibility of a third Prep Top 15 finish in four seasons.

ON THE OUTSIDE: If Taft fails to win the NEPSAC Open title and neither Hoosac nor Woodstock captures the PPL crown, the race for No. 1 likely shifts to the NEPSAC Open champion.

Now, on with the rankings (through Nov. 8 matches):

1. Taft School [Conn.], 11-0-4

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Taft School played to scoreless ties last week with No. 8 Choate Rosemary Hall and No. 4 Loomis Chaffee. Taft has shut out its last five opponents, pushing its undefeated streak to 48 matches. Taft was fortunate to escape the Choate match as it appeared that Choate scored right as time expired, but the potential goal was waved off to preserve the 0-0 contest.

2. Hoosac School [N.Y.], 11-1-0

League: Prep Premier League
Notes: Michel Tapoko scored the game-winner as Hoosac School closed out regular-season play with a 2-1 win over South Kent School.

3. Woodstock Academy [Conn.], 10-1-2

League: Prep Premier League
Notes: Woodstock Academy handled Darrow School, 4-0, and St. Thomas More, 6-0, to close out the regular season in a second-place tie with Masters Academy in the PPL East Division. The two will go head-to-head in the PPL quarterfinals on Saturday. HaeSung Kim led Woodstock's offense last week with three goals.

4. Loomis Chaffee School [Conn.], 12-1-3

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Loomis Chaffee extended its undefeated streak to 15 with a 2-0 win over Avon Old Farms and a scoreless tie with top-ranked Taft School. Loomis has a midweek showdown with undefeated Choate Rosemary Hall, which will prove important for the NEPSAC playoff seeding.

5. Vermont Academy [Vt.], 14-0-1

League: NEPSAC-B
Notes: Vermont Academy defeated Proctor 4-1 in its only outing last week. The team's planned match with Masters Academy was dropped from the schedule.

6. Northwood School [N.Y.], 8-3-2

League: Independent
Notes: Northwood School's prep season is complete. The highlights included wins over Pennington School, Western Reserve Academy, Masters Academy, and Mount St. Charles. The team sustained setbacks to Woodstock Academy, Hoosac School, and Vermont Academy.

7. Masters Academy International [Mass.], 9-2-2

League: Prep Premier League
Notes: Masters Academy was idle last week after Vermont Academy canceled a scheduled match. Masters has a rematch with Woodstock in the PPL quarterfinals this Saturday.

8. Choate Rosemary Hall [Conn.], 10-0-7

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Choate appeared to have stunned top-ranked Taft School, but the potential game-winning goal crossed the line just after the center official blew the final whistle, leaving the teams in a scoreless tie. Choate then defeated Avon Old Farms, pushing its undefeated streak to 17 matches.

9. Brooks School [Mass.], 15-1-1

League: NEPSAC-B
Notes: Brooks shut out previous No. 15 Buckingham Browne & Nichols, 3-0, and Noble and Greenough, 4-0, last week to stay tied with Milton Academy atop the ISL standings. The two powers collide Wednesday in a contest that likely will decide the league title.

10. Milton Academy [Mass.], 13-1-3

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Milton has strung together five straight shutouts, including last week's 2-0 win over St. George's and 5-0 victory over Governor's. Milton and Brooks meet Wednesday in what figures to be the match that determines the ISL champion.

11. Suffield Academy [Conn.], 8-2-6

League: NEPSAC-B
Notes: Suffield Academy ended a five-match non-winning streak with a 2-1 victory over Northfield Mount Hermon. The teams swapped places in this week's ranking.

12. Northfield Mount Hermon [Mass.], 8-3-3

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Northfield Mount Hermon lost to Suffield Academy 2-1 in the team's only outing last week.

13. Hotchkiss School [Conn.], 8-1-8

League: NEPSAC-A
Notes: Hotchkiss defeated Westminster School and Kent School last week, pushing its undefeated streak to 11 matches. Hotchkiss is 5-0-6 during that run. This week, the team faces a Saturday clash with top-ranked Taft School.

14. Mount St. Charles [R.I.], 10-3-2

League: NEPSAC-B
Notes: Mount St. Charles is 6-1 in its last seven matches, with the only loss being to No. 5 Vermont Academy. This past week, Mount St. Charles beat St. Thomas More and Cushing Academy.

15. Western Reserve Academy [Ohio], 8-3-5

League: Prep Premier League
Notes: Western Reserve sneaks back into the Top 15 after closing out the regular season with a six-match undefeated streak. WRA will be favored to reach the PPL semifinals as it earned the West Division top seed. If the matches play out to the seeding, WRA will face the Woodstock-Masters Academy winner in the PPL semifinals.

OTHERS UNDER CONSIDERATION (in alphabetical order): Avon Old Farms [Conn.], Belmont Hill School [Mass.], Berkshire School [Mass.], Buckingham Browne & Nichols [Mass.], Mercersburg Academy [Pa.], Middlesex School [Mass.], Pennington School [N.J.], Phillips Andover [Mass.], Thayer Academy [Mass.], Westminster School [Conn.], Worcester Academy [Mass.].

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