It’s close – almost too close to call.
Ranking the top high school boys’ soccer teams in the area could have been very easy. The top two teams this season are Chattanooga Christian and McCallie, and with the two teams having played each other last Saturday, I decided that creating a top 10 list would begin with the winner of that game.
Of course, the Blue Tornado and CCS’s Chargers couldn’t make things easy for me, battling to a scoreless tie. So, to form a list, I am forced to choose between an 11-win team (CCS) that is top-ranked in Tennessee in Class A/AA and McCallie, ranked second in Division II.
On one hand, CCS has put up XBox 360-type numbers, outscoring teams 61-4 and shutting out the last 10 opponents. The Chargers have a trio of wins over AAA opponents and came a mental hiccup away from a scoreless tie with Bearden, which is ranked second in AAA and No. 12 in the nation, by the way. They have one of the area’s top goal scorers in Rocklin Shumaker and possibly its top defender in Roy Anderson.
The Tornado have five fewer wins, one more loss and one more tie. I looked at their last seven games after a disappointing 1-0 loss to Brentwood Academy, and McCallie sports a 4-0-3 mark – so they might not be winning all of their games, but they’re sure not losing anymore. Three of their last four games have been against competition ranked in the top 11 in the state, regardless of classification, and the Tornado have two wins and ties against CCS and Montgomery Bell Academy, which is No. 1 in Division II.
Ever heard of trying to overanalyze a situation? Given too much time to think about something, a person can find numerous reasons why the most obvious choice isn’t the right choice (see NFL draft).
I’ll go with Chattanooga Christian, with McCallie a close second and the Georgia state-tournament-bound Dalton Catamounts nipping on their heels at third. The rankings should shift a little with some top-10 matchups looming this week, but I’ll take my chances with the following rankings.
At least for now.
Top 10 soccer poll
1. Chattanooga Christian (11-1-2) – Should be tested this week with games against AAA opponents Soddy-Daisy and Cleveland.
2. McCallie (6-2-3) – Losing midfielder Hudson Brock, who broke his leg in the CCS game, will be a big loss.
3. Dalton (13-2-1) – The Catamounts are hoping to wipe away any stinging effects of a 1-0 loss in the first round of last year’s Georgia state playoffs when they host Chamblee in Tuesday’s first-round match.
4. Southeast Whitfield (14-4) – Also Georgia state qualifiers, the Raiders will face Creekview in a matchup Thursday.
5. Boyd-Buchanan (10-1-1) – The Class A/AA eighth-ranked Bucs will ride the hot feet of forwards Taylor Shull (20 goals) and Drew Zumbrun (14) into a big matchup against Cleveland on Tuesday.
6. Hixson (10-0-1) – A weak early season-schedule earned the Wildcats a top-10 ranking. Their performances against Baylor (1-0 win) and East Ridge (1-1 tie) solidify that the fourth-ranked Wildcats are for real.
7. Notre Dame (4-5-2) – Don’t let the Irish’s record fool you. Every nondistrict opponent has been ranked in a higher classification or is out-of-state.
8. Baylor (6-6-1) – The Red Raiders have stumbled a bit, having lost five of their last six games after a 5-1-1 start. Away matches against Ensworth and McCallie won’t make things any easier.
9. Cleveland (7-6-1) – The Blue Raiders had a brutal early-season schedule before wins in seven of their last nine games. This week includes Boyd-Buchanan and CCS, so coach John Brose will be able to see how far his team has come.
10. East Ridge (5-4-2) – Coach Jeremy McIntyre has been pleased with how his team is finding its identity. Four road games to end the season will put the Pioneers to the test down the stretch.
Big Games This Week
Tuesday: East Ridge vs. East Hamilton; Boyd-Buchanan at Cleveland; Soddy-Daisy at Chattanooga Christian.
Wednesday: McCallie at Notre Dame.
Thursday: Hixson at Red Bank; Cleveland at Chattanooga Christian.
Friday: Baylor at McCallie