This is the week where our Top 10 is going off the rails. And I don’t mean the Amtrak line that runs right by Maurene Polley Field in Malvern, Pa., where last week’s Hill-Villa Maria showdown took place.
Assembling this Top 10 has been an exercise in head-scratching, mostly because of what is happening in Pennsylvania. Not only are you seeing Hill putting together a very special season, you’re seeing an absolute logjam coming out of PIAA District 3 because you’re seeing Manheim Township, Penn Manor, and Warwick beating each other. And this is even before what should be an epic tripleheader in the District 3 finals in a few weeks.
Our RightToRightIsRight.com honorary No. 11 Team of the Week is Attleboro Bishop Meehan (Mass.), which defeated Franklin (Mass.) 4-1 on the weekend. It was the Shamocks’ first win in program history over the previously undefeated Panthers. Bishop Meehan has been in existence since 1961 but has never won a major trophy in field hockey; might this be the year?
1. Pottstown Hill School (Pa.) 13-0
The Blues’ work isn’t done this regular season; they will have back-to-back games late in the week against Kingston Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) and The Hun School of Princeton (N.J.)
2. Mamaroneck (N.Y.) 12-0
Tigers will have a pivotal game against Suffern (N.Y.) on Saturday
3. Malvern Villa Maria (Pa.) 15-1
The Hurricanes take on Newtown Square Episcopal Academy (Pa.) today in their final regular-season match before the start of the PIAA District 1 Tournament
4. Watertown (Mass.) 13-0
As good as the Raiders’ defense has been this year, note that the team’s offense has scored at least three goals every game: they have outscored their opponents 80-5 thus far
5. Villanova Academy of Notre Dame de Namur (Pa.) 12-1
Earned a signature win over Woolwich Kingsway (N.J.) last Saturday; will take on Newtown Square Episcopal Academy (Pa.) on Friday
6. Emmaus (Pa.) 17-1
The Hornets take on Allentown Parkland (Pa.) today in the semfinals of the East Penn Conference Tournament; the finals are Thursday against either Easton (Pa.) Area or Nazareth (Pa.)
7. Westport Staples (Conn.) 12-1
The Wreckers had impressive back-to-back 5-2 wins over Wilton (Conn.) and Darien (Conn.), which pretty much sets them as the top seed in the FCIAC tournament
8. North Caldwell West Essex (N.J.) 12-2
West Essex beat Summit Oak Knoll (N.J.) 3-0 last week and have to travel to Montclair (N.J.) tomorrow
9. Manheim (Pa.) Township 18-2
The Blue Streaks bested Lancaster (Pa.) Country Day School 5-0 last week and have Elizabethtown (Pa.) this evening in the Lancaster-Lebanon League semifinals
10. Andover Phillips Academy (Mass.) 9-0
The Big Blue have been playing lights-out in their regular season, outscoring their opposition 57-2; will host Concord Middlesex (Mass.) tomorrow
11. Attleboro Bishop Meehan (Mass.) 9-2
Lilly Marchand bolstered the Shamrocks’ attack with a pair of goals in stamping as a possible contender for the MIAA Division I championship
Who’s out: Lititz Warwick (Pa.) 3-2 loss to Millersville Penn Manor (Pa.); Penn Manor (Pa.) 2-2 draw with Mechanicsburg Cumberland Valley (Pa.)
And bear in mind: La Jolla Bishop’s School (Calif.) 16-1, Los Gatos (Calif.) 9-1, Denver Colorado Academy (Colo.) 11-0-1, Greenwood Village Cherry Creek (Colo.) 12-1, Darien Staples (Conn.) 11-1, Lewes Cape Henlopen (Del.) 12-0, Winnetka New Trier (Ill.) 17-1-1, Christian Academy of Louisville (Ky.) 14-4, Cherry Hill Camden Catholic (N.J.) 11-1, Summit Oak Knoll (N.J.) 6-5-1, Cary (N.C.) Christian 13-0, Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.) 11-3, Upper Arlington (Ohio) 17-0, Lititz Warwick (Pa.) 18-1, Millersville Penn Manor (Pa.) 13-4-1, Elliottsburg West Perry (Pa.) 17-1, Hummelstown Lower Dauphin (Pa.) 14-2, Lancaster (Pa.) Country Day School 17-0, Exeter Wyoming Area (Pa.) 15-0, Trinity Episcopal (Va.) 10-0, Yorktown Tabb (Va.) 12-0
