Boys Soccer – Top 10, Sept. 21

There was probably a little bit too much back-patting in this space last week for the top 10 holding up after a week, and the soccer gods humbled a bunch of top-10 teams – and yours truly – with a wild week of upsets throughout the conference. With enough unexpected results early on, the very concept of an “upset” is being cast aside and what’s left is a conference that has 15-to-20 teams separated by very little. Sure, some teams have more skill, others have better goalkeepers, but when it comes down to putting the ball in the net more than the other team over an 80-minute span, there are plenty of vulnerable teams out there.

The new top 10 isn’t radically different from the last one only because just about every team has taken a tough loss along the way. There are some big moves by some teams, some steep falls by others, but in the end, only three teams fell out of the top 10 and six of the preseason top 10 remain.

1. Manalapan (4-0-1, 3-0-1) Last Week: 1

The top 10 looks a lot different than it did just a week ago, but nothing is changing at the top. Manalapan would probably like to have a 2-2 draw against Middletown North back, but in the Braves’ defense, Middletown North had a very good week beyond just the Manalapan game. A head-to-head showdown with Freehold Township on Tuesday could be for next week’s No. 1 spot.

2. Toms River South (4-0-0, 3-0-0) Last Week: 3

Like last year, the Indians have not scored a whole lot through four games this season, but they have also been even better at keeping opponents out of the net. Since allowing a goal to Holmdel in the 14^th minute of the first game of the season, Toms River South has not surrendered a single goal.

3. Toms River North (4-1-0, 3-0-0) Last Week: 7

Unlike their neighbors on the south side of Route 37, Toms River North hasn’t had to keep teams from scoring because the Mariners have been a goal-scoring machine. During the first three games of its four-game winning streak, Toms River North scored 13 goals while giving up seven. In a 1-0 win over Toms River East on Thursday, the Mariners won a more conventional 1-0 game to keep their hot start going.

4. Shore (5-1-0, 3-0-0) Last Week: Not ranked

For Shore to climb this high in the standings, it has to make the most of its opportunities outside of the Class B Central schedule, and that’s exactly what the Blue Devils have done. Shore has two 3-0 wins outside the division, first against Middletown North – which just beat previous No. 2 Freehold Township – and then against Ocean, the first-place team in Class B North.

5. Freehold Township (4-1-0, 4-1-0) Last Week: 2

Most teams are going to stumble along the way and the Patriots got tripped up on a penalty kick against a Middletown North team that is starting to pick up the slack. If a loss isn’t enough motivation to refocus them, then a huge Class A North match against No. 1 Manalapan on Tuesday should catch the Patriots’ collective attention.

6. Ocean (3-3-0, 3-0-0) Last Week: Not ranked

An opening-day loss to Brick is easier to overlook because of an injury to Wadneson Alexis, but the Spartans missed a chance to jump into the top five when they lost to Shore on Saturday. On the bright side, Ocean has done its best work within Class B North and sits in the driver’s seat of what could still end up as the Shore Conference’s best division.

7. Red Bank (3-2-0, 2-2-0) Last Week: 9

Admittedly, Red Bank’s movement within the top 10 so far this year doesn’t make much sense. The Bucs started the season ranked No. 6, started 2-0…and dropped to No. 9. This week, they went 1-2 with consecutive losses to end the week and yet they climb two spots to No. 7. Sometimes it’s not how many you win but which ones you win, and a 3-0 win over a Wall side that has wins over Colts Neck and Long Branch is enough to keep them in the field.

8. Wall (3-2-0, 2-1-0) Last Week: 8

Red Bank did not help Wall at all this week, first beating the Crimson Knights 3-0 on Monday and then losing twice later in the week. While it doesn’t help Wall in the top 10, it certainly helps the Crimson Knights in the Class B North race. Colts Neck has also helped Wall out by running off four straight victories since losing to the Crimson Knights.

9. Brick Memorial (4-1-0, 2-1-0) Last Week: 6

The Mustangs lost an ugly game to Toms River North, but the silver lining to losing an ugly game is that it only counts as one game. Brick Memorial turned around and took care of business against Brick on Thursday and will look to climb back up the rankings with games at Toms River South and Jackson Memorial this week.

10. Colts Neck (4-2-0, 3-1-0) Last Week: Not ranked

The Cougars got off to a rough start with losses to Brick Memorial and Wall, and that’s not even counting a game against Freehold that was called due to lightning with Colts Neck trailing 1-0. Since that shaky beginning to the season, the Cougars have won four straight against quality competition, beating the likes of Holmdel, Long Branch and Red Bank Catholic.

Dropped Out

Christian Brothers Academy (3-3-0, 3-3-0) Last Week: 4 – The Colts were staring a four-game losing streak square in the face on Friday before exploding for four goals in 15 minutes to cap a 5-2 win over Freehold.

Long Branch (4-2-0, 1-2-0) Last Week: 5 – The Green Wave has scored 17 goals in six games, and yet has been shutout twice.

Central (3-1-0, 2-1-0) Last Week: 10 – Not only did Central take its first loss, but B South’s first-place team (Jackson Liberty) is 0-2 outside the division, both losses coming against unranked teams. A win over the Lions would help Central, but that meeting isn’t until Oct. 3.