The San Gabriel Valley area high school boys soccer rankings as of Jan. 7. The rankings include teams covered by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News and Whittier Daily News.
BOYS SOCCER TOP 20 RANKINGS
1. BISHOP AMAT (14-2-3)
After winning the CIF-SS Division 1 title last season, the big question is if the Lancers reach the Open Division this season. They’re off to a good start, but upcoming games against Salesian and Cathedral will help determine their future. Dylan Gonzalez leads the way with 11 goals.
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2. ARROYO (13-2-1)
The Knights lost for the first time this season, falling to Summit 4-1 and Downey in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie in tournament play. They’re 4-0 in the tough Mission Valley League. They have allowed only 12 goals in 16 games.
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3. MOUNTAIN VIEW (10-1-3)
The Vikings are starting to look like those dominant Vikings teams of the early 2000s that won two CIF-SS championships. They have a big game at Arroyo on Monday that could go a long way toward determining the league title.
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4. SIERRA VISTA (6-1-2)
The Dons haven’t lost since a 1-0 setback to Damien on Dec. 3. They’re unbeaten in six straight, having played South El Monte to a 1-1 tie in their last game. They play rival Baldwin Park next to open the Montview League.
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5. WHITTIER CHRISTIAN (13-0)
All the Heralds do is win. They had a 2-0 victory over Maranatha to improve to 2-0 in the Olympic League. They have outscored their opponents 46-5. Who cares if you think the schedule isn’t the greatest, they’re dominating.
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6. MUIR (7-1-1)
The Mustangs had an ugly loss to Edgewood, 1-0, but otherwise they have been impressive. They’re 2-0-1 in the Pacific League and boast a 1-0 win over La Cañada and a 2-1 win over St. Francis. They have a big game against Crescenta Valley coming up.
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7. SCHURR (9-4-1)
The Spartans have fared well despite a tough stretch of games. They had three straight losses, but then had wins over Troy 1-0 and Burroughs 3-0. The road to the Almont League title goes through them.
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8. NOGALES (6-1)
The Nobles make their debut in the Top 10. They own a surprising 1-0 victory over Rancho Cucamonga and their only setback was 1-0 to a tough Downey squad. They open Montview League play against Baldwin Park on Friday.
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9. EL RANCHO (7-5-1)
The Dons opened the Del Rio League with a 1-0 win over La Serna, but lost three straight in the holiday tournaments. One of those losses was to St. Paul in penalty kicks. They still look like the league favorites.
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10. SOUTH PASADENA (5-1-3)
The Tigers haven’t played since a 2-1 victory over Peninsula on Dec. 13. Their defense has been solid, as they have allowed just seven goals. The Rio Hondo League is always competitive, but the Tigers should be considered the favorites.
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Next 10: 11. Los Altos (9-3-2); 12. Santa Fe (7-3); 13. Montebello (5-2-3); 14. Covina (6-2-3); 15. Duarte (8-2); 16. California (5-4-3); 17. Sonora (6-4); 18. Bonita (2-3-3); 19. San Gabriel (4-2-1); 20. Walnut (3-4-4).
