Sheldon ShealerTOP STORY: This year’s preseason Top 5 might be the strongest in years. In fact, it’s possible many of them could spend time at No. 1 this season. The sheer volume of NCAA Division I talent combined with a highly competitive schedule allows Santa Margarita to start in the top spot. One change for the winter of 2012-2013 is the absence of Nevada teams. The holdout Las Vegas teams moved from the winter season to the fall starting this school year. The move leaves the winter season with seven states in action — of course, that includes three of the largest and strongest in California, Florida and Texas.
It should be noted, the preseason rankings were compiled prior to the start of the winter season and do not reflect matches played this season. Next week’s rankings will reflect games played and the ranking order is likely to significantly change.
BIG MOVER: None.
NEWCOMERS: None.
NOTES: The winter season includes the following states: Arizona, California (winter), Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Preseason Rankings for Dec. 5, 2012
| Rk. | School (City, State) | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Santa Margarita (Rancho SM, Calif.) | NR | |
| 2 | Plano West (Plano, Texas) | NR | |
| 3 | Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) | NR | |
| 4 | San Clemente (San Clemente, Calif.) | NR | |
| 5 | St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) | NR | |
| 6 | Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) | NR | |
| 7 | Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) | NR | |
| 8 | Ursuline Academy (Dallas, Texas) | NR | |
| 9 | Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) | NR | |
| 10 | Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) | NR | |
| 11 | Coppell (Coppell, Texas) | NR | |
| 12 | Highland (Gilbert, Ariz.) | NR | |
| 13 | Xavier Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) | NR | |
| 14 | Westview (San Diego, Calif.) | NR | |
| 15 | Monte Vista (Danville, Calif.) | NR | |
| 16 | George Jenkins (Lakeland, Fla.) | NR | |
| 17 | La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.) | NR | |
| 18 | Dana Hills (Dana Point, Calif.) | NR | |
| 19 | American Heritage-Delray (Delray Beach, Fla.) | NR | |
| 20 | San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.) | NR | |
| 21 | Flower Mound (Flower Mound, Texas) | NR | |
| 22 | Corona del Mar (Newport Beach, Calif.) | NR | |
| 23 | Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) | NR | |
| 24 | Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.) | NR | |
| 25 | Boca Raton (Boca Raton, Fla.) | NR | |
| 26 | Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) | NR | |
| 27 | Flintridge-Sacred Heart (La Canada, Calif.) | NR | |
| 28 | Kingwood (Humble, Texas) | NR | |
| 29 | Kamehameha (Honolulu, Hawaii) | NR | |
| 30 | Klein Oak (Spring, Texas) | NR | |
| 31 | Ida Baker (Cape Coral, Fla.) | NR | |
| 32 | El Camino Real (Woodland Hills, Calif.) | NR | |
| 33 | Sunny Hills (Fullerton, Calif.) | NR | |
| 34 | Douglas (Parkland, Fla.) | NR | |
| 35 | Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) | NR | |
| 36 | Tupelo (Tupelo, Miss.) | NR | |
| 37 | Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) | NR | |
| 38 | Claremont (Claremont, Calif.) | NR | |
| 39 | Carondelet (Concord, Calif.) | NR | |
| 40 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) | NR | |
| 41 | Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) | NR | |
| 42 | American Heritage-Plantation (Plantation, Fla.) | NR | |
| 43 | Mansfield (Mansfield, Texas) | NR | |
| 44 | Vero Beach (Vero Beach, Fla.) | NR | |
| 45 | Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.) | NR | |
| 46 | Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos, Calif.) | NR | |
| 47 | Presentation (San Jose, Calif.) | NR | |
| 48 | Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) | NR | |
| 49 | Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth, Texas) | NR | |
| 50 | McKinney Boyd (McKinney, Texas) | NR | |
Interesting that you do not have highland park from Texas ranked. Defending state champs at the 4a level, beat Plano west in pre-season last year and only west and Nolan catholic out of your ranked Texas ranked teams will play HP in fear of a defeat. Follow them and see how they do and whether they deserve to be ranked during the season.