The South region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi) has been highly competitive so far this season, so who better to start off our weekly regional rankings, than the host of two major tournaments already this season. The Nike TOC Southeast and the Florida Gem High School Classic were just two of a number of events that offered up some electric matchups in the past two weeks. Let’s see how our first round of rankings wound up.
1. Carrollwood Day (Tampa, Florida)
Record: 12-1
Impact Wins: Viera (FL), Hagerty (FL), Skutt Catholic (NE), Lakeland (FL)
Notes: CDS took silver at the Nike TOC Southeast and Gold at the Florida GEM HS Classic. The team’s singular loss on the season came at the hands of TOC champions Cornerstone Christian of Texas.
2. Academy of Holy Names (Tampa, Florida)
Record: 7-1
Impact Wins: Braden River (FL), Westminster Christian (FL), North Allegheny (PA), Venice (FL), Winter Park (FL), Sandy Creek (GA)
Notes: The FL Gem silver medalist, Holy Names has dropped just a pair of sets on the season, both against No. 1 Carrollwood Day. They’ve taken wins off teams from three different states, and look to be the real deal this season.
3. Viera (Florida)
Record: 8-2
Impact Wins: Winter Park (FL), North Allegheny (PA), Sandy Creek (GA), Westminster Christian (FL)
Notes: Viera avenged a season opener sweep of a loss by winning five straight matches and finishing third at the TOC Southeast, making it as the semifinals before being knocked out by CDS. Tis past week they picked up a pair of wins over Bishop Moore and Satellite.
4. Winter Park (Florida)
Record: 10-2
Impact Wins: Keller (TX), Hagerty (FL)
Notes: Winter Park finished 4th at TOC Southeast and were undefeated on the weekend and the season until being knocked out of contention by Cornerstone Christian, and Viera in the third-place match. Still, a highly respectable win over a tough Texas team in Keller was high-impact for the Wildcats.
5. Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Florida)
Record: 6-2
Impact Wins: Pace Academy (GA), Plant (FL), Clearwater Central Catholic (FL)
Notes: Berkeley Prep has looked good so far this season, scooping up a nice win over Georgia’s Pace Academy in tournament play in the first weekend of the month, and a big four-set win over Clearwater Central Catholic.
6. Pace Academy (Atlanta, Georgia)
Record: 17-2
Impact Wins: Alpharetta (GA), Buford (GA), Pope…