The boys Maher Rankings have been updated. Let us know what you think, and please check for any errors in the won/loss records, new teams, incorrect region,...and, of course errors in ranking, we always like to hear about those!

 

Maher Rankings | Kentucky High School Soccer Rankings

 

the top 20

KY-1 Daviess County

KY-2 Trinity (Louisville)

KY-3 St. Xavier

KY-4 Woodford County

KY-5 Covington Catholic

KY-6 Paul Laurence Dunbar

KY-7 DuPont Manual

KY-8 Madison Central

KY-9 South Warren

KY-10 Oldham County

KY-11 Mercer County

KY-12 Louisville Collegiate

KY-13 Bowling Green

KY-14 Lafayette

KY-15 Henry Clay

KY-16 Ballard

KY-17 Hopkinsville

KY-18 Montgomery County

KY-19 South Oldham

KY-20 Lexington Catholic

From what I know this week's rankings look to be pretty accurate. In just two weeks of playing real games things have really worked themselves out rather quick.

Daviess Co a clear #1 at this point.

Is the strength of schedule listed based on the games that have actually been played as opposed to evaluating the total anticipated schedule?

Is the strength of schedule listed based on the games that have actually been played as opposed to evaluating the total anticipated schedule?

I believe it is games played.

Only one team from Northern Kentucky, which has region 9, one of the top regions in state. Seems like they are underrepresented.

My understanding on how the Maher ranking system works, its all based on feeding results into system. Coaches opinion/voting, etc have no effect.

Region 9 teams need to play a tougher schedule and get better results. Do these two things and region 9 teams will move up.

One of the changes made this season, factoring in game results played between KY and OH teams has been over due, welcomed, and having an effect on the rankings.

Certainly you can argue how the system is set up, accept it or come up with your own ranking system.

Only one team from Northern Kentucky, which has region 9, one of the top regions in state. Seems like they are underrepresented.

 

If you look at the full listings, you will see a few from NKY that are just outside of the Top 20. Because the rankings are so close, I think a goal here or there can be enough to move you several spots.

I'm a little surprised to see who has actually played the strongest schedule in NKY so far. It is actually Boone Co, followed by Cooper and then Cov Cath. But to GPR's point, you must also get good results to move up the rankings, a tough schedule alone will not be enough.

At the end of season (or a couple of weeks) it looks like strength of schedule will not even be close, probably not a team in NKY comes anywhere close to playing CCH's strength of schedule.

#2 (in Cincy) Summit.

@#4 Trinity

@ #8 ( in Cincy) Anderson

#8 Madison Central

@#11 (in Cincy) Elder

@ #14 Ballard

@ #16 Highlands

#19 Cooper

@ #20 Ryle

@ #24 (in Cincy) 7 Hills

@ #25 (in Cincy) Walnut Hills

@ # 27 (in Cincy) McNicholas

A strong schedule prepares a team for the post-season and CovCath's schedule looks fantastic. The only potential downside is playing so many hard games with just a one day rest between games week after week. But here again, CovCath is on top of it. Last year they only played 19 regular season games and had a 9-day break between their last game of the regular season and first game of post-season (a post season that lasted 9 games!). This year CovCath plays just 2 games per week during the final two weeks of the regular season with no games the final two Saturdays. This ensures the team has a chance to recover a bit and is at its optimal heading into post-season. 2015 and 2016 took two slightly different approaches to scheduling, but both address the same issues of periodization, work load, and recovery periods to put the team in a good position to do well. Credit to CovCath's coaching staff for balancing the demands of high school soccer with the needs of high school athletes bodies. It is.difficult and requires some thought and proactivity.

At the end of season (or a couple of weeks) it looks like strength of schedule will not even be close, probably not a team in NKY comes anywhere close to playing CCH's strength of schedule.

#2 (in Cincy) Summit.

@#4 Trinity

@ #8 ( in Cincy) Anderson

#8 Madison Central

@#11 (in Cincy) Elder

@ #14 Ballard

@ #16 Highlands

#19 Cooper

@ #20 Ryle

@ #24 (in Cincy) 7 Hills

@ #25 (in Cincy) Walnut Hills

@ # 27 (in Cincy) McNicholas

 

The number of away games is impressive and Maher will reward good results on the road.

 

Also impressive is the number of high quality away games without having to travel to East Bumbletown. I have no doubt it's easier to schedule when you are defending state champs, but still... nice job.

OK... last homage to CovCath scheduling. Brilliant to get the boys a break from schedule grind with no game on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend at the end of the first 3 weeks of the season.

 

Good luck the next couple weeks Colonels, it'll be a hard stretch.

The number of away games is impressive and Maher will reward good results on the road.

 

Also impressive is the number of high quality away games without having to travel to East Bumbletown. I have no doubt it's easier to schedule when you are defending state champs, but still... nice job.

 

I would also assume its easier to get the top teams such as Summit, Anderson, Trinity, etc on your schedule when you are defending state champs, but CCH has been putting this kind of difficult schedule together for years. I scratch my head when I look at a few other NKY teams' schedules and question the number of really weak, non district teams on their schedule. I'm not going to start a firestorm and name these teams, anyone can look for themselves. I can only come up with a couple of reason for scheduling a number of historically weak, non district opponents, padding the W-L-T record and to pad the individual stat sheet. Maybe someone can suggest other reasons for putting together a very weak schedule by some of the typical stronger programs in NKY.

 

The Labor break is a great time, pretty much in the middle of the season, to allow your players some much needed time off.

It takes two teams to agree to schedule. Most contracts require a home and home and some teams do not want to pay for travel. Many times I hear coaches who try to schedule out of the area teams but there is no interest. JR has an easier time of scheduling games against the better schools because of his club ties and relationships built over the years. I have also heard that Ohio teams don't like the short JV game as Ohio plays a 37 minute jv game thus losing 14 minutes of game time. I agree that giving the players breaks during the season and before the state tournament is a good strategy.

I would not consider Summit, Anderson, Elder, Walnut Hills, 7 Hills, etc expensive travel games for them to play NKY teams. And maybe the OH coaches are not in favor of bringing their jv teams to KY, but these OH schools and a few more have brought their jv teams to Park Hills for years. Trinity does not appear to have any cost issues coming up to Park Hills. And just a thought, if a school really wanted to build a stronger schedule they might have to agree to an away, away series for a few yrs to build a reputation your program can give the elite teams a game.