Maher may not be perfect, but it is as accurate as KY HS soccer has ever had. All of those teams were in the mix all year long & most were represented in the state tourney. Some were in tougher regions & eliminated, but still deserved top ranking. The best algorithm is winning it all. CC can move to the top by beating HC - and vice versa.
What's interesting about that top 15 defense list is that all but Ryle & Belfry are in top 20 Maher Ranking. Most are in top 15.
8 of the sweet 16 teams that are on that defense list were paired against each other Monday night, so 4 were eliminated first round - all were close games. Mercer & Montgomery are solid for sure ... seen them play.
A solid defense can give you an opportunity to win, but you gotta be able to score. Look for HC to win it all. We'll see.