TOP OF THE CROP
Boys soccer
1: (1) University 10-4-1
2: (2) Harvey 13-1-1
3: (4) Lake Catholic 11-2-2
4: (6) North 8-7
5: (3) Riverside 9-5-2
6: (5) Mentor 5-7-3
7: (7) Kenston 8-4-2
8: (8) Beachwood 12-1-1
9: (9) Hawken 7-4-4
10: (NR) Gilmour 9-4-2
Dropped out: Wickliffe
Watch list: Wickliffe (12-3), Kirtland (10-2-1), South (9-4-2), Chagrin Falls (8-7), Mayfield (5-7-2), Berkshire (12-1-2)
Crop comments: University’s 4-0 loss at longtime rival Hudson WRA may, in some circles, bring No. 1 standing into question in the penultimate Crop of the season. But the Pioneers are 10-1-3, the only defeat a competitive 3-1 setback at St. Ignatius. So it’s difficult to hold that against US — and again, the Preppers are 5-0-1 against News-Herald coverage area sides. It’s best to leave well enough alone. … North’s 3-2 win at Riverside not only had WRC implications but makes for a tough Crop call. The Rangers need to move up and the Beavers need to move down for that result. At the same time, though, North has a head-to-head loss to Mentor, 2-0, on Aug. 23. As consistently noted, the Cardinals play one of the toughest schedules in The News-Herald coverage area, including a competitive 2-0 loss to a very good Avon Lake side Oct. 8. But they’re also on an eight-match winless skid. Plus, Lake Catholic is red-hot right now, on a nine-match unbeaten run. Thus the calls that were made there. … With Wickliffe dropping out after one week, it’s not so much losing to Beachwood, 3-1. It was being down, 3-0, by the 24th minute, generating two shots on target in the match and, running parallel, Gilmour on a solid five-match unbeaten run, including wins in the match window over Andrews Osborne (2-1) and Chagrin Falls (3-0).
Note: Matches considered through Oct. 10.