Even the slightest movement in the Top 5 is big news -- especially when nearly everything else remains the same.
Archbishop Spalding, powered by a 27-3 win over former state-ranked Calvert Hall, jumped from No. 5 to No. 3 this week, leapfrogging both St. Frances Academy and Quince Orchard. Interestingly, though, Quince Orchard remains No. 4 and the highest-ranked public school and St. Frances, coming off a loss to the current national No. 1 team, slips to No. 5.
St. Frances is 1-5 but four losses are to teams ranked in the national Top 10 and the other defeat is also to a nationally ranked opponent. But despite that strength of schedule, it appears voters are looking for wins to justify a Top 3 spot for the Baltimore power.
There was little change throughout the rest of the Top 25 this week with only Calvert Hall falling from the rankings and getting replaced, at No. 25, by Calvert. Calvert's inclusion gives the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference three teams in the Top 25. North Point, Northern-Calvert and Calvert represent the SMAC. Only the MIAA A (Spalding, Loyola Blakefield, McDonogh and Mount St. Joseph's) has more Top 25 teams, and WCAC (Good Counsel, DeMatha and McNamara) and Montgomery County (Quince Orchard, Northwest, Damascus) each have three.
Looking ahead, No. 2 DeMatha takes on No. 9 Rock Creek Christian in a key non-league matchup. Deeper in the rankings, No. 11 Georgetown Prep plays No. 24 Riverdale Baptist, No. 13 Loyola Blakefield takes on No. 17 McDonogh and No. 14 North Point faces No. 25 Calvert.
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