Baltimore has a storied tradition for playing some of the best high school soccer in the country and the depth of quality teams is approaching an all-time high in 2022.

Trying to separate one top team from the next for a Top 15 poll, might be a fool’s errand, as most of these squads will take turns beating up on each other. One team, however, stands clearly above the rest, at least as the season gets underway. Top-ranked Calvert Hall won the championship in the MIAA A Conference last fall and returns nearly all of its key pieces.

A roster that includes four-players who already have Division I scholarship commitments and at least three others likely to receive the same, has the Cardinals highly ranked not only in Baltimore, but in every major national poll as well. They opened last season as VSN’s No. 1 team and ended it in the same spot. However, a mid-season loss temporarily knocked them from the top spot. This year they seeking to go wire-to-wire.

The Cardinals will have to earn everything they get, with five of their league rivals also ranked in the first 10. In all, eight MIAA A Conference squads are part of our first Baltimore Banner/Vastsity Sports Network Preseason Boys Soccer Top 15.

1. CALVERT HALL

2021 Record 22-2-1

Coach: Rich Zinkand

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 1

Players to watch: Rich Monath, Sr., forward; Ben Madore, Sr. midfield; Tyler Flynn, Sr., midfield; Cody Angelini, Sr., midfield; Nate Jones, Sr., goal.

Corner kick: With four confirmed Division I commits and several other highly-regarded prospects returning, the defending Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference champs have the wherewithal to repeat. Sitting third in the nation in the PrepSoccer.com FAB 50 rankings, the Cardinals will have an opportunity to make even a bigger statement when they meet top-ranked St. Ignatius (OH) in Cleveland in early October, while still attempting to navigate a daunting 20-game slate against MIAA league foes. “Every team in the league has marked us on their schedule,” Zinkand said. “We’ll get everybody’s best shot.”

2. LOYOLA BLAKEFIELD

2021 Record: 10-8-3

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 10

Coach: Coach: Lee Tschantret

Players to watch: Jordy Eckman, Sr., goal; Gavin Carmichael, Jr., defense; Landon Lackner, Jr., midfield

Corner kick: The Dons’ daunting defense should keep them in contention in the MIAA A Conference wars.

3. JOHN CARROLL

2021 Record: 14-7-2

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 3

Coach: Jim Fendryk

Players to watch: Ryan Skandalis, Sr., midfield, Sr., Cam Tolson, Jr., midfield; Josh Petty, Jr., forward

Corner kick: The Patriots took a giant step last season by reaching the MIAA A Conference semifinal round with Skandalis taking charge from his central midfield position. Petty and Tolson are also capable scorers for a team poised to do big things this fall.

4. SEVERNA PARK

2021 Record: 15-2-1

Coach: Ryan Parisi

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 4

Players to watch: Ben Groseclose, Sr., midfield/forward; Jeffery Chukwu, Jr., forward/midfield; Elliot Gerig, Sr., midfield.

Corner kick: A gut-wrenching 2-1 loss to eventual Class 4A state champion Northwestern whets the appetite for Falcons’ bid to go all the way this fall.

5. MCDONOGH

2021 Record 21-3

Coach: Brandon Quaranta

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 2

Players to watch: Bryant Mayer, Sr., defense; Trevor Grodsky, Sr., defense; Tyler Tucker, Sr., forward

Corner kick: Losing the 41 goals and 20 assists provided by the most productive player in league history, when Jacob Murrell graduated last spring, the Eagles will look to Grodsky, Tucker and Mayer to help make up the difference. The A Conference runners-up, ranked sixth in the country by prepsoccer.com, have always had a knack for staying in contention for — or claiming outright — an MIAA A Conference crown.

6. BROADNECK

2021 Record: 14-2

Coach: Sean Tether

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 8

Players to watch: Matt Tettemer, Jr., goal; Jaden Smith, Sr., forward

Corner kick: The Bruins are consistently in the mix for Anne Arundel County honors and should repeat that trend this season.

7. ARCHBISHOP CURLEY

2021 Record: 12-9-1

Coach Barry Stitz

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 5

Players to watch: Brady Geho, Sr., forward., Joe Yakim, Sr., goal, Andrew Throneburgh, Jr., Casey Price, So.

Corner kick: Stitz and company have what it takes to make a 16th straight MIAA A Conference playoff appearance at his alma mater with the prolific Geho leading the charge. Stitz said the graduation of top back Ricky Schissler (St. John’s) will be challenging for this year’s team. “We will have to defend as a team,” said Stitz. “And we can’t just rely on Geho for goals. We’ll have to get some scoring from other guys.”

8. TOWSON

2021 Record: 12-2

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 14

Coach: Coach: Randy Dase

Players to watch: Parker Fong, Sr., goal; Jensen Specht, Sr., midfield; Jackson Kanzler, Jr., forward; Jake DelViscio, midfield

Corner kick: The Generals will need Fong to direct an inexperienced backline in order to prevail in Baltimore County for the fourth straight season, while taking advantage of skilled play in the offensive third.

9. CENTENNIAL

2021 Record: 10–3-2

Coach: Justin Thomas

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 11

Players to watch: Kartik Sullivan, Sr., goal; Omar Hassan, Sr., midfield; Adam Fowble, Sr., forward

Throw in: Eagles claimed their first Howard County title fin more than 25 years last year. They have even higher aspirations for 2022.

10. CONCORDIA PREP

2021 Record: 11-9-2

Coach: Adauto Neto

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 12

Players to watch: Ryan Calheira, Sr., forward; Colton Drought, Sr., goal; Mikkiel Graham, Sr., defense; Drey Plummer, Sr., midfield

Corner kick: After two years atop the MIAA B Conference, last year’s first full season in the more challenging A Conference went well for the up-and-coming Saints. “That was a big achievement for us,” Neto said. “We have a good core of players and some young technical and fast players who will make us sound in the offensive, defensive and middle thirds of the field.”

11. BEL AIR

2021 Record: 10-7

Coach: Dominic Rose

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 13

Players to watch: Ethan Crosby, Sr., goal; Matt Weidman Sr., midfield

Corner kick: The huge strides Weidman is making from his junior to senior season has the coach raving about the talented and skilled midfielder’s ability. “He’s one of the best players I’ve ever coached,” in a 27-year tenure at his alma mater, Rose said. Moreover, Crosby’s solid play between the pipes should help the Bobcats to dream about finally claiming the program’s first-ever state title after being denied on three other occasions in the finals.

12. SEVERN

2021 Record: 18-1

Coach: Mike McCarthy

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 7

Players to watch: Ammar Yusuf, Sr., forward/midfield; Davis Cawlfield, Sr., forward; Alan Tchamourliyski, Sr., midfield; Kijana Lloyd, Sr., defense; Hudson Lamb, Jr., midfield

Corner kick: Although it won’t be easy matching last year’s perfect run to the program’s sixth overall MIAA B Conference title, the Admirals, who return nine starters, are aiming for another stellar season. A defense that only allowed nine goals in 2021 looks to be just as stingy this fall with Lamb and Lloyd patrolling the defensive third. Look for leading-scorer Cawlfield to keep a potent offense running smoothly. “Based on what we’ve seen in preseason, we should be in pretty good shape,” McCarthy said

13. FALLSTON

2021 Record: 11-5-1

Coach: Christopher Hoover

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 16

Players to watch: Ethan Salsa, Sr., midfield; Christian Worthington, Sr., midfield/forward; Jayden Dillard, Sr., defense; Dylan Kreis, Sr., goal

Corner kick: In addition to a veteran core of returnees to bolster the roster, the Cougars also welcome a pair of transfers to the fold. Dylan Shepherd, a senior forward/midfielder from Concordia Prep, returns to the school he attended as a freshman while junior midfielder Roman Impagliatelli arrives from Calvert Hall to add even more firepower. Hoover says that if the Cougars can continue to develop “spacing, rhythm and chemistry, I see good things for us.”

14. CENTURY

2021 Record: 14–3-1

Coach: Trey Howes

Final VSN 2021 ranking: No. 20

Players to watch: Aiden Luckenbaugh, Jr., defense; Cooper Santos, Sr., forward

Corner kick: The Knights graduated a large group of top players, including three key midfielders and a goalie, “but have men of character to fill the void,” Howes said. The offense will run through Santos, a fourth-year varsity standout. “A lot of people think that Century lost a lot (to graduation), but if we just put our heads down and continue to be friends first and players second, we should be fine,” the coach added.

15. GILMAN

2021 Record: 10-11

Coach: Jon Seal

Final VSN 2021 ranking: NR

Players to watch: Elijah Brijbasi, Sr., midfield; Josh Melancon, Sr., forward; Chase Spurrier, Sr., defense; Ryan Capadonno,Sr., forward; Devon Nixon, Sr., forward.

Corner kick: After logging wins over MIAA A Conference powers Loyola and Calvert Hall, the Greyhounds struggled down the stretch last year and missed the playoffs. “We feel like we played our way out of the playoffs last year,” Seal said. “And that lit a fire under us.” First Team All-State selection Brijbassi, who scored 10 goals and added seven assists last season, gives Gilman a big-time scoring threat, although the Louisville commit will have plenty of help. “He’s a special player and the focal point of our offense,” Seal added. “He gets everyone involved. But we also have some other guys to play next to him. We have a lot to be excited about.”

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