The top four teams in the West all come into 2022 with unfinished business.
They each return strong cores and stronger motivation after coming up short last spring. No. 1 St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.) was 4-0 against Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.) before falling in their fifth meeting to drop the section championship. No. 2 Corona del Mar (Calif.) and No. 3 Mater Dei (Calif.) both lost in their respective section semifinals. No. 4 La Costa Canyon (Calif.) also suffered a heartbreaking loss in its division championship.
No. 5 Mountain Vista (Colo.) looks to repeat after claiming its first Colorado state crown, and No. 6 Torrey Pines (Calif.) is looking for more history as it goes for a division four-peat. Utah’s best, No. 7 Corner Canyon, is loaded for another championship shot, while Colorado runner-up Cherry Creek is No. 8 with a wealth of talent back. Sacred Heart Prep looks to build off its title finish last year, and Jesuit Portland (Ore.) has the depth to go one step further and win an Oregon state crown.
Continue on to see how the Top 10 breaks down, and check back every Tuesday beginning March 29 for National Top 25 updates.
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1. ST. IGNATIUS PREP (CALIF.)
The Wildcats slipped in the CIF Central Coast Section championship against WCAL rival Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.) after winning the first four matchups against the Gators. It was a stunning loss to spoil a perfect season, but now they come back hungry to finish what they started. Top returning players include Princeton commit Jackson Kane in the attack and Villanova recruit Luke Williams in the midfield.
2. CORONA DEL MAR (CALIF.)
The Sea Kings had won 10 straight games before falling to Loyola-Los Angeles (Calif.) in the CIF Southern Section semifinals last year, but they are expected to be contenders once again this year. CdM returns standouts like attackers Lucas Newton (Villanova) and Ty Caffarelli (Monmouth) and midfielder Logan Ip (Harvard).
3. MATER DEI (CALIF.)
The Monarchs lost to eventual CIF Southern Section runner up Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.) in the semifinals last year but return a ton of firepower. The team has 20 seniors on a deep roster that features 10 college commits in the senior and junior classes with a handful of juniors still deciding on Division I opportunities. Junior faceoff specialist Lucas de la Paz posted an 80 percent win rate last year and remains a key piece, along with players like junior midfielder Triston Jewell, senior defender Andrew Crosby and senior goalie Nick Colignon. Mater Dei will be tested by one of the most challenging schedules in the West, including opponents from five states and games in Maryland during spring break.
4. LA COSTA CANYON (CALIF.)
The Mavericks suffered two of their losses last year to Torrey Pines (Calif.), including in the CIF San Diego Open Division final to finish as the runner up, but they could be the favorites to win in 2022. LCC returns a strong core of players, including senior attacker Luke Sillstrop, junior midfielder Ben Beacham and defender Flynn Hogan.
5. MOUNTAIN VISTA (COLO.)
The Golden Eagles made the most of their first state final appearance last year and beat Valor Christian (Colo.) to claim the CHSAA Class 5A title. Mountain Vista won three straight overtime games en route to claiming its trophy and now returns battle-tested players looking for a repeat. Senior midfielder Dillon Pless, who scored the game-winner in the championship, is the team’s top returning scorer and leads a loaded roster.
6. TORREY PINES (CALIF.)
The Falcons became the first team in CIF San Diego Section history to three-peat last year when they beat La Costa Canyon (Calif.) 10-3 in the Open Division final. Torrey Pines seeks to add a ninth overall CIF title to that collection in 2022 but will need to reload after losing 11 seniors, all of whom were impact players. The Falcons will be strongest on defense and in goal with returning goalie Andrew Cook anchoring the unit. Midfielder Tayden Bultman (North Carolina), attackman Griffin Grant (Notre Dame), long-stick middie Brycen Monjazeb and short-stick defensive midfielder Ben Trask also return.
7. CORNER CANYON (UTAH)
The Chargers capped a perfect season with the UHSAA/Mountain America Division A title, and there are no signs their reign in Utah is ending any time soon. Corner Canyon returns two 100-goal scorers in Penn State-bound attacker Jon King (112 goals, 49 assists) and Utah commit Mason Quick (105 goals, 43 assists), who are both seniors now, and several other key pieces like defender Blaze DeGracie (Air Force), who finished with a team-high 84 ground balls, and faceoff specialist Anthony Mackay, who had 82 ground balls and finished with a 74.2 percent faceoff win rate.
8. CHERRY CREEK (COLO.)
The Bruins lost to eventual champion Mountain Vista in the CHSAA Class 5A semifinals last year and only graduated six seniors. They return 27 varsity players, including seven starters, and should be a deeper, more experienced squad in 2022. Top returners include senior attacker Thomas Power, junior defender Jack Keifer, junior faceoff specialist Alex Fredrich, junior Zander Diecidue and senior faceoff specialist Sawyer Brewer.
9. SACRED HEART PREP (CALIF.)
The Gators battled injuries through most of 2021, suffering four losses to St. Ignatius Prep, but made a run at the end to claim the first CIF Central Coast Section title with a 17-8 victory over the Wildcats. While Sacred Heart remains a team to watch, the team did graduate 14 players and will see several new players filling big roles. Senior attackmen Max Sloat (Duke), Eric Bollar (Penn) and Kai Lockton (Amherst) return as the core leaders of the team, which should see solid contributions from up-and-comers like midfielders Ian Dykes and Blake Hetherington.
10. JESUIT PORTLAND (ORE.)
The Crusaders were stunned by Lakeridge (Ore.) in the state final last year, but they seek to bounce back with a standout roster this year. Top returning players include attacker Benton Wimmer (Albany), defender Michael Rincon (Holy Cross) and midfielders Tatum Lewis (Vermont) and Matthew Rincon (Binghamton).