ESPN Boston's girls soccer Top 20

Updated: November 26, 2012, 4:05 PM ET
ESPNBoston.com staff

Below is our 2012 girls soccer Top 20, as of Nov. 26, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents.

Team Name Record Last week's
ranking 		Notes
1. Franklin (22-0-1) 1 The Panthers won the program's first-ever Division 1 state title and capped an unbeaten season with a victory over No. 3 Nashoba. Star forward Kristi Kirshe rounded out an All-American season with both goals in the state championship game.
2. Medfield (21-0-3) 3 Prior to the season, Dover-Sherborn coach Dave Wainwright said that this would be Medfield's year in D2. He was right. Led by a strong defensive core, including midfielder Jen Narlee and All-New England goalie Mimi Borkan, the Warriors won their second state title in three years.
3. Nashoba (18-1-4) 5 The Chieftains boasted a formidable attacking duo of Kimberly Slade and Laura Courtney and lost only once this season -- in the state finals to No. 1 Franklin. Nashoba made it to the final after beating No. 18 Algonquin for the third time this season.
4. Belchertown (20-1-2) 8 There's some confusion about what division the Orioles will play in next season, but in 2012 Belchertown showed that it is one of the top teams in D2. The Orioles lost only one game and it was in the finals against No. 2 Medfield.
5. Beverly (18-4-0) NR The Panthers came out of nowhere to win the ultra-competitive D1 North sectional. Junior striker Caitlin Harty's goal against Central Catholic in the sectional final was her 50th of the season and junior goalie Casey Cook was dominant in the playoffs.
6. Duxbury (15-3-4) 15 The Dragons showed their defensive solidity to make the D2 South sectional final. Senior goalie Heather Dorn was the star as the Dragons got by No. 9 Canton on penalties and only lost to No. 2 Medfield on an own goal.
7. Oliver Ames (17-4-1) 16 The Tigers were overlooked heading into the D1 South tournament. All-New England midfielder Kendall Andrew was a leading influence on the Tigers' postseason run to the sectional final. All four losses for OA were to Hockomock League teams (two each to Franklin and Canton).
8. Central Catholic (15-1-4) 11 Central Catholic was stymied by No. 5 Beverly in the D1 North sectional final on penalties and by the great play of the Panthers' keeper. Central Catholic knocked off No. 10 Lincoln-Sudbury in the semifinal.
9. Canton (16-2-1) 4 The Bulldogs' shock defeat to No. 6 Duxbury in the D2 South sectional semifinal denied them a chance to face Medfield and to repeat last season's run to the state championship. University of Maryland-bound senior forward Lauren Berman passed the 40-goal mark this season.
10. Lincoln-Sudbury (17-2-0) 10 Lincoln-Sudbury lost in the D1 North semifinal to No. 8 Central Catholic by just a single goal. Senior Cassidy Boegel netted a hat trick in the quarterfinal win over Newton North.
11. Peabody (17-2-0) 2 The Tanners were stunned in controversial fashion by Acton-Boxborough in the first round of the tournament. An overtime goal by the Colonials handed Peabody its second defeat of the season to the same opponent and ended the great career of senior Hayley Dowd.
12. Needham (15-2-3) 9 The young Rockets went a step further than last season by making the D1 South semifinal before being beaten by No. 7 Oliver Ames. Sophomore Kayla Steeves and freshman Rachel Kingston had great seasons. Expect Needham to be a favorite going into 2013.
13. Dedham (15-2-4) 13 The Marauders had a great season come to an end in the second round against No. 2 Medfield. Dedham's only other loss was to No. 12 Needham in one of the last games of the regular season.
14. Whitman-Hanson (15-3-2) 14 Whitman-Hanson fell in the D1 South quarterfinal in a penalty shootout against No. 7 Oliver Ames in a rematch of the 2011 sectional final. Freshman Alexis Fruzzetti opened the scoring for the Panthers.
15. East Longmeadow (16-2-1) 6 East Longmeadow was stunned in the D1 West semifinal by Pittsfield in double OT. Senior forward Danielle White had the Spartans' lone goal, but Pittsfield scored the golden goal in the final minute of the second extra period.
16. Marshfield (16-3-2) 17 The Rams made it to the D1 South semifinal but the playoff run ended there against No. 1 Franklin. Senior Jill Clapp, who will play at PC next season, led the team to impressive wins over Hingham and Bishop Feehan. It was the second year in a row that Marshfield lost in the semifinal.
17. Scituate (16-2-3) 12 Scituate was beaten in the D2 South quarterfinal by No. 9 Canton for the second consecutive season. An early goal by the Bulldogs stood up and knocked out the Patriot League's Fisher division champions.
18.Algonquin (15-3-3) 20 The Tomahawks probably wished they could have faced anyone but No. 3 Nashoba in the D1 Central final. The loss was Algonquin's third of the season and all came at the hands (or feet) of Nashoba.
19. Concord-Carlisle (15-4-0) 18 All-New England striker Andrea O'Brien had her career come to an end at the hands of No. 5 Beverly in the second round of the D1 North sectional. O'Brien scored both goals in the win over Medford in the first round.
20. Weston (13-7-4) NR Weston stunned everyone by winning the D3 state title as the No. 17 seed in the North sectional. After winning the opening game on penalties, Weston did not give up another goal in the tournament and outscored its opponents 20-0 (also won 1-0 on penalties in state semis).
Last 10 Out:Belmont (14-4-3), Bishop Feehan (15-3-2), Cardinal Spellman (18-1-1), Dover-Sherborn (15-4-3), North Attleborough (13-5-2), Plymouth North (13-4-2), Sutton (18-4-1), Westford (12-5-1), Winchester (14-3-3), Wilmington (15-4-3).

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