ESPN RISE

A familiar cliche states: "It's not where you start but where you finish."

True, perhaps.

But when it comes to the ESPN RISE FAB 50 high school rankings, where you start could be important to where you finish. After all, if the preseason No. 1 team posts a perfect record, there will not be a chance for any other team in the country to take the top spot. It happened this past spring when Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.) went coast to coast as the spring boys' soccer No. 1 squad. Preseason top-five teams often have the inside edge at the No. 1 ranking when the top team falters.

Therefore, today we take a look at five teams that can make a claim for the FAB 50 fall boys' soccer national No. 1 preseason ranking.

When sizing up teams for the top ranking, the following elements are taken into account:

Talent: This seems subjective, but it isn't. Talent implies the team has players who are college-bound and members of elite clubs. Every preseason top-five team, and most of the top 10 teams, will have multiple NCAA Division I-bound players. Now, a single highly talented player does not always override depth around the field, but sizing up talent -- often related to local club teams' level of success -- helps identify areas of soccer strength.

Competition: While every program likes to believe its level of competition is high, the key factors here are matches against other nationally ranked-caliber programs, involvement in regional and national tournaments, strong league opponents (examples: the Metro Catholic Conference in St. Louis, the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association in Baltimore) and a highly competitive state playoff system (examples: New York Class AA, Illinois Class AAA, Missouri Class 3, etc.).

Recent History: Teams that have records of success often are afforded the luxury of lofty preseason expectations, especially when a defending state champion returns most of its starting lineup. While last season's results have no bearing on this season, they do offer a point at which to create expectations for this year.

In releasing this list, it should be noted that this does not mean these quads will be the preseason top five. Other teams might emerge during the preseason research period. Also, some teams might face lower expectations if elite players choose to bypass the high school season.

The teams listed below have the combination of talent, competition and recent history to justify consideration for the preseason No. 1 ranking. Of course, once the season starts, it's no longer about talent, competition and recent history, but rather results.

If you feel another team not listed warrants consideration, post a response in the Conversation section.

Brentwood (N.Y.)

It's easy to look at last season's final No. 1 team and rationalize that the team should stay there until it loses. Brentwood, however, has a legitimate claim to start this year where it ended last year. The team returns seven starters, including leading scorer and area player of the year Joseph Lopez, from a 24-0-0 squad that won the New York Class AA state title. Lopez was an ESPN RISE second-team All-America last year. Brentwood's squad features five U.S. Soccer Development Academy players. The knock on Brentwood is a largely noncompetitive league schedule. In fact, the team is undefeated in its last 77 league matches. However, the New York Class AA state playoff system is one of the most demanding in the country. Look for Brentwood to coast through league play with its true tests awaiting at the end of the season.

McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)

Seniors Mamadou Kansaye and Marquez Fernandez have verbally committed to defending NCAA Division I champion Maryland. The Eagles sport a lineup primarily of players from the Casa Mia Bays club program, one of the strongest in the country. In fact, Steve Nichols coaches both McDonogh and the Bays. McDonogh competes in the MIAA, which features such notable historical programs as Calvert Hall, Archbishop Curley, Mount St. Joseph and Loyola.

Neuqua Valley (Naperville, Ill.)

Despite a coaching change, the Wildcats remain a state title contender in 2009. The team's top two scorers -- Bryan Ciesiulka and Scott Davis -- return, in addition to keeper Jack Turancik. Ciesiulka has committed to Marquette. The road to a state title for Neuqua Valley, a public school of 4,500 students, is difficult in Illinois' Class 3A.

Reitz Memorial (Evansville, Ind.)

Last year was supposed to be a rebuilding season. The only thing Reitz did was build on its national reputation. The two-time defending state champion in a state in which all schools compete for one title, Reitz carries a 50-match undefeated streak into the 2009 season. The team's top player is junior Max Lachowecki, a national recruit.

St. Anthony's (Melville, N.Y.)

The New York Catholic League featured a trio of FAB 50 teams last year, including St. Anthony's, whose undefeated record resulted in a No. 2 final ranking. This squad is comprised exclusively of elite club players with a majority of them playing in the U.S. Development Academy. St. Anthony's schedule allows for a range of comparisons, as the team crosses over to play public schools and its primary league opponents (St. John the Baptist and Chaminade) play out-of-state competition.

Other teams in the running: St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), East Kentwood (Mich.), Zionsville (Ind.), Martin Luther King (Manhattan, N.Y.), St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.), Chaminade (St. Louis), New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.).

Sheldon Shealer covers youth soccer for ESPNRISE.com. He can be reached at Sheldon.Shealer@espn.com .