Wisconsin Soccer Central

Milwaukee Marquette was one of the top-10 boys soccer teams in the country again this fall.

The Hilltoppers (23-1-2), who won their third consecutive WIAA Division 1 state championship in October, finished the season 10th in the Elite Soccer Report Top 50. The final rankings of the year were published Tuesday.

Marquette, which was third in the final ESPN RISE Fab 50 poll in 2011, is 47-1-3 over the past two years and is unbeaten in its past 45 games against Wisconsin teams (43-0-2), dating to a 3-1 loss to Brookfield East on Sept. 28, 2010.

• The Hilltoppers were sixth in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America national poll, which was released Nov. 20 – a final poll was scheduled to be announced Tuesday but hadn't yet been posted as of Wednesday night.
• Marquette finished first in the final NSCAA Region VI poll of the season, while Middleton (19-3-3) was seventh, Green Bay Preble (22-2-3) was 10th, Kettle Moraine (16-6-4) was 13th and Muskego (18-5-3) was 15th.
• Whitefish Bay defender Jake Taylor and Marquette midfielder Alex McBride will play in the High School All-American Game on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala. The duo will be joined by fellow Marquette University recruit Kyle Gress, a goalkeeper from St. Thomas Aquinas (Kan.), on the West team – the Hilltoppers' Steve Lawrence is one of four coaches for the side.

Academic Awards

Three Wisconsin schools – Kenosha Christian Life, Pewaukee and Wausau Newman – were among 50 nationwide to have boys their boys and girls teams receive NSCAA Academic Team Awards.

To be eligible for the award, teams must have collective grade-point averages of 3.25 or better for the entire academic year. A total of 17 state teams, 11 girls sides and six boys teams, earned the honor.

Boys: New Berlin Eisenhower (coach Gary Troy), 3.65 grade-point average; Kenosha Christian Life (Alan Krass), 3.46; Kohler (Scott Feltner), 3.43; Pewaukee (Randy Staus), 3.39; Wausau Newman (Michael Switalski), 3.35; North Fond du Lac-Oakfield (Donovan Heavener), 3.27.

Girls: Kenosha Christian Life (Alan Krass), 3.89; Menomonee Falls (Scott Stein), 3.82; Wausau Newman (Doug Ross), 3.79; Pewaukee (Randy Staus), 3.77; Waukesha Catholic Memorial (John Burke), 3.74; Fond du Lac (Greg Winkler), 3.67; Wausau West (Brady Mesenburg), 3.63; Kenosha Tremper (Todd Hardy), 3.58; Hustisford (Otto Hopfinger), 3.56; North Fond du Lac (Donovan Heavener), 3.44; Campbellsport (Timothy Scannell), 3.39.