Wisconsin Soccer Central

Two Wisconsin prep girls soccer teams find themselves nationally ranked, even before they've played a game.

Milwaukee DSHA is 30th and Appleton North is 45th in this week's Elite Soccer Report Top 50.

The Dashers, who were 17-5-2 and lost to eventual champion Madison West 1-0 in a WIAA Division 1 state quarterfinal last spring, are scheduled to open the season April 6 at home against Racine Prairie School.

Appleton North, which is set to kick off its season April 9 at Green Bay Notre Dame, finished 19-1-2 last year – the Lightning come into the season on a 21-game unbeaten streak after suffering their only loss in their season opener.

• DSHA is sixth in the first National Soccer Coaches Association of America Region III poll of the season, while Appleton North is 10th.
• Four state teams are in the 27-team field for the seventh annual Tournament of Champions, which is April 26 and 27 in Burlington, Iowa. DSHA and Waunakee are in Bracket A, which also features two teams currently in the ESR Top 50: ninth-ranked Ankeny (Iowa) and No. 21 Planfield North (Ill.). Middleton and Schofield D.C. Everest will play in Bracket B, while the Waunakee JV team will play three varsity teams in a round-robin competition.