Boys Soccer Rankings: Claremont defends No. 1 tag; Baldwin Park and Diamond Ranch move up

Tribune Boys Soccer Top Ten Rankings

1. Claremont (12-2-2) -- Proved it belonged No. 1 by going 2-0 in the Sierra last week with wins over Damien (2-0) and Chino Hills (2-1).
2. Baldwin Park (7-4-2) -- Easy wins over San Dimas and Covina in the Valle Vista league. It should get tougher this week with Wilson and Nogales.
3. Diamond Ranch (7-3-1) - Has taken the early lead in the Hacienda with a 3-0-1 start, which includes a 2-2 tie with Los Altos. Can they sustain it?
4. Mountain View (5-3-4) -- Vikings pride won't let them go down in the Mission Valley league without a fight. They won both league games last week, including a big one over Arroyo.
5. Sierra Vista (9-3-2) -- The wild, wild Montview is off and running. Even if you argue that Sierra Vista is the best, they're still a team that has to fight for the playoffs because there is so much parity. Currently, the Dons are in fourth with a 3-2-1 record in league -- but there is a long way to go.
6. Pomona (6-2-2) -- The Red Devils are the early frontrunners to win the Valle Vista, off to a 3-0 start and playing well. They're not a fluke, they have been consistent for three years now.
7. Damien (6-6-2) -- The Spartans crushed South Hills 5-1, but the 2-0 loss to Claremont stings. They get Chino Hills followed by Charter Oak next, and a couple wins would leave them in good shape.
8. South Hills (9-3-2) -- Beat Charter Oak, who everyone should beat in league, then got hammered by Damien 5-1. If the Huskies are thinking about the playoffs, they need to do better against contenders.
9. Arroyo (7-5-1) -- Not the way the Knights wanted to start league, with a loss and a tie. They need to get it going this week so they don't fall too far behind in the standings.
10. El Monte (6-4-4) -- The Lions also struggled to a loss and a tie to open the MVL. Let's see how they rebound this week.