Good morning, readers!
We’re back with the first of our back-of-the-envelope weekly Top 10s for the 2025 season. This Top 10 is loosely based upon our preseason Top 10 that we released in late August. We’ll have this feature every week until the week after Thanksgiving, then a more well-researched Top 50 in December.
One reminder: this survey takes into account only games played through the previous Sunday, so there will be important Monday results not reflected here; instead, anything happening yesterday will be reflected in next week’s list.
As you can tell, there has been a lot of movement from the preseason Top 10, especially with some of the upsets or close results that have shaken up the picture already. There are certainly going to be more movements after the National High School Invitational this weekend.
One thing this feature does is honor a field hockey team at some level for an achievement of note. This week’s RightToRightIsRight.com honorary No. 11 Team of the Week is Yale University. The Elis, coached ably by former U.S. international Melissa Gonzalez, is undefeated in its 50th varsity season, and has posted its best record since 1995.
1. Emmaus (Pa.) 8-0
The Hornets, in head coach Susan Butz-Stavin’s 50th season, may be the one team built to win the PIAA championship. It is a senior-laden side with plenty of memories about how it was ousted from last year’s tournament. Emmaus beat a good Summit Oak Knoll (N.J.) team by one last week
2. Villanova Academy of Notre Dame de Namur (Pa.) 4-0
Irish pocketed a key early win over North Caldwell West Essex (N.J.); Notre Dame has the honor of kicking off the National High School Invitational against Houston Kinkaid (Tex.) on Friday afternoon
3. Newtown Square Episcopal Academy (Pa.) 4-0
The Churchwomen got a 1-0 win at Pottstown Hill (Pa.) last week, and they have a key test today against Villanova Academy of Notre Dame de Namur (Pa.)
4. Uxbridge (Mass.) 3-0
The Spartans are a four-time state champion in Massachusetts and earned a statement 4-0 win over Acton-Boxborough (Mass.) last week
5. Pottstown Hill School (Pa.) 2-1
Hill is engineering its team for the late season, but their two matches at the NHSI — against Winnetka New Trier (Ill.) and Baltimore Bryn Mawr (Md.) will go a long way to determine its destiny
6. Summit Oak Knoll (N.J.) 3-1
The Royals, much like last year, fell behind at the interval and could not catch up at full time; Oak Knoll does have PIAA champion Lititz Warwick (Pa.) at the NHIS
7. Malvern Villa Maria (Pa.) 4-0
The Hurricanes have conceded only one goal this season; they play North Caldwell West Essex (N.J.) and Cherry Hill Camden Catholic (N.J.) at the NHIS
8. San Diego Torrey Pines 6-0
The Falcons were able to get a shootout win over La Jolla Bishop’s School (Calif.) on Sept. 2; they had a big-time matchup against San Diego Canyon Hills (Calif.) yesterday
9. Cherry Hill Camden Catholic (N.J.) 2-0
The Irish sent a message with an 8-1 win over Medford Lakes Shawnee (N.J.); they take on Malvern Villa Maria (Pa.) and Palmyra (Pa.) at the NHSI
10. Lititz Warwick (Pa.) 8-0
The Warriors, after an emotional run through the postseason a year ago, have cranked out results aplenty thus far; they take on Oak Knoll and Greenwich (Conn.) Academy at the NHSI
11. Yale 4-0
Bulldogs start their Ivy League schedule this coming Saturday at Brown; Princeton (Oct. 3) looms as a key early-season test
And bear in mind: Westport Staples (Conn.) 4-0, Smyrna (Del.) 3-0, Glenbrook (Ill.) North 6-0, Baltimore Bryn Mawr (Md.) 2-0, Watertown (Mass.) 4-0, Somerset-Berkley (Mass.) Regional 3-0, Mullica Hill Clearview (N.J.) 3-0, Mamaroneck (N.Y.) 5-0, Rosemont Agnes Irwin (Pa.) 5-0, Yorktown Tabb (Va.) 5-0
