The spring sports season is right around the corner, which means it’s time for preseason coaches' rankings to drop. 

The state’s soccer coaches association started things by dropping their rankings for 11 SCHSL classifications and seven SCISA soccer divisions. 

11 Lexington County teams across eight classifications made an appearance in the polls. Four teams are ranked in the top five of their poll, including one team in the top spot. 

The Chapin girls team is the No. 1 ranked team in the 5A Division II girls poll. The Eagles are fresh off an appearance in the 5A championship game last season. 

Chapin fell short in the championship game last season, losing to Clover 2-1. With the new 5A format splitting the classification in two, Chapin and Clover will avoid a potential title game rematch. Clover is the No. 1 ranked team in the 5A Division I poll. 

Lexington and River Bluff are also ranked in the girls 5A Division I poll. The Wildcats sit slightly above the Gators at No. 5, while River Bluff is No. 7. 

The Gators and Wildcats finished just behind Chapin in the region standings last season and will try to overthrow the Eagles this season. 

Chapin and River Bluff are the only 5A teams ranked in the boys poll. 

The Gators will be in their first season under new head coach Thad Miller. He takes over for the legendary Phil Savitz. Miller was an assistant at River Bluff under Savitz for 10 years. Their connection goes beyond that as Miller was both a player and assistant for Savitz during his time at Irmo. 

Chapin is fifth in the 5A Division II boys rankings. The Eagles are defending region champions after finishing 7-1 with a tiebreaker over River Bluff. 

Gray Collegiate is the only other team with both boys and girls squads ranked in their classification’s poll. 

It is the first season the War Eagles are playing in the 4A classification after moving up from 2A. The boys team begins the year ranked No. 3, and the girls are No. 5. 

The Gray boys and head coach Kevin Heise are looking to finally get over the hump and win a state championship. The War Eagles made the 2A title game the past three seasons but have failed to win the big game. Heise has been to six championship games between his time at Brookland-Cayce and Gray but is 0-6 in title matches. 

Just making the title game will be a tough task this season with the team competing in an entirely different landscape. 

Four other Lexington County teams are ranked in a poll. 

Swansea is No. 8 in the 3A rankings. The Tigers won its region and finished 14-6 last season. 

Batesburg-Leesville and American Leadership are ranked in the 2A boys poll. The Panthers are just ahead of the Patriots at No. 7. American Leadership comes in at No. 8 in its first full varsity season. 

Closing things out, the Gilbert girls earned a spot in the 4A girls poll, sitting at No. 8 and three spots below region rival Gray. 

Every team around Lexington County will hit the field soon. The first official day of practice is Feb. 3. Games start a few weeks later on Feb. 21. Teams not currently in the rankings can use those early contests to prove they deserve a spot in the next round.

Lexington County in the S.C. Soccer Coaches rankings

5A Division I Boys

1. JL Mann 
2. Ashley Ridge
3. Clover
4. Wando
5. Riverside
6. River Bluff
7. Mauldin
8. James Island
9. Stratford
10. Byrnes Class 

5A Division II Boys

1. Fort Mill
2. Hillcrest
3. Catawba Ridge
4. Nation Ford
5. Chapin
6. Greenville
7. Indian Land
8. TL Hanna
9. Easley
10. Eastside 

4A Boys

1. Daniel 
2. Berea
3. Gray Collegiate
4. Bluffton
5. North Augusta
6. Bishop England
7. May River
8. AC Flora
9. Hilton Head Island
10. Greer Class 

3A Boys 

1. Oceanside Collegiate
2. Powdersville
3. Waccamaw
4. St. Joseph’s
5. Christ Church
6. Southside Christian
7. Hanahan
8. Swansea
9. Greer Middle College
10. Chapman 

2A Boys

1. Academic Magnet
2. Atlantic ‘Collegiate
3. Greenville Tech
4. Philip Simmons
5. Andrew Jackson
6. Bridges Prep
7. Batesburg-Leesville
8. American Leadership
9. Edisto
10. Columbia

5A Division I Girls

1. Clover 
2. Mauldin
3. JL Mann
4. Wando
5. Lexington
6. West Ashley
7. River Bluff
8. James Island
9. Blythewood
10. Ashley Ridge 

5A Division II Girls

1. Chapin
2. Eastside
3. Lucy Beckham
4. Catawba Ridge
5. Riverside
6. Nation Ford
7. St. James
8. Indian Land
9. Fort Mill
10. Greenville Class 

4A Girls

1. Bishop England 
2. AC Flora
3. Daniel
4. May River
5. Gray Collegiate
6. Beaufort
7. Dreher
8. Gilbert
9. South Aiken
10. Hilton Head Island