It has been a magical season for the Sacred Heart Prep boys soccer team, so it's perfectly understandable that the Gators have decided to go all in.
SHP (17-0-2 overall, 11-0-1 WBAL, 52.5 CCS points) announced Wednesday it would opt up to the Open Division if it has enough points to qualify.
"With today's win, if we have the opportunity to play in the Open Division, we plan on doing so," said SHP head coach Armando del Rio.
With Wednesday's win over Crystal Springs, Prep2Prep projects SHP and Menlo-Atherton in a tie for the final Open at-large spot. But SHP defeated Menlo-Atherton head-to-head and could actually gain more points if Hillsdale overtakes Capuchino for the PAL-Ocean title.
The Gators, ranked No. 3 in the latest Prep2Prep CCS Top 25, have certainly proven they can compete with the elite teams in CCS. In addition to the win over M-A, SHP has defeated CCS playoff mainstays Mountain View and Sacred Heart Cathedral before rolling through the WBAL, outscoring its opponents 42-3 in league play.
Pending other results from Wednesday night action, Prep2Prep projects SHP as the No. 7 seed in the Open taking on No. 2 seed and two-time defending CCS Open champion St. Ignatius.