By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor

The Indiana High School Swim Coaches’ Association has released its sixth round of team rankings for the 2008-09 boys swimming season and, once again, there’s not much change this first week of the new year.

The top eight schools from last week’s poll – including leaders North Central (Indianapolis), Chesterton, and Munster – stay the same in the rankings that are based on a theoretical scoring system. The system from a 16-place meet uses the times/scores of the returning Top 20 individuals from sectionals and state finals as well as the best regular-season times of the 2007-08 season.

Center Grove has crept into a tie with Hamilton Southeastern for ninth, and Lake Central has swapped spots with Carmel at Nos. 11 and 12 among schools near the top of the rankings. Meanwhile, Valparaiso and Jay County enter the poll this week tied for 52nd and 55th, respectively.

Teams are listed by ranking followed by school and vote total. The IHSSCA’s Top 58 from Jan. 4:

1. North Central (Indianapolis) 245
2. Chesterton 233
3. Munster 181
4. Homestead 133    
5. Castle 115
6. Northridge 112
7. Concord 102
8. Crown Point 102
9. Center Grove 73
9. Hamilton Southeastern 73
11. Lake Central 71
12. Carmel 63
13. Franklin Central 53
14. Brebeuf 43
15. East Central 42
16. Michigan City 41
17. Carroll (Fort Wayne) 39
18. Seymour 36
19. Kokomo 33
19. Plainfield 33
21. South Adams 31
22. West Lafayette 29
23. Yorktown 28
24. Fishers 27
24. Muncie Central 27
24. Terre Haute South 27
27. Bedford North Lawrence 24
27. Portage 24
29. Connersville 23
30. Anderson Highland 21
31. Indian Creek 20
32. Rensselaer 18
32. South Bend Riley 18
34. Franklin 16
34. Oak Hill 16
36. Bloomington South 15
36. New Prairie 15
38. Warsaw 13
39. Floyd Central 12
39. Maconaquah 12
39. Southridge 12
39. Tri-West Hendricks 12
43. Zionsville 11
44. Avon 8
45. Greencastle 7
46. Guerin Catholic 6
47. Southport 5
48. Brownsburg 4
48. Fort Wayne Dwenger 4
48. Wawasee 4
51. Crawfordsville 3
52. Noblesville 2
52. Valparaiso 2
52. Vincennes Lincoln 2
55. Eastern Greene 1
55. Jay County 1
55. New Palestine 1
55. Terre Haute North 1