With the start of the state playoffs coming this week, East Chapel Hill has taken over the title of the state's top-ranked team.

The Wildcats (20-1-2) moved up to the No. 1 spot after Leesville Road (18-2-0), the only team to get a win off ECH this season, fell 1-0 at home to Raleigh Broughton.

East Chapel Hill has won nine straight since that narrow April 11 loss on the road, eight by shutout. The Wildcats' two ties were 0-0 decisions at the home field of a Top-10 opponent. The latest win streak includes its completion of a perfect 14-0 run through the PAC-6 Conference, capped by a 6-0 win Wednesday at Northern Durham.

Taylor Boone led Wednesday's scoring with two goals, and she continues to lead the Wildcats' stats with 17 goals and eight assists. Eight Wildcats have at least five goals this season: Boone, Brooke Leadbetter (9), Rachel Zarkin (9), Kristyn Jacher (8), Tory Weiner (7), Ines Blasius (6), Lauren Starnes (6) and Olivia Veneziano (5). Four more have at least five assists: Kate Ferriola-Bruckenstein, Molly Hrudka, Tessa Craver and Dory Patterson. Even goalkeeper Jackie O'Connor (who saved both of Northern's two shots Wednesday to record East's 20th shutout of the year) has scored a goal and an assist in the regular season.

Fittingly, East Chapel Hill is tentatively scheduled to host Cape Fear -- one of the state's top offenses - for a first-round match Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Colts (10-10) have scored 63 goals this year, led by two of the Fayetteville area's top five scorers in senior Megan Tew (19 goals, 11 assists) and freshman Cassie Callahan (20 goals, 5 assists).

Chapel Hill (14-5-3) finished second in the PAC-6 this season and tentatively has scheduled its first-round game with Pine Forest (9-12) for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at CHHS.

After Pine Forest and Cape Fear both finished 7-5 in the Two Rivers Conference, the Trojans won their first-round game in the league tournament and won the tie-breaker with Cape Fear for third place. Pine Forest's top goal-scorer is April Byrd (13).