Defending champion Wildwood begins where it left off at No. 1
GAINESVILLE – The girls high school basketball season is officially underway.
The Wildwood girls basketball team, which ran the table by going 25-0 in 2024-25 to win the FHSAA Rural state championship, begins where it left off.
The Lady Wildcats, who finished first in the final all-classification regional rankings last year, received 7 of the 10 first-place votes to earn the No. 1 spot in The Prep Zone Power Poll, which ranks the top 20 teams across 26 counties in Florida.
Class 5A state champion New Smyrna Beach is ranked second. The Barracudas (27-5) received three of the other four first-place votes.
Class 3A state runner-up Bolles (Jacksonville) (25-6) is third, followed by 2A state runner-up Providence (Jacksonville) (24-7), which received the other first-place vote, and 6A state semifinalist Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (20-8) in the top five.
Class 4A Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (25-5), which had its final four streak end at six years, leads off the second five at No. 6, followed by 1A state runner-up North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (20-13), Rural region finalist Williston (19-4), 4A regional semifinalist Ribault (Jacksonville) (19-9), and 3A region semifinalist The Villages (23-6) in the top 10.
Class 5A state runner-up Gainesville High, which advanced to its first state semifinal since 1987 last year, leads off the second 10 at No. 11, followed by 2A regional semifinalist at No. 12 Trinity Catholic (Ocala), No. 13 San Jose Prep, which lost to Providence in last year’s 2A-Region 1 Final, No. 14 Hilliard, a final four Rural team, and 5A region finalist Leesburg and 7A regional quarterfinalist Creekside (St. Johns), who are tied for 15th.
Class 3A regional semifinalist Newberry is ranked 17th, followed by 7A regional semifinalist Spruce Creek (Port Orange), 7A regional semifinalist West Port (Ocala), and Rural regional semifinalist Hawthorne and 5A regional semifinalist Ridgeview (Orange Park), who are tied for 20th.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball & baseball teams (regardless of FHSAA classification) across 26 counties in North Florida (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on by sportswriters and sportscasters, and it is powered by Be Well Fitness.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2025-26 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #1 (PRESEASON)
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, 2024-25 record, and total voting points)
1. Wildwood (Rural) (7) (25-0) – 212
2. New Smyrna Beach (5A) (3) (27-5) – 206
3. Bolles (Jacksonville) (3A) (25-6) – 200
4. Providence (Jacksonville) (2A) (1) (24-7) – 190
5. Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (6A) (20-8) – 167
6. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (25-5) – 160
7. North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (1A) (20-13) – 133
8. Williston (Rural) (19-4) – 128
9. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (19-9) – 112
10. The Villages (3A) (23-6) – 108
11. Gainesville (5A) (17-9) – 102
12. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (2A) (18-10) – 84
13. San Jose Prep (Jacksonville) (2A) (15-10) – 66
14. Hilliard (Rural) (18-9) – 57
15T. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (16-8) – 56
15T. Leesburg (5A) (14-10) – 56
17. Newberry (3A) (17-7) – 53
18. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (15-14) – 42
19. West Port (Ocala) (7A) (17-9) – 23
20T. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (5A) (20-6) – 19
20T. Hawthorne (Rural) (12-5) – 19
Also receiving votes: Beachside (St. Johns) (5A) (14-10) – 17; Eustis (4A) (18-5) – 14; Orange Park (5A) (16-12) – 14; Fort White (Rural) (16-8) – 10; Menendez (St. Augustine) (4A) (15-10) – 9; Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (2A) (19-9) – 9; Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (12-11) – 8; Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (13-13) – 7; Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (17-9) – 5; Mount Dora Christian (1A) (18-10) – 4; Ponte Vedra (5A) (13-13) – 3; Nease (Ponte Vedra) (6A) (13-13) – 2; Trenton (Rural) (16-11) – 2; Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (3A) (16-11) – 1.
