Friday, March 15 – High School Baseball, Gainesville at Columbia (Lake City) – Radio: 92.1 FM & 1230 AM Gainesville & 900 AM Ocala
Join Mike Ridaught (Play-by-play) & Hunter Williams (Color) for this Class 7A-District 3 showdown between Class 7A state playoffs teams. Both teams split during the regular season last year, with Columbia winning the rubber match and defeating Gainesville in the District 3 championship game.
Games through March 11
Area teams in bold
CLASS 9A
1. Apopka 8-0
2. Jacksonville Mandarin 7-0
3. Pembroke Pines West Broward 7-1
4. Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley 7-1
5. Davie Western 6-2-1
6. Lithia Newsome 6-1
7. Tampa Alonso 5-2
8. Palm Beach Gardens 5-2
9. Miami Coral Reef 7-1
10. Orlando Dr. Phillips 9-0
Honorable mention: Lake Worth Park Vista 7-1, Orlando Timber Creek 5-2, Parkland Stoneman Douglas 5-2, Sarasota Riverview 6-3, Jupiter 5-3.
CLASS 8A
1. Bradenton Lakewood Ranch 5-0
2. Winter Springs 8-0
3. Orange Park Oakleaf 5-1
4. Cooper City 3-1-1
5. Bartow 7-1
6. Wellington 5-0
7. St. Cloud 7-0-1
8. Lakeland George Jenkins 6-1
9. Plant City 7-2
10. Oviedo Hagerty 9-3
Honorable mention: Tarpon Springs East Lake 8-1, Clermont East Ridge 4-1, Valrico Bloomingdale 5-0, Tampa Bay Freedom 6-0, Tampa Sickles 5-1.
CLASS 7A
1. Pembroke Pines Charter 7-0-1
2. Estero 6-0
3. St. Johns Bartram Trail 7-0
4. Doral Academy 5-1
5. Gainesville 5-1
6. Viera 6-2
7. Stuart Martin County 7-0
8. Melbourne 10-3
9. Palm Coast Matanzas 7-0
10. Punta Gorda Charlotte 6-0
Honorable mention: Boca Raton Olympic Heights 6-1, Cantonment Tate 6-2, Deltona 5-2, Land O’Lakes Sunlake 4-2, Niceville 5-3, West Boca Raton 5-1.
CLASS 6A
1. Plantation American Heritage 6-2
2. Rockledge 6-1
3. Land O’Lakes 6-1
4. Pensacola West Florida 8-1
5. Dunnellon 8-1
6. Crystal River 4-0
7. Crawfordville Wakulla 6-0
8. Choctawhatchee 7-0
9. Green Cove Springs Clay 3-1
10. New Port Richey River Ridge 6-1
Honorable mention: Orange Park Ridgeview 5-1, Sebring 6-0, Fort Lauderdale Archbishop McCarthy 5-2, Spring Hill Springstead 4-2, Tarpon Springs 4-1, Tampa Robinson 4-2, Lake Wales 4-3, Miami Goleman 8-0.
CLASS 5A
1. Coral Springs Charter 5-1
2. Eustis 7-0
3. Callahan West Nassau 5-1
4. Mariana 8-0
5. Key West 5-1
6. Keystone Heights 7-0
7. Miami Gulliver Prep 3-1
8. Brooksville Hernando 5-0
9. Cocoa Beach 7-1
10. Glen St. Mary Baker County 6-2
Honorable mention: Pierson Taylor 5-2, Alachua Santa Fe 5-2, Orlando Bishop Moore 6-3, DeFuniak Springs Walton 6-4, Lakeland McKeel Academy 4-4.
CLASS 4A
1. Miami Westminster Academy 6-1
2. Jacksonville Trinity Christian Academy 7-1
3. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna 2-0
4. Tampa Academy of Holy Names 4-1
5. Jacksonville Episcopal 4-1
6. Tampa Catholic 5-1
7. Clearwater Calvary Christian 7-0
8. West Palm Beach Oxbridge Academy 9-2
9. Tavernier Coral Springs 8-1
10. Miami Florida Christian 6-1
Honorable mention: Baldwin 5-2, Panama City North Bay Haven 6-2, 5. Tallahassee Florida High 6-3, Montverde Academy 4-3, Jacksonville Providence 4-4.
CLASS 3A
1. Orange Park St. Johns Country Day 5-0
2. Fort Myers Southwest Florida Christian 6-0
3. Belle Isle Cornerstone Charter Academy 4-2
4. Jacksonville University Christian 3-2
5. Bradenton Saint Stephen’s Episcopal 6-1
6. Lakeland Christian 4-1
7. Tallahassee North Florida Christian 3-1
8. Marathon 5-3
9. Moore Haven 2-1
10. St. Petersburg Catholic 3-0
Honorable mention: Windermere Prep 5-2, Orlando Faith Christian 3-2, Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin 4-2, Oviedo Master’s Academy 2-3, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut 2-3.
CLASS 2A
1. Land O’Lakes Academy at the Lakes 4-0
2. Mount Dora Christian 10-1
3. St. Petersburg Canterbury 3-1
4. Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian 5-0
5. Naples Seacrest Country Day 6-0
6. Homestead Colonial Christian 5-2
7. Deltona Trinity Christian 4-1
8. Belle Glade Glades Day 2-1
9. Vero Beach Master’s Academy 3-2
10. Sarasota Christian 1-1
Honorable mention: Jacksonville Eagle’s View 3-4, Palatka Peniel Baptist Academy 5-3; Jacksonville Christ’s Church Academy 4-3, Boynton Beach Lake Worth Christian 1-1, Monticello Aucilla Christian 0-3.
CLASS 1A
1. Trenton 8-0
2. Wewahitchka 5-1
3. Bell 9-1
4. Bratt Northview 7-0
5. Eastpoint Franklin County 6-1
6. Madison County 5-1
7. Jay 5-1
8. Sneads 7-2
9. Liberty County 5-2
10. Chiefland 5-2
Honorable mention: Freeport 5-2, Holmes County 8-3, Williston 5-5, Frostproof 3-3, Milton Central 5-2.
Wednesday, March 13 – “The Prep Zone” radio show broadcast from Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville. Radio: 92.1 FM & 1230 AM Gainesville & 900 AM Ocala
Join Mike Ridaught as he talks high school sports from Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville. Guests for this episode include The Rock School (Gainesville) boys basketball coach & Athletics Director Justin Harden and members of the Lions’ basketball team, which won its second consecutive SIAA state tournament.
Monday, March 11 – “The Prep Zone” radio show broadcast from Sonic Drive-In of Dunnellon. Radio: 900 AM Ocala and 92.1 FM & 1230 AM Gainesville
Join Mike Ridaught as he talks high school sports from Sonic Drive-In of Dunnellon Guests for this episode include Dunnellon baseball coach Mike Payne and members of the Tigers’ baseball team.
For a downloadable copy of this episode, please email mike@theprepzone.com.
Marty Pallman joined Zach Alboverdi on The Tailgate (WRUF-98.1 FM & 850 AM) on Friday, March 8, from the RP Funding Center in Lakeland (FHSAA Boys Basketball Finals) for ThePrepZone.com Sports Report presented by SunState Federal Credit Union. Here is a recap of the interview:
Nease (Ponte Vedra) goes wire-to-wire as top team in regional all-classification rankings after state runner-up finish
GAINESVILLE — For the Nease (Ponte Vedra) Panthers, they were partying in the 2018-19 season like it was 1999.
That was the year Nease won its only girls basketball state title, but this Panthers bunch just missed another state title. The Panthers (30-2) advanced to the 7A state semifinals for the first time since winning that 5A state championship 20 years ago, and knocked off three-time defending 7A champion Fort Myers, 52-40, to advance to a state championship matchup with powerhouse Dillard (Fort Lauderdale).
Nease came up short, 43-40, in the state title game as Dillard won its 10th state title for legendary coach Marcia Pinder. While the runner-up finish was disappointing for Nease, they still end up as the wire-to-wire #1 team in The Prep Zone Power Poll for girls basketball.
The Panthers once again received all seven first-place votes and their only losses were by three points to Dillard in the state title game and by two points to 8A state runner-up St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) early in the season.
Finishing second is another team who finished as a state runner-up, Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville).
The Crusaders (29-3) advanced to their first state semifinal since winning the last of three consecutive state titles in 1992. Bishop Kenny slipped past Southeast (Bradenton), 49-48, in the 6A semifinal but fell behind early and never led in dropping the state championship game 58-40 to American Heritage (Plantation), who repeated as state champs.
Class 7A state semifinalist Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) finishes 3rd.
The Green Wave (27-3), state semifinalists last season, were dropped in Lakeland, 53-38, by Dillard.
P.K. Yonge (Gainesville), which advanced to their second straight 4A state semifinal appearance, ends up 4th. The Blue Wave (27-2) didn’t lose to any Florida teams until making it to Lakeland, where they were beaten 81-50 by Miami Country Day in a 4A semifinal. Miami Country Day, which won its sixth straight state title, ended up as the #1 team in the nation according to Max Preps & USA Today.
Two teams end up tied for 5th, and both teams advanced to Lakeland as well.
Trenton won its first girls basketball state title since 1980 with a 43-31 over Holmes County (Bonifay) in the Class 1A state championship game. After a runner-up finish to Madison County in 2016, the Tigers (27-3) finished the job this time and ended up tied with Raines (Jacksonville). The Vikings (27-5) advanced to their first state semifinal in program history but were knocked out in the 5A semifinals, 66-41, by eventual state champion Oxbridge Academy (West Palm Beach).
Sandalwood (Jacksonville) finished 7th after losing, 51-47, at eventual 9A state champion Wekiva (Apopka) in the Region 1-9A final.
Bartram Trail (St. Johns) ends up 8th after advancing to the 8A state semifinals. The Bears (24-7) advanced to Lakeland for the first time in six years, but were knocked out 44-32 by eventual 8A state champion Tampa Bay Tech.
Middleburg finishes 9th. The Broncos (21-7) lost three times to Nease, including 67-42 in the Region 1-7A semifinal.
Rounding out the top 10 is defending 9A state champion Spruce Creek (Port Orange). The Hawks (22-6) were eliminated 54-51 in overtime of a region semifinal against #7 Sandalwood (Jacksonville).
Among the second 10 are two more state semifinal teams.
Class 1A Hawthorne (22-5), which advanced to only its second state semifinal appearance in girls basketball program history, ends up 11th.
And Weeki Wachee ties for 12th with Ribault (Jacksonville). Weeki Wachee (26-5) made its first state semifinal appearance in 6A, losing to eventual state champion American Heritage.
Class 9A Flagler Palm Coast (20-4), which did not advance to the regional playoffs, moves into the final poll at #19, while Fernandina Beach, which also didn’t advance past its district tournament, drops out of the final rankings.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, basketball, baseball & softball 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 weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2018-19 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #8 (FINAL POLL)
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, final record, and total voting points)
1. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (7A) (7) (30-2) – 140
2. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (6A) (29-3) – 126
3. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (7A) (27-3) – 123
4. P.K Yonge (Gainesville) (4A) (27-2) – 120
5T. Raines (Jacksonville) (5A) (27-5) – 102
5T. Trenton (1A) (27-3) – 102
7. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (20-7) – 99
8. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (8A) (24-7) – 97
9. Middleburg (7A) (21-7) – 82
10. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (22-6) – 75
11. Hawthorne (1A) (22-5) – 69
12T. Ribault (Jacksonville) (6A) (17-9) – 57
12T. Weeki Wachee (6A) (26-5) – 57
14. University Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (17-5) – 56
15. Orange Park (6A) (22-6) – 32
16. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (17-10) – 27
17T. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (22-4) – 20
17T. Menendez (St. Augustine) (6A) (17-11) – 20
19. Flagler Palm Coast (9A) (20-4) – 17
20. Vanguard (Ocala) (7A) (18-9) – 13
Also receiving votes: Fernandina Beach (5A) (22-5) – 9; Aucilla Christian (Monticello) (2A) (11-12) – 8; Creekside (St. Johns) (8A) (20-9) – 7; Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (6A) (14-7) – 5; Fleming Island (Orange Park) (8A) (14-9) – 4; Crystal River (6A) (20-6) – 4; Branford (1A) (22-6) – 3; Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (19-8) – 3.
Wednesday, March 6 – “The Prep Zone” radio show broadcast from Sonic Drive-In of Ocala (Easy Street location) on 900 AM in Ocala & 92.1 FM in Gainesville.
Join Mike Ridaught as he talks high school sports from Sonic Drive-In of Ocala (Easy Street location). Guests for this episode include new West Port (Ocala) baseball coach Eric Martinez and members of the Wolf Pack baseball team.
For a downloadable copy of this episode, please email mike@theprepzone.com.
The Sonic Drive-In Player-of-the-Game for Tuesday, March 5, is Alissa Humphrey of the Gainesville softball team.
Humphrey, a junior pitcher, hurled a complete game two-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts and had two hits at the plate, including an RBI, as Gainesville blanked District 3-7A rival Columbia (Lake City), 1-0 , on Tuesday night in the district opener for both teams.
“Yeah, that was a close one,” said Gainesville coach Chris Chronister. “Typical Gainesville-Columbia softball game almost always comes down to a 1-run game.”
Humphrey struck out the side in the first and fourth innings and had at least one strikeout in every inning. The Jacksonville University commit also was the only player with multiple hits in the game, and drove in the only run for either team with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 4th.
“I thought I was really spinning the ball well and my change-up was really on tonight,” said Humphrey. “It feels good to come out on top.”
Gainesville improved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in district play despite leaving 11 runners on base. The Hurricanes left the bases loaded in the first and third innings and failed to score in the sixth inning after having runners on second and third with no outs.
The Hurricanes scored their only run with a two-out rally in the fourth inning.
“We had a lot of baserunners and didn’t take advantage of the situations,” said Chronister. “Credit them for the good defense.”
Despite the hitting woes for Gainesville, one run was enough with Humphrey in the circle. She allowed singles to Reece Chastain in the third inning and Dara Gaylard in the sixth while walking three and hitting a batter.
Columbia left seven runners on base as well.
Freshman Paris Wiggs also had a hit and a walk and scored the only run for the Hurricanes, who are now off for a week before returning to action in another district game at Vanguard (Ocala).
Columbia had a three-game winning streak snapped and falls to 3-3 overall and 0-1 in District 3-7A. The Tigers return to action at home Thursday night against Dixie County (Cross City) and host Class 1A No. 1 Trenton on Friday.
Every game The Prep Zone will recognize a Player-of-the-Game. The recipient receives a $10 gift certificate courtesy of Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville & Ocala.
Tuesday, March 5 – High School Softball, Columbia (Lake City) at Gainesville (Radio: 92.1 FM Gainesville & 900 AM Ocala)
Join Marty Pallman (Play-by-play) & Caitlin Todd (Color) for this Class 7A-District 3 showdown. Gainesville is ranked 5th in the state in Class 7A in the Miracle Sports state softball rankings, while Columbia is receiving votes. GHS is the defending district champion, but Columbia, which was runner-up, won the district in 2017, and GHS finished second.
Games through March 4
Area teams in bold
CLASS 9A
1. Davie Western 5-1
2. Palm Beach Gardens 4-1
3. Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley 5-0
4. Jacksonville Mandarin 5-0
5. Tampa Alonso 3-1
6. Apopka 5-0
7. Miami Coral Reef 4-1
8. Lithia Newsome 4-1
9. Orlando Timber Creek 2-1
10. Lake Worth Park Vista 6-0
Honorable mention: Orlando Dr. Phillips 5-0, Pembroke Pines West Broward 5-1, Jupiter 4-2, Sarasota Riverview 4-2, Palm Harbor University 5-2.
CLASS 8A
1. Orange Park Oakleaf 4-0
2. Bradenton Lakewood Ranch 3-0
3. Winter Springs 6-0
4. Cooper City 2-0
5. Lakeland George Jenkins 4-0
6. Plant City 7-0
7. Bartow 5-1
8. Wellington 4-0
9. Oviedo Hagerty 7-2
10. St. Cloud 6-0
Honorable mention: Clermont East Ridge 2-1, Tarpon Springs East Lake 3-1, Tampa Freedom 4-0, Tampa Sickles 4-0, Bloomingdale 3-0.
CLASS 7A
1. Pembroke Pines Charter 5-0
2. Estero 4-0
3. St. Johns Bartram Trail 5-0
4. Doral Academy 3-1
5. Gainesville 3-1
6. Viera 5-2
7. Stuart Martin County 5-0
8. Melbourne 8-2
9. Cantonment Tate 5-1
10. Punta Gorda Charlotte 5-0
Honorable mention: Land O’Lakes Sunlake 4-2, Deltona 4-2, Winter Haven 4-1, Lake City Columbia 3-2, Palm Coast Matanzas 4-0.
CLASS 6A
1. Plantation American Heritage 3-1
2. Pensacola West Florida 7-0
3. Rockledge 4-0
4. Land O’Lakes 3-1
5. Green Cove Springs Clay 3-0
6. Dunnellon 5-1
7. Spring Hill Springstead 3-0
8. Crystal River 3-0
9. Lake Wales 2-2
10. Sebring 6-0
Honorable mention: Fort Lauderdale Archbishop McCarthy 5-0, Orange Park Ridgeview 4-0, New Port Richey River Ridge 3-0, Tarpon Springs 4-0, Tampa Robinson 2-2.
CLASS 5A
1. Coral Springs Charter 2-1
2. Eustis 5-0
3. Callahan West Nassau 2-0
4. Miami Gulliver Prep 0-0
5. Mariana 6-0
6. Brooksville Hernando 3-0
7. Cocoa Beach 7-0
8. Key West 3-0
9. Keystone Heights 5-0
10. Glen St. Mary Baker County 4-2
Honorable mention: Pierson Taylor 4-2, Brooksville Nature Coast 3-2, Alachua Santa Fe 2-1, Orlando Bishop Moore 5-2, DeFuniak Springs Walton 4-3, Lakeland McKeel Academy 2-3.
CLASS 4A
1. Miami Westminster Academy 3-0
2. Tampa Catholic 4-0
3. Jacksonville Trinity Christian Academy 4-0
4. West Palm Beach Oxbridge Academy 5-2
5. Tallahassee Florida High 5-1
6. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna 1-0
7. Tampa Academy of Holy Names 2-1
8. Montverde Academy 2-2
9. Jacksonville Episcopal 1-1
10. Panama City North Bay Haven 3-2
Honorable mention: Clearwater Calvary Christian 3-0, Orlando First Academy 4-4, Jacksonville Providence 3-3, West Palm Beach King’s Academy 2-2, Perry Taylor County 2-3.
CLASS 3A
1. Belle Isle Cornerstone Charter Academy 3-1
2. Jacksonville University Christian 3-0
3. Orange Park St. Johns Country Day 3-0
4. Fort Myers Southwest Florida Christian 5-0
5. Tampa Carrollwood Day 0-0
6. Marathon 3-1
7. Bradenton Saint Stephen’s Episcopal 4-0
8. Lakeland Christian 2-1
9. Moore Haven 1-0
10. Tallahassee North Florida Christian 1-1
Honorable mention: Orlando Faith Christian 3-2, St. Petersburg Catholic 2-0, Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin 2-2, Oviedo Master’s Academy 1-1; St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut 1-2.
CLASS 2A
1. Land O’Lakes Academy at the Lakes 2-0
2. Mount Dora Christian 7-1
3. St. Petersburg Canterbury 3-1
4. Homestead Colonial Christian 5-0
5. Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian 2-0
6. Naples Seacrest Country Day 2-0
7. Monticello Aucilla Christian 0-1
8. Vero Beach Master’s Academy 2-2
9. Sarasota Christian 1-0
10. Boynton Beach Lake Worth Christian 0-0
Honorable mention: Deltona Trinity Christian 4-1, Belle Glade Glades Day 1-1, Jacksonville Eagle’s View 3-2, Palatka Peniel Baptist Academy 4-1; Jacksonville Christ’s Church Academy 2-3.
CLASS 1A
1. Trenton 5-0
2. Madison County 4-0
3. Wewahitchka 2-1
4. Eastpoint Franklin County 3-0
5. Bratt Northview 4-0
6. Jay 1-1
7. Bell 6-1
8. Sneads 4-2
9. Liberty County 4-1
10. Chiefland 3-1
Honorable mention: Graceville 3-1; Freeport 4-1; Fort Meade 3-3; Vernon 2-2; Mayo Lafayette 2-2.