GAINESVILLE – Providence (Jacksonville) begins the New Year the way it ended the previous season and the previous month, on top of the boys’ basketball Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Stallions, who finished first in the final poll last year and was preseason No. 1 in last month’s poll, have run the table to open the 2012-13’ season. Providence (16-0), ranked No. 1 in Class 3A according to the Source Hoops’ state rankings, also garnered all seven first-place votes.
Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) remained second in the poll. The Class 3A Green Wave (13-2) won four of five over the holiday break, and then went 2-0 last week to win the Lopez Shootout, including a 61-42 victory over 8A Miami High.
Leesburg remained third following a 2-0 week. The Yellow Jackets (14-3), a final four participant last season, are ranked fifth in the 6A state poll.
Despite losing its first game of the season last week, Wolfson (Jacksonville) remained fourth. The Wolfpack (14-1) lost to current No. 9 Parker (Jacksonville), 51-49, on Friday night
Hawthorne, last year’s 1A state runner-up, rounds out the top five.
The Hornets (15-1) finished second in the Hitchcock’s Challenge, falling to 8A East Ridge (Clermont) in the championship game over the holiday break. They also surprised 8A Miami Southridge on Saturday, 57-53, at the Dante Anderson Memorial Invitational at Eastside (Gainesville).
The Bartram Trail (St. Johns) Bears moved up two spots to sixth following a 2-0 week. They have won four in a row since their only loss to Lake Howell (Winter Park).
North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (14-3) drops two spots to seventh, while Forest (Ocala) (12-3), Parker (Jacksonville) (9-2), which moved up nine spots, and Nature Coast (Brooksville) (11-2) round out the top 10.
First Coast (Jacksonville) entered the poll for the first time at No. 15. The Class 7A Bucs (11-3) went 3-0 last week, including a 71-70 win against No. 13 Ed White (Jacksonville).
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, basketball and baseball teams (regardless of classification) across 26 counties in North Florida (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters.
PREP ZONE POWER POLL – BOYS BASKETBALL #2 (Record through 1/6)
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, overall record and total voting points)
1. Providence (Jacksonville) (7) (3A) (16-0) – 140
2. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (3A) (13-2) – 132
3. Leesburg (6A) (14-3) – 122
4. Wolfson (Jacksonville) (6A) (14-1) – 113
5. Hawthorne (1A) (15-1) – 112
6. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (5A) (14-1) – 106
7. North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (2A) (14-3) – 102
8. Forest (Ocala) (7A) (12-3) – 81
9. Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (5A) (9-2) – 71
10. Nature Coast (Brooksville) (5A) (11-2) – 68
11. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (6A) (10-4) – 63
12. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (10-4) – 56
13. Ed White (Jacksonville) (7A) (13-3) – 50
14. New Smyrna Beach (7A) (14-3) – 43
15. First Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (11-3) – 40
16. Gainesville (6A) (10-6) – 38
17. Fort White (4A) (8-0) – 37
18. Palatka (5A) (14-3) – 21
19. Mount Dora Bible (3A) (9-4) – 19
20. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (10-5) – 10
Also receiving votes – Bradford (Starke) (4A) (11-6) – 9; Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (12-3) – 9; Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (8-4) – 8; Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (10-5) – 8; East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (8-5) – 6; St. Francis Catholic (Gainesville) (3A) (12-3) – 3; DeLand (8A) (11-4) – 2; Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (10-5) – 1.
