Gainesville – For the first time this season, there’s a new team on top of the baseball Prep Zone Power Poll.
Clay (Green Cove Springs) climbed two spots to No. 1 following an 18-4 win over #5 Baker County (Glen St. Mary). The Blue Devils (13-3), who have wins over three top 10 teams this season, moved up following losses by the top two teams, Spruce Creek (Port Orange) and Bolles (Jacksonville).
The Hawks (13-6) began the season ranked No. 1 in the country (Max Preps) & No. 7 in the Baseball America poll and were on top of the poll for the past three weeks. But Spruce Creek lost all three of its games last week and dropped four spots to fifth.
The Bulldogs (15-4) lost twice last week. Bolles topped previous #19 Fort White, but lost to Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) and Ravenwood (TN) at the P-Town Classic and dropped two spots from second to fourth.
Meanwhile, Forest (Ocala) was able to move up three spots to second. The Wildcats (14-2) carried a five-game winning streak into the week.
Their Class 7A-District 1 rival, Buchholz (Gainesville), also moved up three spots. The third-ranked Bobcats (13-4), who lost to Forest, 6-2, on Tuesday night, will host the ‘Cats on Friday.
Despite the loss to the top-ranked team, Baker County (Glen St. Mary) moved up two spots and is tied for fifth with Spruce Creek and Bishop Kenny. The Wildcats (16-2) also went 3-0 at the Fernandina Beach Diamond Classic.
Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (14-3), Creekside (St. Johns) (13-3) and the only unbeaten team remaining, Trenton (15-0), complete the top 10.
Fleming Island (Orange Park) (11-6) and Eagle’s View Academy (Jacksonville) (13-7) enter the poll for the first time this season.
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, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters.
PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2013 BASEBALL POLL #4
(School, followed by classification, record through March 31, first-place votes and total voting points)
1. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (13-3) (6) – 138
2. Forest (Ocala) (7A) (14-2) (1) – 127
3. Buchholz (Gainesville) (7A) (13-4) – 121
4. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (15-4) – 114
5T Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (13-6) – 102
5T Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (13-4) – 102
5T Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (16-2) – 102
8. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (14-3) – 92
9. Creekside (St. Johns) (5A) (13-3) – 90
10. Trenton (1A) (15-0) – 84
11. Williston (4A) (12-3) – 67
12. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (5A) (14-4) – 64
13. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (11-7) – 50
14. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (4A) (12-4) – 46
15. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (12-5) – 36
16. New Smyrna Beach (7A) (10-4) – 34
17. Eustis (5A) (11-6) – 19
18. Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (5A) (13-5) – 16
19. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (11-6) – 11
20. Eagle’s View (Jacksonville) (3A) (13-7) – 10
Also receiving votes: Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (10-2) – 8; Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (13-6) – 7; South Sumter (Bushnell) (4A) (11-4) – 6; Santa Fe (Alachua) (4A) (10-7) – 5; Hernando (Brooksville) (5A) (11-4) – 5; Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (9-7) – 5; First Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (11-7) – 4; Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (4A) (10-5) – 4; Taylor (Pierson) (1A) (12-4) – 1.
