Gainesville – The Creekside (St. Johns) Knights are the number one team in the first Prep Zone Softball Power Poll of the season.
Creekside (11-1) only received one first place vote but was able to edge out undefeated Bradford (Starke) in the first poll of the 2013 softball season.
The Knights are ranked 2nd in the most recent Miracle Sports Softball poll for Class 5A, with their only loss coming to Ponte Vedra, a 5A state semifinalist in 2012.
Bradford (13-0) has two wins over 2012 4A state semifinalist Keystone Heights and another win over defending 1A champion Lafayette (Mayo). The Tornadoes received two first place votes but were edged out for first place on total votes by Creekside. Bradford is first in the most recent Miracle Sports Class 4A poll.
The North Marion (Citra) Colts are 12-1 and in third place. North Marion’s only loss is 1-0 to defending 5A state finalist Belleview and the Colts also have a win over Belleview. North Marion also received two first place votes. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) received the other first place vote and is fourth. The Bears are off to a 13-1 start. The only other undefeated team in the poll is #5 St. Augustine (13-0).
The rest of the top ten is defending 3A runner-up Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville), Belleview, PK Yonge (Gainesville), Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) and defending 1A state champion Lafayette (Mayo). Bishop Snyder is 11-1 with the only loss coming to 7A state power Bartow. PK Yonge is off to a 14-2 start with two wins over Union County, a 1A state semifinalist a year ago. The Blue Wave have lost to Belleview and Atlantic Coast.
Among the second ten are three teams who made it to the state semifinals in 2012 with Union County at #16, Keystone Heights 19th and Ponte Vedra at #20.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, basketball, baseball and softtball 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 – SOFTBALL POLL #1
(School, followed by classification, record through March 14, first-place votes and total voting points)
1. Creekside (St. Johns) (5A) (11-1) (1) – 109
2. Bradford (Starke) (4A) (13-0) (2) – 106
3. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (12-1) (2) – 100
4. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (5A) (13-1) (1) – 99
5. St. Augustine (6A) (13-0) – 97
6. Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (3A) (11-1) – 96
7. Belleview (5A) (10-3) – 74
8. PK Yonge (Gainesville) (3A) (14-2) – 69
9. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (6A) (12-2) – 62
10. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (10-3) – 61
11. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (11-2) – 58
12. East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (10-3) – 52
13. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (12-2) – 42
14. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (13-1) – 39
15. Forest (Ocala) (7A) (9-3) – 35
16. Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (8-4) – 26
17. Baldwin (1A) (9-3) – 24
18. The Villages (1A) (12-2) – 22
19. Keystone Heights (4A) (3-3) – 18
20. Ponte Vedra (5A) (3-3) – 15
Also receiving votes: First Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (9-4) – 12; Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (7-3) – 9; Hernando (Brooksville) (5A) (8-2) – 7; Trenton (1A) (9-3) – 5; Aucilla Christian (Monticello) (2A) (3-2) – 4; Eustis (5A) (8-3) – 4; Mount Dora (4A) (9-3) – 3; Hernando Christian (2A) (7-1) – 3; Santa Fe (Alachua) (4A) (9-6) – 2; West Nassau (Callahan) (4A) (4-4) – 2; Buchholz (Gainesville) (7A) (12-8) – 1; Gainesville (6A) (10-4) – 1; Mount Dora Bible (3A) (6-4) – 2; Deltona (6A) (9-1) – 1.
