Gainesville – Heading in to the first round of the state playoffs, there was no doubt who the top team in the softball Prep Zone Power Poll was.
The Florida High School Athletic Association softball regional tournaments are underway, and one of the top teams in the state, regardless of classification, hails from the north part of the state in St. Johns County.
Creekside (St. Johns) won the Class 5A-District 5 championship and received all seven first-place votes. At 23-2, the Knights are having one of the best seasons in county history.
The Knights will continue their quest for a state title as they open up at home against Palatka in the 5A regional quarterfinals. They could meet the No. 4 (county rival Bartram Trail) or No. 6 (North Marion) team in round number two.
Bradford (Starke) is ranked second in the poll. The Tornadoes (25-2) won the 4A-District 5 tournament and will open up at home against South Sumter (Bushnell).
Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (23-4) and PK Yonge (Gainesville) (24-2), ranked third and fifth respectively, round out the top five. Both teams could meet in the 3A regional finals on Friday, May 3.
Following the Colts (20-5) in the second five are Columbia (Lake City) (22-4) at No. 7, followed by Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (20-2), Ponte Vedra (20-5) and Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (18-5) in the top 10.
Baldwin made one of the biggest jumps in the poll. The Indians (21-5) moved up five spots to 11th following the Class 1A-District 7 tournament in which they outscored their two opponents, 26-1.
The largest jump in the poll was made by Montverde Academy (19-6), which has been ranked all season in the Class 3A state poll. The Eagles, who moved up seven spots to No. 13, won the Class 3A-District 5 title and will open up the playoffs at home against Holy Trinity (Melbourne).
Mount Dora jumped into the poll at No. 14 following the Class 4A-District 6 title, while Hernando (Brooksville) (18-7) and First Coast (Jacksonville) (14-8) moved into the top 20 at 18th and 19th, respectively
This year the FHSAA Softball Finals move to Vero Beach the second week of May (8-11). This will be the final poll until the season is complete.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, basketball, softball and 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, 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 SOFTBALL POLL #7
(School, followed by classification, record through April 23, first-place votes and total voting points)
1. Creekside (St. Johns) (5A) (23-2) (7) – 140
2. Bradford (Starke) (4A) (25-2) – 133
3. Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (3A) (23-4) – 125
4. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (5A) (21-5) – 116
5. PK Yonge (Gainesville) (3A) (24-2) – 114
6. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (20-5) – 105
7. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (22-4) – 99
8. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (20-2) – 90
9. Ponte Vedra (5A) (20-5) – 86
10. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (6A) (18-5) – 68
11. Baldwin (1A) (21-5) – 63
12. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (18-5) – 61
13. Montverde Academy (3A) (19-6) – 41
14T East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (18-7) – 35
14T Mount Dora (4A) (18-4) – 35
16. Belleview (5A) (18-8) – 29
17. The Villages (1A) (21-5) – 28
18. Hernando (Brooksville) (5A) (18-7) – 26
19. First Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (14-8) – 21
20. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (19-7) – 13
Also receiving votes: Forest (Ocala) (7A) (18-6) – 11; Gainesville (6A) (17-8) – 11; Episcopal (Jacksonville) (4A) (14-8) – 8; Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (14-9) – 4; Oakleaf (Orange Park) (17-10) – 4; Aucilla Christian (2A) (11-5) – 2; St. Augustine (6A) (17-7) – 1; Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (15-7) – 1.
