Gainesville – After a tough non-district schedule, there is only one team that stands out as the top overall team in the Prep Zone Power Poll.
Providence (Jacksonville) recently won the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., against some of the top teams from South Carolina, Ohio and New York, and they received all seven first-place votes in the first poll of the new year. In fact, all three of the Stallions’ (11-3) losses this season have been to nationally-ranked teams, proving that they are not only one of the top teams in the area, but in the state too, regardless of classification.
But The Villages (16-0) are right behind them with their unblemished record in 4A. They went 5-0 during the break, winning their own holiday tournament, and beat 6A Columbia (Lake City) on the road, 68-66.
Ribault (Jacksonville), which was tied for second with the Buffaloes, dropped to third following its first loss of the season. The Trojans (15-1) fell to Raines (Jacksonville), which is ranked 12th in this week’s poll, 73-72, but they had wins against Cocoa, 8A First Coast and previous No. 5 Sandalwood and No. 19 North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) over the holiday break.
Lake Minneola suffered its first defeat at No. 13 Vanguard (Ocala) on December 19, but the 6A Hawks (15-1), who are ranked fourth, have won four in a row.
Another 6A team, Ed White (Jacksonville), rounds out the top five. The Commanders (13-2) moved up three spots from eighth following wins against 8A schools Coral Reef (Miami) and South Plantation.
Bolles (Jacksonville) continues to be a surprise with its perfect start. The Bulldogs (15-0) survived their first scare, a 40-38 win over Oakleaf (Orange Park) last Thursday, and moved up one spot to No. 6 in this week’s poll. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9-3), Gainesville (11-4), Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (12-3) and Palatka (11-3) round out the top 10.
Deltona (12-5), which went 2-2 at the Kingdom of the Sun with wins against Sandalwood and Vanguard, enters the poll for the first time this season at No. 20.
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 – 2013-14 BASKETBALL POLL #3
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, current record and total voting points)
1. Providence (Jacksonville) (7) (3A) (11-3) – 140
2. The Villages (4A) (16-0) – 131
3. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (15-1) – 123
4. Lake Minneola (6A) (15-1) – 121
5. Ed White (Jacksonville) (6A) (13-2) – 107
6. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (15-0) – 106
7. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (9-3) – 88
8. Gainesville (6A) (11-4) – 86
9. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (12-3) – 67
10. Palatka (5A) (11-3) – 65
11. Nature Coast (Brooksville) (5A) (10-3) – 64
12. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (12-2) – 59
T13 Chiefland (1A) (12-0) – 55
T13 Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (10-4) – 55
15. Hawthorne (1A) (13-3) – 52
16. Atlantic (Port Orange) (4A) (10-2) – 45
17. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (10-2) – 27
18. Fort White (4A) (9-2) – 16
19. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (10-5) – 15
20. Deltona (6A) (12-5) – 10
Also receiving votes: Forrest (Jacksonville) (6A) (11-4) – 8; First Academy (Leesburg) (2A) (9-0) – 7; Episcopal (Jacksonville) (4A) (10-3) – 7; Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (11-4) – 4; Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (3A) (9-6) – 3; Eastside (Gainesville) (5A) (7-4) – 3; PK Yonge (Gainesville) (4A) (10-5) – 2; DeLand (8A) (10-5) – 2; Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (7-7) – 1; Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (10-4) – 1.
