Gainesville – The top-ranked team in the Prep Zone Power Poll suffered its first loss to a team not ranked in a national poll.
However, Providence’s (Jacksonville) narrow loss to non-FHSAA member Potter’s House Christian Academy (Jacksonville), 63-61, was not enough to knock the Stallions (21-4) from the top spot. In fact, Providence, which is ranked No. 12 in the country by Max Preps, was a unanimous selection as the top overall team collecting all seven first-place votes.
Class 8A Sandalwood (Jacksonville) remained second. The Saints (22-2) edged Bolles (Jacksonville), one of only three unbeaten teams in the state, for the No. 2 spot. The Bulldogs (24-0) moved up one spot to third in this week’s poll following a 3-0 week which included an overtime win against rival and previous No. 14 Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville).
Lake Minneola (22-3), which also lost to Potter’s House, 62-54, on Saturday, dropped two spots to fourth. Ribault (Jacksonville) (23-3) rounds out the top five.
Eastside (Gainesville) and Ponte Vedra are newcomers to this week’s poll as the Rams (16-6) and Sharks (19-6) are ranked 18th and 20th respectively.
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 #7
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, current record and total voting points)
1. Providence (Jacksonville) (7) (3A) (21-4) – 140
2. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (22-2) – 129
3. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (24-0) – 127
4. Lake Minneola (6A) (22-3) – 120
5. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (23-3) – 113
6. The Villages (4A) (23-2) – 105
7. Ed White (Jacksonville) (6A) (20-4) – 99
8. Citrus (Inverness) (5A) (23-2) – 80
9. Fort White (4A) (19-2) – 79
10. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (21-3) – 78
11. Palatka (5A) (18-6) – 56
12. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (20-5) – 55
13. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (17-6) – 54
14. Chiefland (1A) (22-1) – 53
15. Gainesville (6A) (18-7) – 51
16. Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (17-8) – 36
17. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (17-6) – 24
18. Eastside (Gainesville) (5A) (16-6) – 19
19. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (17-8)– 11
20. Ponte Vedra (5A) (19-6) – 10
Also receiving votes: Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (17-8) – 7; Hawthorne (1A) (19-5) – 7; Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (19-7) – 6; Deltona (6A) (18-7) – 5; Hamilton County (Jasper) (1A) (14-7) – 5; Nature Coast (Brooksville) (5A) (18-7) – 1.
