Gainesville – Despite losing two games last week, the Creekside (St. Johns) Knights still hold on to first place by the slimmest of margins in the latest baseball Prep Zone Power Poll.
This week’s poll was taken before the start of the district baseball tournaments and do not take those results into account.
Five teams received first-place votes, with Creekside and Baker County (Glen St. Mary) tying for the most with two. Creekside out-polled Baker County by one point overall to stay in the top spot. The Knights (21-4) dropped games to then-#8 Ponte Vedra 4-1 last week and also lost 2-0 to Episcopal (Jacksonville) while beating Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) 3-1. Baker County (19-6) moved up a spot from third to second after winning 6-4 over then-#11 Mandarin (Jacksonville) in the Wildcats only game last week.
Spruce Creek (Port Orange) received a first place vote but dropped from second to third after splitting two games with New Smyrna Beach. The Hawks (19-6) face a tough test this week as they try to get out of the 8-team district 8A-2. Forest (Ocala) (19-4) moved up two spots from #6 to #4 after beating Marion County rivals Dunnellon and Lake Weir (Ocala) last week. Rounding out the top five is defending 5A state champion Ponte Vedra. The Sharks (18-7) received a first-place vote and moved up three spots into the top five after a 2-0 week that included the win over #1 Creekside.
Clay (Green Cove Springs) dropped two spots and leads off the second five after a loss to then-#12 Providence (Jacksonville). Columbia (Lake City) received the other first place vote after two wins over Cedar Creek Christian (Jacksonville) last week. The Tigers (17-4) stay put at #7.
Hernando (Brooksville) dropped three spots from #5 to #8 after a loss to South Sumter (Bushnell), while Providence (17-7) moved up three slots and into the top ten at #9 after a 3-0 week that included the 4-2 win over Clay. Fleming Island (Orange Park) rounds out the top ten despite a 4-3 loss to Flagler Palm Coast. Six of the top ten in last week’s poll lost at least one game, including Stanton (Jacksonville), who dropped out of the top ten to #11 this week.
The biggest mover up in the second ten this week is Trinity Catholic (Ocala), who moved up three spots from T-#19 to #16 after a 3-0 week that included two wins over Taylor (Pierson) and a victory over North Marion (Citra). The biggest drop was Sandalwood (Jacksonville), who dropped from T-#12 to 17th after two losses to Bartram Trail (St. Johns) and Oakleaf (Orange Park). Speaking of Bartram Trail, the Bears (17-8) moved into the poll this week at #18, replacing Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville). Vanguard (Ocala) also moved in at #19, replacing Belleview, who the Knights (17-7) beat 5-2 last week.
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, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters.
Prep Zone Power Poll – 2014 Baseball Poll #6
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, overall record through 4/20 and total voting points)
1. Creekside (St. Johns) (2) (5A) (21-4) – 127
2. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (2) (5A) (19-6) – 126
3. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (1) (8A) (19-6) – 120
4. Forest (Ocala) (6A) (19-4) – 118
5. Ponte Vedra (1) (5A) (18-7) – 115
6. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (17-7) – 113
7. Columbia (Lake City) (1) (6A) (17-4) – 107
8. Hernando (Brooksville) (5A) (21-4) – 93
9. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (17-7) – 82
10 Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (16-6) – 76
11. Stanton (Jacksonville) (5A) (17-6)– 74
12. Williston (1A) (19-4) – 54
13. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (17-7) – 51
14. Trenton (1A) (18-3) – 38
15. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (8A) (16-6) – 37
16. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (4A) (17-7) – 35
17. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (16-8) – 27
18. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (17-8) – 24
19. Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (17-7) – 23
20. Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) (2A) (18-2) – 11
Also receiving votes:
Episcopal (Jacksonville) (4A) (15-10) – 10, South Sumter (Bushnell) (4A) (14-7) – 8, Newberry (1A) (19-6) – 1
