Mainland (Daytona Beach) rolls; Bucs remain No. 1
Gainesville – The top team in the Prep Zone Power Poll created a little more separation from the rest of the teams.
Mainland (Daytona Beach) rolled to its third consecutive victory by more than 40 points in a 53-9 win at Lake Wales. It was the first points given up by the Class 6A Buccaneers (3-0) this season. They received eight of the 10 first-place votes and held on to the top spot.
Defending 3A state champion Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) had 11 sacks in recording its first win of the season, a 42-12 win over University Christian (Jacksonville). The Conquerors (1-1) collected the other two first-place votes and remained second in the poll.
First Coast (Jacksonville) handed previous #14 Raines (Jacksonville) one of its worst losses in school history and remained third in the rankings. The 62-7 waxing by the 8A Bucs (3-0) dropped the 4A Vikings (1-2) from the rankings this week.
South Sumter (Bushnell) remained fourth following a 45-0 win over East Ridge (Clermont). It was the second shutout for the Raiders (3-0), who are allowing just two points per game.
Rounding out the top five is defending 4A state runners-up Bolles (Jacksonville) (3-0), which defeated previous No. 8 North Marion (Citra), 17-6, on the road. The 5A Colts (2-1) tumbled four spots to 12th.
Class 5A Clay (Green Cove Springs) (3-0) remained sixth, but previous No. 7 Trenton had its 22-game home winning streak snapped by Dixie County (Cross City), 48-25, which moved up four spots to No. 11, while the defending 1A state champion Tigers (2-1) dropped seven spots to 14th.
Jesse Liptrot had three interceptions, including one that was returned 105 yards for a score, as Fletcher (Neptune Beach) routed 8A Sandalwood (Jacksonville), 45-14, dropping the previous No. 18 Saints (2-1) from the rankings. The Class 7A Senators (2-1) moved up two spots to seventh in this week’s poll.
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) moved into the top 10 at No. 8 as they scored 35 unanswered points in a 45-21 win over 5A Eastside (Gainesville). The Celtics will move to 3-0 on the season as this week’s opponent Moore Haven forfeited this Friday’s game.
Class 6A St. Augustine, which has yet to allow a second half point this season, defeated Ridgeview (Orange Park), 31-0, and moved up three spots to ninth, while Columbia (Lake City) rounds out the top 10 after bouncing back from last week’s loss to Lincoln (Tallahassee) with a 28-23 win at Buchholz (Gainesville).
There are four newcomers to this year’s poll.
Class 4A Madison County, 8A University (Orange City) and 5A Suwannee (Live Oak) all improved to 3-0 and are ranked 15th-17th, respectively, while 6A South Lake (Groveland) (3-0), which is averaging 48 points per game, is ranked 20th.
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 Football Poll #4
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, overall record and total voting points)
1. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (8) (6A) (3-0) – 198
2. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (2) (3A) (1-1) – 186
3. First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (3-0) – 184
4. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (3-0) – 169
5. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (3-0) – 162
6. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (3-0) – 151
7. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (2-1) – 132
8. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (2-0) – 121
9. St. Augustine (6A) (3-0) – 112
10. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (2-1) – 103
11. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (3-0) – 95
12. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (2-1) – 84
13. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (1-0) – 75
14. Trenton (1A) (2-1) – 58
15. Madison County (4A) (3-0) – 54
16. University (Orange City) (8A) (3-0) – 53
17. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (3-0) – 50
18. Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (3-0) – 38
19. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (1-1) – 35
20. South Lake (Groveland) (6A) (3-0) – 21
Also receiving votes: Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (2-1) – 7; Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (2-1) – 4; Gainesville (6A) (1-2) – 3; Ed White (Jacksonville) (6A) (2-1) – 3; Mount Dora (5A) (3-0) – 1; Hamilton County (Jasper) (1A) (2-1) – 1.
