Top-ranked Creekside (St. Johns), Spruce Creek (Port Orange) & Bolles (Jacksonville) all received first-place votes in the first all-classification regional rankings of 2019
GAINESVILLE – The race for the top spot in The Prep Zone Power Poll is wide open.
There are three main contenders – all of whom have a chance to make a run for a state title in their respective classifications. Creekside (St. Johns) garnered the most voting points (126) among the trio that includes 9A Spruce Creek (Port Orange) & 5A state runner-up Bolles (Jacksonville).
The Class 7A Knights (10-1), who finished 21-8 last season with regional playoff wins at Columbia (Lake City) and St. Augustine before losing 3-2 at eventual 7A state runner-up Pace in the Region 1-7A final, is ranked No. 1.
They received two first-place votes and are five voting points ahead of No. 2 Spruce Creek (121 voting points), which has three first-place votes.
The Hawks opened the season 9-0 but recently lost a pair of games to Seminole (Sanford). Spruce Creek, which finished 17-8 in 2018, was District 2 Runners-up last year and lost at Lake Mary in the 2nd round of the 9A state playoffs.
The third-ranked team in the regional all-classification rankings is perennial power Bolles, which just missed out on its third consecutive 5A state title last season after surrendering eight runs in the 6th inning in a 10-4 loss to Monsignor Pace (Miami) in the state championship game.
The Bulldogs, who finished 24-6 last year, also received two first-place votes. Bolles (10-2) has losses this season to 9A Mandarin (Jacksonville) & 6A Clay (Green Cove Springs), which is ranked seventh, by a total of two runs
Another 9A school, Sandalwood (Jacksonville), is ranked 4th.
The Saints (11-2) have wins against #17 Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville), RV Fleming Island (Orange Park), and RV Mandarin. One of their two losses was to 9A #9 Southridge (Miami).
Rounding out the top five is Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), which advanced to the 4A state semifinals last season.
The Conquerors (19-9 last season) just missed a 20-win season, falling 2-1 loss to Calvary Christian (Clearwater), which had a 60-game winning streak end with a loss to Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale) in the 4A state championship game.
Trinity Christian (10-4) has wins against Providence (Jacksonville), 4A region finalist Trinity Catholic (Ocala) – twice, & 7A Niceville. They have losses to defending 7A state champion Venice, 8A state semifinalist George Jenkins (Lakeland), & 6A region finalist American Heritage (Plantation).
Providence (Jacksonville) leads off the second five at No. 6. The Stallions (9-5) started 9-1 but lost four in a row to some good baseball teams: 3A state runner-up North Florida Christian (Tallahassee), George Jenkins, American Heritage, & Trinity Christian (Jacksonville).
However, Providence also has some big wins against NFC, Venice & 6A region finalist Mosley (Lynn Haven).
Class 6A state semifinalist Clay (Green Cove Springs) is seventh, followed by No. 8 Fletcher (Neptune Beach), Bartram Trail (St. Johns) and Suwannee (Live Oak) in the top 10.
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 and it is fueled by Anytime Fitness.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2019 BASEBALL POLL #1
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, record through March 30, and total voting points)
1. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (2) (10-1) – 126
2. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (3) (9-2) – 121
3. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (2) (10-2) – 114
4. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (11-2) – 107
5. Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville) (4A) (10-4) – 101
6. Providence (Jacksonville) (4A) (9-5) – 89
7. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (6A) (8-4) – 76
8. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (8A) (13-1) – 74
9. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (11-2) – 71
10. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (8-3) – 67
11. Springstead (Spring Hill) (6A) (11-2) – 66
12. Buchholz (Gainesville) (8A) (8-4) – 61
13. Ponte Vedra (6A) (9-3) – 57
14. Madison County (1A) (7-3) – 38
15. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (8-5) – 37
16. Dunnellon (6A) (9-2) – 32
17. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (7-6) – 28
18T. Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) (2A) (9-0) – 27
18T. Santa Fe (Alachua) (5A) (9-4) – 27
20T. Trenton (1A) (9-3) – 22
20T. St. John’s Country Day (Orange Park) (3A) (8-3) – 22
Also receiving votes: Mandarin (Jacksonville) (9A) (6-5) – 19; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (7-0) – 19; Paxon (Jacksonville) (6A) (8-3) – 18; Williston (1A) (8-4) – 11; Fleming Island (Orange Park) (8A) (6-5) – 10; North Marion (Citra) (6A) (8-5) – 8; Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville) (2A) (9-2) – 8; Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (6-7) – 7; Hernando (Brooksville) (5A) (9-4) – 3; Gainesville (7A) (5-8) – 2; Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (4A) (4-6) – 1; Taylor (Pierson) (5A) (8-4) – 1.
