Class 9A Spruce Creek (Port Orange) moves up to No. 1 in the regional all-classification rankings
GAINESVILLE – The stay at the top didn’t last long.
Previous No. 1 Creekside (St. Johns) lost to unranked St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine), 4-2, in eight innings, and fell from the top spot in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Class 7A Knights (12-2) did post wins against previous No. 20 St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park), 4-0, and RV Fleming Island (Orange Park), 10-0, and only dropped two spots to third.
But the loss opened the door for Class 9A Spruce Creek (Port Orange).
A 3-0 week, including a win against previous No. 12 Buchholz (Gainesville), enabled the Hawks (12-2) to move up one spot to No. 1.
They received five of the six first-place votes, which helped them edge the next highest ranked team in the all-classification regional rankings.
Bolles (Jacksonville), which also went 3-0, moved up one spot from third to second. The defending 5A state runners-up are now 13-2 with their two losses by a combined total of two runs to #6 Clay (Green Cove Springs) & No. 14 Mandarin (Jacksonville).
The other first-place vote belongs to No. 4 Fletcher (Neptune Beach). The Class 8A Senators (16-1) leaped four spots into the top five.
Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (11-6-1) remained fifth despite going 1-2-1 at the Bishop Gorman Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Clay (11-4), is followed by Bartram Trail (St. Johns), Providence (Jacksonville), Springstead (Spring Hill) and Suwannee (Live Oak) in the top 10.
Following a 3-0 week, which included two wins against previous No. 4 Sandalwood (Jacksonville), Class 9A Mandarin (Jacksonville) (11-5) moved into the rankings at No. 14.
Class 6A Paxon (Jacksonville) (11-3), which also had a 3-0 week, moves into the top 20 at No. 16.
Previous No. 17 Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) fell out of the rankings following a 6-0 loss at Ridgeview (Orange Park).
St. Johns Country Day and Ponte Vedra also dropped out, but the Spartans (9-4) and Sharks (9-6) are still receiving votes.
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 #2
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, record through April 6, and total voting points)
1. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (5) (12-2) – 115
2. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (13-2) – 113
3. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (12-2) – 107
4. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (8A) (1) (16-1) – 99
5. Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville) (4A) (11-6-1) – 91
6. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (6A) (11-4) – 89
7. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (13-2) – 88
8. Providence (Jacksonville) (4A) (11-6) – 83
9. Springstead (Spring Hill) (6A) (14-2) – 64
10. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (10-3) – 61
11. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (12-5) – 52
12. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (12-4) – 50
13. Madison County (1A) (10-3) – 47
14. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (9A) (11-5) – 45
15. Trenton (1A) (12-3) – 31
16. Paxon (Jacksonville) (6A) (11-3) – 26
17. Santa Fe (Alachua) (5A) (9-4) – 25
18. Dunnellon (6A) (11-3) – 22
19. Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) (2A) (11-0) – 18
20. Buchholz (Gainesville) (8A) (9-6) – 10
Also receiving votes: St. John’s Country Day (Orange Park) (3A) (9-4) – 6; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (8-2) – 3; Williston (1A) (9-5) – 3; Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville) (2A) (11-2) – 3; Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (6-8) – 3; East Ridge (Clermont) (8A) (8-5) – 2; Gainesville (7A) (7-8) – 2; Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (4A) (4-6) – 1; Ponte Vedra (6A) (9-6) – 1.
