No change in top five of regional football poll heading into final week of regular season
GAINESVILLE — Every team in the top five and nine of the top 10 teams in The Prep Zone Power Poll viewing area won a week ago.
For that reason there wasn’t much movement in the most recent regional football rankings.
Vanguard (Ocala) pitched its sixth shutout in eight games in 2017, this time 35-0 at rival Forest (Ocala).
The Knights (8-0) once again received five of the eight first-place votes to remain the #1 team for the fourth straight week. Vanguard closes its regular season this week at Oakleaf (Orange Park).
Staying second and once again picking up the other three first-place votes is St. Augustine.
The Yellow Jackets (8-0) finished off a perfect record in District 4-6A with a 38-0 blanking of Middleburg. St. Augustine wraps up its regular season this Friday at home against Palatka.
Madison County remains 3rd after another blowout win, 50-19, over Suwannee (Live Oak).
The Cowboys (9-0) try to finish off a perfect regular season with another daunting task this week at 5A Rickards (Tallahassee).
Remaining 4th is Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville).
The Generals (8-1) wrapped up the District 2-7A title for the second straight year with a 20-6 win over Fletcher (Neptune Beach). Lee finishes its regular season schedule this week at Ed White (Jacksonville).
Rounding out the top five once again is Raines (Jacksonville). The Vikings (8-1) won their 8th straight game, rallying past Lincoln (Tallahassee), 49-24.
Raines closes its regular season in the annual Northwest Classic this Saturday afternoon at #16 Ribault (Jacksonville). The Trojans (7-2) wrapped up the District 3-5A title with a 20-2 win at Yulee.
Moving up to 6th this week is Flagler Palm Coast. The Bulldogs (9-0) slipped past Mandarin (Jacksonville) 24-17 in double OT to close with an undefeated regular season and a District 1-8A title.
Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) drops one spot to 7th this week despite a 35-7 romp over Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville). The Conquerors closed the regular season with a 7-3 record and still have an outside shot at the District 4-5A title after Ponte Vedra knocked off then #T-9 Bolles (Jacksonville) last week.
Bartram Trail (St. Johns) remains 8th. The Bears (6-3) clinched the District 3-7A title with a 53-21 romp over Buchholz (Gainesville). They close the regular season against rival Nease (Ponte Vedra) this Friday.
Dunnellon is 9th by themselves this week as the Tigers improved to 7-1 after a 42-8 pasting of West Port (Ocala).
Rounding out the top 10 is Columbia (Lake City).
The Tigers (7-2) pounded First Coast (Jacksonville) 59-16 and are going to qualify for the playoffs as a wildcard. Columbia plays its regular season finale at #17 Bolles, which drops eight spots this week after the loss to Ponte Vedra. Despite the loss, the ‘Dogs (7-2) are in excellent position for the postseason and could still claim the District 4-5A title on points.
Moving into the poll this week for the first tie at #20 is Bradford (Starke). The Tornadoes (7-1) rolled to their seventh straight win last week 58-8 over Hamilton County (Jasper).
Dropping out is Lafayette (Mayo), which was #T-18 a week ago but suffered its first loss of the season, 47-34, at 4A Trenton.
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 Central 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. It is fueled by Divine Power Wear.
The Prep Zone Power Poll fueled by Divine Power Wear – 2017 Football Poll #11
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, overall record, and total voting points)
1. Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (5) (8-0) – 157
2. St. Augustine (6A) (3) (8-0) – 154
3. Madison County (1A) (9-0) – 143
4. Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville) (7A) (8-1) – 132
5. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (8-1) – 124
6. Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (9-0) – 117
7. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (5A) (7-3) – 109
8. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (6-3) – 106
9. Dunnellon (4A) (7-1) – 99
10. Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (7-2) – 85
T-11. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (10-0) – 73
T-11.. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (7-1) – 73
13. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (7-1) – 64
14. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (8-1) – 53
15. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (6-3) – 45
16. Ribault (Jacksonville) (5A) (7-2) – 42
17. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (7-2) – 38
18. Gainesville (6A) (7-2) – 25
19. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (7-2) – 13
20. Bradford (Starke) (4A) (7-1) – 8
Also receiving votes: Ponte Vedra (5A) (6-3) – 6; Matanzas (Palm Coast) (6A) (6-2) – 4; St. Francis Catholic (Gainesville) (2A) (8-0) – 4; Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (6-3) – 3; Menendez (St. Augustine) (5A) (6-3) – 2; Fort White (3A) (6-3) – 1.
