Paxon (Jacksonville) remains on top of the all-classification regional rankings as FHSAA state playoffs begin
GAINESVILLE– The second season began last week in boys high school basketball as district tournament play dominated The Prep Zone Power Poll area.
Most of the top 10 teams dominated their respective tournaments, and for that reason the top nine teams remain exactly the same.
Paxon (Jacksonville) knocked off Ed White (Jacksonville), 63-51, to clinch the District 3-4A title. That, and the Gateway Conference title, kept the Golden Eagles on top of the poll this week as the received five of the eight first-place votes.
Paxon (22-5) opens up play tonight in a Region 1-4A quarterfinal game against Pensacola.
Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) just missed out on returning to the top spot it held in the first three polls as the Tigers (21-3) received the other three first-place votes.
Jackson edged #7 Providence (Jacksonville), 31-29, in a defensive slugfest to win the District 2-3A title.
The Tigers, who were the 5A state runners-up in 2019, open up the 3A state playoffs tonight against Maclay (Tallahassee).
Columbia (Lake City) remains 3rd after capturing the District 2-6A title with a 49-45 win over Lincoln (Tallahassee).
The Tigers (25-2) open up in the state playoffs tonight in a Region 1-6A quarterfinal against Chiles (Tallahassee), who they beat last week in the district tourney semifinals.
Staying 4th is Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville).
The Generals (21-4) won the District 3-5A title by beating Westside (Jacksonville), 76-64, last Friday night.
Lee opens up the 5A playoffs tonight against Pine Forest (Pensacola).
Rounding out the top five is North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville).
The Eagles (22-4) remain 5th after routing #14 Impact Christian (Jacksonville) by 22 points in the District 4-2A championship game last week.
NFEI opens up in 2A regional play against Beaches Chapel (Jacksonville) tonight.
Bishop Kenny leads off the second five as the Crusaders captured the District 4-4A championship with a 46-42 triumph over #11 Palatka. This avenged a loss at the buzzer for the Crusaders (22-4) against the Panthers (19-7) during the regular season.
Now due to the new FHSAA playoff seeding system, the two teams will play again tonight in a Region 1-4A quarterfinal matchup at Bishop Kenny.
Providence remains 7th despite the loss to Andrew Jackson in the District 2-3A title game.
The Stallions (18-9) will play at P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) for the third year in a row tonight in a Region 1-3A quarterfinal game.
The 8th-ranked team in the all-classification regional rankings is the top-ranked team in 1A according to Max Preps, Wildwood.
The Wildcats (20-7) crushed Crescent City and Pahokee to win the District 8-1A title and opens up regional play in 1A at home tonight against Williston.
The Villages remains 9th as they also won their district title.
The Buffalo (20-6) won the District 6-4A championship by beating Central (Brooksville), 71-54, and start play in the 4A playoffs tonight against North Marion (Citra).
Rounding out the top 10 is another district champion, Fleming Island (Orange Park).
The Golden Eagles (19-8) moved up four spots from 14th after beating First Coast (Jacksonville), 68-62, to capture the District 3-6A crown.
Fleming Island hosts Tate (Cantonment) tonight in Region 1-6A quarterfinal action.
Mount Dora Christian Academy dropped from 10th in the previous poll to 13th this week after suffering its first loss of the season, 54-49, to Central Florida Christian Academy (Ocoee) in the District 10-2A championship game.
Despite the loss, the Bulldogs (26-1) are on the road tonight at Florida Prep (Melbourne) in a Region 3-2A quarterfinal game.
Mainland (Daytona Beach) is the only team new to the poll this week at #17.
The Bucs (17-10) replace Forest (Ocala), who Mainland beat 69-38 in the District 4-6A championship last week.
The two teams will play again tonight in a 6A opening round game.
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 powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2019-20 BOYS BASKETBALL POLL #5
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 2/19, and total voting points)
1. Paxon (Jacksonville) (4A) (5) (22-5) – 157
2. Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (3A) (3) (21-3) – 155
3. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (25-2) – 140
4. Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville) (5A) (21-4) – 136
5. North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (2A) (22-4) – 127
6. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (22-4) – 120
7. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (18-9) – 102
8. Wildwood (1A) (20-7) – 100
9. The Villages (4A) (20-6) – 87
10. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (6A) (19-8) – 80
11. Palatka (4A) (19-7) – 74
12. Hawthorne (1A) (21-3) – 64
13. Mount Dora Christian Academy (2A) (26-1) – 57
14. Impact Christian Academy (Jacksonville) (2A) (15-7) – 50
15T. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (18-8) – 43
15T. Eastside (Gainesville) (4A) (20-7) – 43
17. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (17-10) – 33
18. Madison County (1A) (19-5) – 32
19. Hilliard (1A) (20-3) – 31
20. Leesburg (5A) (16-9) – 21
Also receiving votes: Forest (Ocala) (6A) (20-7) – 18; St. Augustine (5A) (15-8) – 3; First Coast (Jacksonville) (6A) (15-11) – 1.
