Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) moves to top of final regional poll after second consecutive state runner-up finish
GAINESVILLE — Three teams from The Prep Zone Power Poll area advanced to the FHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland last week.
And the team on top of the final poll is becoming a regular at those same state championships.
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville), which finished as the 6A state runner-up to American Heritage (Plantation) in 2019, advanced back to Lakeland this season after winning Region 1-4A with a 53-47 win at then-#1 Raines (Jacksonville).
The Crusaders then knocked off Cocoa 52-40 in a 4A state semifinal to advance to the state title game against nationally-ranked Lake Highland Prep (Orlando).
Bishop Kenny was within four points at halftime of the 4A championship game against Lake Highland Prep, but the Highlanders pulled away for a 61-45 win, leaving the Lady Crusaders (22-10) as the state runner-up for the second straight year.
That was enough for Bishop Kenny, which was ranked 7th in the previous poll, to gain six of the eight first-place votes to finish as the #1 team in the final all-classification regional rankings.
Raines ends up 2nd as the Vikings (28-2) defeated West Florida (Pensacola) and #5 Ribault (Jacksonville) before being eliminated in the Region 1-4A final by Bishop Kenny.
Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) finishes third.
The Green Wave (26-3) knocked off then-RV Interlachen and #12 P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) but were eliminated in the Region 1-3A final by eventual state runner-up Master’s Academy (Oviedo).
Right behind them in fourth is another regional finalist, Spruce Creek (Port Orange).
The Hawks (24-6), who also received a first place vote, were knocked out by Timber Creek (Orlando) in the Region 1-7A final 62-47.
Ribault (23-9) rounds out the top five as their season ended with the 51-45 loss at #2 Raines.
Leading off the second five is the 1A state champion, the Hawthorne Hornets.
Hawthorne advanced to the state semifinal for the first time in school history in 2019 but were knocked out by Holmes County (Bonifay).
The Hornets (29-2) knocked off then-#6 Wildwood 47-41 in the Region 3-1A final to advance back to Lakeland, and rallied past Holmes County 50-48 to advance to their first state championship game.
Hawthorne then slipped by Port St. Joe 33-32 in the 1A state title game for the first girls basketball state championship in school history. They received the other first-place vote.
Middleburg winds up 7th, followed by Wildwood.
University Christian (Jacksonville) and Flagler Palm Coast round out the top 10 as both are tied for 9th.
New to the final poll is Mainland (Daytona Beach), which advanced to the Region 1-6A final and finished in a tie for 16th with Columbia (Lake City), as well as 1A state semifinalist Madison County, which finishes 18th, and Vanguard (Ocala), which ends up at #20.
Falling out from the previous rankings were Trenton, Atlantic (Port Orange), and Bartram Trail (St. Johns).
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 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #7 (FINAL)
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, final record, and total voting points)
1. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (6) (22-10) – 158
2. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (28-2) – 144
3. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (3A) (26-3) – 142
4. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (1) (24-6) – 140
5. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (23-9) – 124
6. Hawthorne (1A) (1) (29-2) – 123
7. Middleburg (5A) (19-7) – 105
8. Wildwood (1A) (25-3) – 93
9T. Flagler Palm Coast (7A) (18-7) – 78
9T. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (21-5) – 78
11. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (18-10) – 77
12. P.K Yonge (Gainesville) (3A) (18-9) – 71
13. St. Augustine (5A) (19-6) – 54
14. Creekside (St. Johns) (6A) (16-9) – 52
15. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (7A) (16-12) – 47
16T. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (21-8) – 36
16T. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (13-12) – 36
18. Madison County (1A) (22-7) – 26
19. Orange Park (5A) (20-8) – 17
20. Vanguard (Ocala) (5A) (16-9) – 15
Also receiving votes: Atlantic (Port Orange) (4A) (17-9) – 10; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (17-10) – 8; Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (13-12) – 6; Eustis (4A) (19-8) – 6; Hernando Christian Academy (2A) (25-2) – 4; Trenton (1A) (21-6) – 3; North Marion (Citra) (4A) (19-9) – 1; Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (19-8) – 1.
