Buchholz (Gainesville) rises to the top after impressive start
GAINESVILLE – In a span of three weeks, the Buchholz (Gainesville) volleyball team has gone from unranked all the way to the top of The Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Bobcats (5-0) jumped from No. 8 to No. 1 this week, after knocking off former No. 1 Trinity Catholic (Ocala), 3-2, on Monday. This was the fourth top five win for the Bobcats this season after knocking off New Smyrna Beach a few days later and previous wins over Vanguard (Ocala) and Santa Fe (Alachua).
Buchholz was a unanimous selection, receiving all nine first-place votes.
Trinity Catholic (2-1) dropped down one spot to No. 2 after the intense loss to Buchholz last week, while Fleming Island (Orange Park) (2-0) stayed at No. 3 after sweeping Oakleaf (Orange Park), 3-0, in its lone match of the week.
Ponte Vedra (4-0) moved up from No. 7 to No. 4 after impressive wins over No. 15 Fletcher (Neptune Beach), 3-0, No. 19 Providence (Jacksonville), 3-1, and Menendez (St. Augustine), 3-0.
Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (2-1) dropped from No. 2 to No. 5 after a shocking 3-1 loss to Lyman (Longwood) this past week.
The biggest mover though was East Ridge (Clermont) (8-3), which tumbled from No. 6 to No. 9 after finishing fourth at the KSA Fall Classic over the weekend.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball teams (regardless of FHSAA Classification) across the 26 counties in North Florida (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Madison, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union and 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 Volleyball Poll #3
(School, first place votes, record, total voting points)
1. Buchholz (Gainesville) (9) (5-0) – 180
2. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (2-1) – 166
3. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (2-0) – 163
4. Ponte Vedra (4-0) – 146
5. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (2-1) – 140
6. Vanguard (Ocala) (4-1) – 133
7. New Smyrna Beach (3-1) – 122
8. Santa Fe (Alachua) (4-1) – 116
9. East Ridge (Clermont) (8-3) – 105
10. Bell (5-0) – 77
11. Forest (Ocala) (5-2) – 73
12. Eustis (6-0) – 65
13. Lecanto (8-0) – 60
14. Newberry (4-0) – 59
15. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (6-0) – 58
16. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (4-1) – 56
17. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (4-1) – 46
18. Creekside (St. Johns) (3-1) – 29
19. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (3-0) – 26
20. Bolles (Jacksonville) (3-1) – 25
Also receiving votes: Flagler Palm Coast (4-1) – 14, Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (4-0) – 14, Branford (5-1) – 7, Oak Hall School (Gainesville) (3-1) – 7, St. John Lutheran (Ocala) (4-1) – 7, Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (1-2) – 6, Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville) (3-1) – 3, Keystone Heights (2-1) – 2, Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) (5-0) – 1, North Marion (Citra) (4-0) – 1.
