Defending 5A state champion Trinity Catholic (Ocala) back on top of the regional all-classification rankings
GAINESVILLE – There’s a familiar volleyball team on top of The Prep Zone Power Poll.
Defending 5A state champion Trinity Catholic (Ocala), which started out on top of the preseason regional all-classification volleyball rankings, has moved back to No. 1. The Class 3A Celtics (6-1), who were ranked second last week, defeated previous No. 1 Buchholz (Gainesville) in a 5-set thriller.
Buchholz had won the first meeting in five sets in late August in Ocala, but Trinity Catholic got revenge on the road. It completed a 4-0 week since the last poll, which included a 3-1 win against defending 7A state champion Vanguard (Ocala).
Trinity Catholic received all six first-place votes, while the Class 6A Bobcats (8-2), who also lost at Forest (Ocala), 3-2, dropped one spot to second.
Several teams played as many as eight or nine games in less than 10 days.
That includes previous No. 3 Ponte Vedra, which went 6-2 since Sept. 10.
The Class 5A Sharks (10-2) are tied for third with Santa Fe (Alachua). Their only losses during that stretch were to 6A #5 Venice and nationally-ranked Lake Highland Prep (Orlando) at the Battle at the Beach Invitational at Venice.
Meanwhile, the Class 4A Raiders (9-1), defending 6A state runners-up, moved up four spots from seventh to third following a 3-0 record that included a 3-1 win against Vanguard.
Santa Fe has won nine in a row since a season-opening loss at Buchholz. Those two teams will play again in Alachua on Tuesday.
Forest (Ocala) rounds out the top five.
The Class 6A Wildcats (9-2) moved up six spots from No. 11 following wins at #5 Vanguard (Ocala), 3-0, vs. #1 Buchholz, 3-2, and versus previously RV North Marion (Citra), 3-0.
Class 6A Fleming Island (Orange Park) (6-2) is ranked sixth, while 1A Bell (11-0), 7A East Ridge (Clermont) (11-3), and 6A New Smyrna Beach (9-3) and 7A Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8-4), who are tied for ninth, round out the top 10.
Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville) soars into the top 20 at No. 18. The Class 2A Eagles (11-2) went 8-0, including a win at 7A Sandalwood (Jacksonville), and a 5-0 mark at the River City Tournament in Jacksonville.
Class 1A Branford (12-1) and Class 3A Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (7-3) also move into the rankings at Nos. 19 & 20, respectively.
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 VOLLEYBALL POLL #5
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, record through 9/18, and total voting points)
1. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (6) (6-1) – 120
2. Buchholz (Gainesville) (6A) (8-2) – 104
3T. Ponte Vedra (5A) (10-2) – 101
3T. Santa Fe (Alachua) (4A) (9-1) – 101
5. Forest (Ocala) (6A) (9-2) – 94
6. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (6A) (6-2) – 91
7. Bell (1A) (11-0) – 74
8. East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (11-3) – 68
9T. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (8-4) – 63
9T. New Smyrna Beach (6A) (9-3) – 63
11. Vanguard (Ocala) (5A) (5-5) – 62
12. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (6A) (8-1) – 58
13. Eustis (4A) (9-1) – 52
14. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (7A) (12-3) – 43
15. Creekside (St Johns) (6A) (9-4) – 38
16T. Lecanto (5A) (12-2) – 28
16T. Flagler Palm Coast (7A) (8-1) – 28
18. Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville) (2A) (11-2) – 21
19. Branford (1A) (12-1) – 16
20. Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville) (3A) (7-3) – 9
Also receiving votes: Newberry (1A) (10-5) – 8; Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (4A) (9-6) – 5; Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) (2A) (12-3) – 4; Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (3A) (8-4) – 3,
DeLand (7A) (9-4) – 2; Ridgeview (Orange Park) (5A) (8-4) – 2; Yulee (4A) (11-3) – 1; West Port (Ocala) (7A) (5-2) – 1.
