No surprises in opening round of playoffs as nine of the top 10 teams in The Prep Zone Power Poll win
GAINESVILLE — The high school football postseason got underway last week but there were very few surprises among the teams in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
Nine of the top 10 teams won their opening round games last week, so there was very little movement among the top 10 in the latest all-classification regional rankings.
At the top once again this week is the unanimous #1 team, the Bartram Trail (St. Johns) Bears.
Bartram Trail (8-1) received a bye last week but now faces a tough test coming up in the Region 1-8A quarterfinal against #4 Oakleaf (Orange Park). The two teams met during the regular season, with Bartram Trail rallying in the fourth quarter for a 30-27 win.
The Bears once again received all nine first-place votes this week.
Oakleaf (7-3) advanced with a forfeit win over Nease (Ponte Vedra) in a Region 1 play-in game.
Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) remains 2nd as the Conquerors rallied past then-#16 Baldwin 20-3 in a Region 1-3A quarterfinal.
Next up for Trinity Christian (8-1) is another road game this Friday at Episcopal (Jacksonville). If the Conquerors win that game there could be a matchup coming with 3A state runner-up Florida High (Tallahassee) in the Region 1-3A final next week.
Dunnellon remains third as the Tigers romped past Eastside (Gainesville) 50-0 in their Region 2-5A play-in game.
The Tigers (7-0) are back on the road Friday at North Marion (Citra), which knocked Dunnellon out of the playoffs in the 5A quarterfinals in 2019. But Dunnellon already beat North Marion 32-8 in a regular season matchup this season.
Following Oakleaf and rounding out the top five is Vanguard (Ocala).
The Knights (6-1) also hit the road and had no problem with Crystal River 38-0 in their playoff opener. Next up for Vanguard is a home game against Ridgeview (Orange Park) in a Region 2-5A quarterfinal this Friday.
Mainland (Daytona Beach) stays in the #6 spot after rallying past Gainesville 24-21 in another road matchup in Region 1-6A. The Bucs (7-1) stay on the road this week but closer to home at Matanzas (Palm Coast), which won their first-ever playoff game 7-6 last Friday against New Smyrna Beach.
Bolles (Jacksonville) was yet another team to win on the road last week, pounding then #14T The Villages 44-14 in a Region 2-4A quarterfinal.
The Bulldogs (7-2) will try to be road warriors again this week at Fernandina Beach. The Pirates picked up their first-ever playoff win as well last week over Nassau County rival West Nassau (Callahan).
Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville) remains #8 as the Generals (6-1) pummeled Fort Walton Beach 41-6 in their 6A playoff opener. Now comes a long trip to the Panhandle for a Region 1-6A quarterfinal against Pace.
Buchholz (Gainesville) is 9th after pounding Creekside (St, Johns) for the second time in three weeks, this time 46-13 in a Region 1-7A play-in game.
Buchholz (7-1), which has won seven in a row, also must take a long road trip to the Panhandle as they face 6-0 Navarre in a region quarterfinal game. With the win the Bobcats move up a spot from the previous ranking.
Madison County drops a spot but rounds out the top 10 after a 48-19 Region 3-1A quarterfinal win over Dixie County (Cross City). The Cowboys (8-2) hit the road to undefeated RV Hilliard for a region semifinal game this week.
St. Augustine makes a big move this week, up five spots from 20th to 15th after rallying past Mosley (Lynn Haven) 38-24 in a Region 1-6A play-in game. The Yellow Jackets (7-2) face another tough test next against undefeated Escambia (Pensacola), last year’s 6A state runner-up.
Lake Minneola also moves up three spots to #16 as the Hawks (7-1) blasted Land O’Lakes 54-0 on the road in their 6A play-in game. Lake Minneola is back home against Boca Ciega (Gulfport) in a Region 2-6A quarterfinal on Friday.
Baldwin, Fletcher (Neptune Beach), and Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville), all dropped out of the rankings from a week ago.
Fletcher saw it’s season end with an upset 47-21 loss at Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) in the 7A playoffs, and Nature Coast Tech lost at home 45-28 to Bishop Moore (Orlando) in a Region 3-5A play-in game.
Despite a forfeit win, Newberry moves into the poll at #17. The Panthers (8-1) host RV Wildwood in a Region 4-1A semifinal game on Friday.
Sandalwood (Jacksonville) is also new to the poll at 18th after knocking off Mandarin (Jacksonville) 28-13 in their 8A playoff opener on Monday. The Saints (7-2) are right back at it on Friday at home against RV Flagler Palm Coast in a Region 1-8A quarterfinal.
Hawthorne also moves in at 19th. The Hornets (7-2) rolled over Chiefland 40-0 in their Region 4-1A quarterfinal and are once again home this week against Fort Meade.
Finally, DeLand and Trinity Catholic (Ocala) are back in the rankings as both teams are tied for 20th. DeLand trounced University (Orange City) 35-0 in a Region 1-8A play-in game and now hosts undefeated Seminole (Sanford) in a region quarterfinal this week.
Trinity Catholic defeated Melbourne Central Catholic by forfeit and is on the road at Taylor (Pierson) in a 3A region semifinal. Trinity Christian looms on the other side if the Celtics win this week.
This is the final poll until after the FHSAA State Football Championships from December 17-19.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, volleyball, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball & baseball 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 – 2020 FOOTBALL POLL #11
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record, and total voting points)
1. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (8A) (9) (8-1) – 180
2. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (8-1) – 170
3. Dunnellon (5A) (7-0) – 160
4. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (8A) (7-3) – 150
5. Vanguard (Ocala) (5A) (6-1) – 145
6. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (7-1) – 127
7. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (7-2) – 125
8. Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville) (6A) (6-1) – 113
9. Buchholz (Gainesville) (7A) (7-1) – 108
10. Madison County (1A) (8-2) – 99
11. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (8-1) – 85
12. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (8-2) – 80
13. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (7-2) – 74
14. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (7-2) – 67
15. St. Augustine (6A) (7-2) – 58
16. Lake Minneola (Minneola) (6A) (7-1) – 40
17. Newberry (1A) (8-1) – 24
18. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (7-2) – 20
19. Hawthorne (1A) (7-2) – 13
20T. DeLand (8A) (4-2) – 12
20T. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (4-3) – 12
Also receiving votes: Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (4-3) – 11; Wildwood (1A) (8-1) – 10; Hilliard (1A) (8-0) – 9; The Villages (4A) (6-1) – 8; Baldwin (3A) (8-1) – 2; Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (5A) (7-1) – 2; Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (6-2) – 1.
