One top five team in the regional rankings goes down as regular season ends
GAINESVILLE — It’s time to head into the postseason for high school football around the state of Florida. As a wild season, which included some teams missing two games due to different hurricanes, comes to an end, there is some movement in the top five of the Prep Zone Power Poll.
No change at the top though, as Mainland (Daytona Beach) remains the unanimous #1 team after a bye week in Week 11.
The Bucs (9-0) received all nine first place votes again this week and have been at the top of the regional poll since the first week of the regular season. Mainland, which opens up postseason play in the 6A regional quarterfinals this Friday against Okeechobee, is also the top-ranked team in the Class 6A state rankings.
Staying undefeated and moving up to second is Bolles (Jacksonville).
The Bulldogs finished their regular season unbeaten at 9-0 after pounding Prepa Tech of Monterrey, Mexico, 59-15, last week in Jacksonville. Bolles opens up in the 4A regional semifinals at home against East Gadsden (Havana).
Also moving up to #3 this week is Trinity Christian (Jacksonville).
The Conquerors (7-3) traveled to the Panhandle and hammered Pine Forest (Pensacola), 45-22, to close their regular season. Trinity Christian opens their quest for a fourth consecutive 3A state championship this Friday as they host Taylor County (Perry) in the regional semifinals.
Also moving up a spot to 4th is Madison County.
The Cowboys (9-0) capped off an unbeaten regular season with a tough 26-21 win over #6 Baker County (Glen St. Mary). Madison County opens up play in the 1A regional semifinals this Friday against Baldwin.
There was movement in the top five because of the first loss of the season by Vanguard (Ocala).
The Knights (8-1) dropped a 35-14 decision at 6A unbeaten Lake Gibson (Lakeland). Vanguard drops three spots but stays in the top five. They will host Springstead (Spring Hill) to open up the 6A playoffs this week.
Baker County (Glen St. Mary) stays tied for sixth this week along with Ponte Vedra.
The Class 5A Wildcats (8-1) lost at 1A No. 1 Madison County, 26-21, while the Sharks closed out an undefeated regular season at 9-0 by hammering Creekside (St. Johns), 48-14. Baker County will be home for a regional quarterfinal against Belleview, with Ponte Vedra opening up their 5A playoffs against Yulee.
St. Augustine is 8th this week.
The Yellow Jackets (9-1) won their final nine games of the regular season after a opening week loss at Baker County, but they will have one of the toughest tests in the area to open up the 6A playoffs this week as they host Niceville.
South Sumter (Bushnell) was off this week and moves up from 10th to ninth in the regional rankings. The Raiders (8-1) host Santa Fe (Alachua) in the 4A regional semifinals.
Moving into the top 10 for the first time this year is Lee (Jacksonville).
The Generals closed out their regular season at 7-1 with a 39-14 win over 1A playoff team Baldwin. Lee has a tough assignment in the 7A regional quarterfinals as the host Leon (Tallahassee).
Raines (Jacksonville) suffered its second straight loss and drops six positions out of the top 10 to 13th. The Vikings (6-2) lost the Northwest Classic at home to rival Ribault (Jacksonville), 28-12. The Trojans (5-3) won a District 4-5A tiebreaker early last week and then turned around to win the game on Saturday against their city rival.
Ribault moves into the poll at #19, while Mandarin (Jacksonville) drops out after dropping their second straight, falling at Fletcher (Neptune Beach), 17-15. The Mustangs finish the season 6-2 and did not qualify for the postseason.
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 Central 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. It is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
The Prep Zone Power Poll – 2016 Football Poll #11
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, overall record, and total voting points).
1. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (9) (9-0) – 180
2. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (9-0) – 167
3. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (7-3) – 159
4. Madison County (1A) (9-0) – 154
5. Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (8-1) – 147
T-6. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (8-1) – 124
T-6. Ponte Vedra (5A) (9-0) – 124
8. St. Augustine (6A) (9-1) – 119
9. South Sumter (Bushnell) (4A) (8-1) – 107
10. Lee (Jacksonville) (7A) (7-1) – 103
11. Nature Coast (Brooksville) (5A) (9-0) – 86
12. Buchholz (Gainesville) (7A) (7-2) – 82
13. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (6-2) – 59
14. Dunnellon (4A) (8-1) – 58
15. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (7-1) – 55
16. Trenton (1A) (8-1) – 48
17. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (7-3) – 34
18. Newberry (1A) (8-1) – 29
19. Ribault (Jacksonville) (5A) (5-3) – 21
20. University (Orange City) (8A) (8-2) – 13
Also receiving votes: Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (6-3) – 7; Fort White (1A) (8-2) – 5; Matanzas (Palm Coast) (6A) (7-2) – 5; University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (6-2) – 2; Episcopal (Jacksonville) (3A) (8-1) – 1; Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (7-2) – 1.
