University (Orange City) still unanimous top-ranked team in regional all-classification rankings as high school softball season heads into postseason
GAINESVILLE — After a COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, high school softball has made its way with little issue through the regular season in 2021 and into district tournament play.
And the same can be said for the team at the top of The Prep Zone Power Poll, the University (Orange City) Titans.
University (20-0), which remains the only undefeated team in the poll, won four more games over the last few weeks as the Titans enter the District 2-7A tournament this week as the #1 seed.
The Titans knocked off Spruce Creek (Port Orange), 5-4, and Seminole (Sanford), 3-2, among their wins and once again receives all seven first-place votes. They are also ranked #3 statewide in 7A by Max Preps.
Moving up a spot to 2nd this week is Ridgeview (Orange Park).
The Panthers (21-3), ranked 2nd in 4A by Max Preps, were 6-0 since the last poll and have won 10 in a row. Ridgeview picked up wins at #12 Creekside (St. Johns) and RV Keystone Heights as well as RV Clay (Green Cove Springs), and they are the top seed in District 4-4A.
Ridgeview switches spots this week with Trenton, which drops to 3rd.
The Tigers (14-1) have only played three games since the last ranking but they are #1 in 1A by Max Preps. Trenton is the No. 2 seed in the District 7-1A tournament, with #8 Dixie County (Cross City) as the top seed.
Eustis moves up two spots to #4.
The Panthers (20-1), ranked #1 in 4A by Max Preps, were 7-0 since the last poll and have won 13 in a row since their only loss, 5-4, to Winter Springs.
Eustis picked wins over #10 Hernando (Brooksville), #15 Belleview, #16 South Lake (Groveland), and #19 West Port (Ocala) over the past few weeks to move into the top five this week.
Rounding out the top five is West Nassau (Callahan).
The Warriors (17-6) are up three spaces after defeating then-#5 Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) and going 4-1 over the last couple of weeks. West Nassau’s only loss was 1-0 at the team that follows right behind them, Baker County (Glen St Mary).
Baker County moves up five spots to start off the second five.
The Wildcats (15-6) also picked up a victory over then-#4 Oakleaf (Orange Park) to go along with the win over West Nassau. Baker County’s only loss over this span came to Baldwin.
The rest of the second five consists of #7 East Ridge (Clermont), Dixie County, which is up five spots to 8th, Trinity Christian, which fell four spots to #9, and Hernando, which drops three spots to round out the top 10.
Oakleaf, which was ranked 4th in the previous poll, takes a tumble to 18th this week after dropping seven of eight games. The Knights (14-9) still have a shot at the playoffs in the District 1-7A tournament this week.
Baldwin (19-4), which won the Gateway Conference Softball Tournament, moves into the rankings at #17. Lecanto also is new to the poll at 20th.
Falling out from the previous poll are Taylor (Pierson) and Keystone Heights.
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 – 2021 SOFTBALL POLL #4
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 4/25, and total voting points)
1. University (Orange City) (7A) (7) (20-0) – 140
2. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (4A) (21-3) – 129
3. Trenton (1A) (14-1) – 123
4. Eustis (4A) (20-1) – 116
5. West Nassau (Callahan) (3A) (17-6) – 103
6. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (4A) (15-6) – 96
7. East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (17-7) – 90
8. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (18-1) – 86
9. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (14-4) – 79
10. Hernando (Brooksville) (4A) (20-4) – 77
11. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (3A) (18-5) – 70
12. Creekside (St. Johns) (6A) (17-5) – 54
13. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (4A) (17-6) – 49
14. Gainesville (5A) (16-6) – 44
15. Belleview (4A) (17-7) – 42
16. South Lake (Groveland) (6A) (19-3) – 40
17. Baldwin (3A) (19-4) – 38
18. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (7A) (14-9) – 37
19. West Port (Ocala) (7A) (18-5) – 18
20. Lecanto (5A) (16-6) – 11
Also receiving votes: Paxon (Jacksonville) (4A) (14-7) – 7; Keystone Heights (3A) (14-8) – 5; Taylor (Pierson) (3A) (16-3) – 5; Fernandina Beach (3A) (18-4) – 4; University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (12-2) – 4; Clay (Green Cove Springs) (4A) (17-8) – 3.
