Class 4A State Runner-up Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) begins No. 1
GAINESVILLE – Last year the Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) girls basketball team made a run all the way to the FHSAA Class 4A state title game.
The Crusaders (30-2), who advanced to their fifth straight state semifinal, was denied its first state title since 1992 by Lake Highland Prep (Orlando), snapping Bishop Kenny’s 27-game winning streak in the process on the way to the Highlanders fourth straight state title.
They begin the 2024-25 season the same way they ended last season, on top of the preseason all-classification girls basketball regional rankings.
Class 4A Bishop Kenny received six of the nine first-place votes to start on top of The Prep Zone Power Poll.
Providence (Jacksonville) is ranked No. 2 following back-to-back state semifinal appearances.
The Stallions (22-6), who dropped down to Class 2A, return most of last year’s team which lost in the 3A state semifinals. They received one first-place vote.
Bolles (Jacksonville), which received one first-place vote, is ranked third, followed by 2-time defending state champion Hawthorne, and Ribault (Jacksonville) in the top five.
The No. 4 Hornets (22-3) received the other first-place vote. Hawthorne returns guard De’Mya Adams and forward Jhalea Jackson, which makes the Hornets a threat for a 3-peat.
Class 5A state runner-up Mainland (Daytona Beach), which won its first state title in program history two years ago, leads off the second five at No. 6.
The Bucs (21-8) are followed by Ponte Vedra, Leesburg, Beachside, and Wildwood in the top 10.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, 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 by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2024-25 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #1 (PRESEASON POLL)
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, last year’s record, and total voting points)
1. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (6) (26-5) – 173
2. Providence (Jacksonville) (2A) (1) (26-3) – 165
3. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (1) (19-9) – 145
4. Hawthorne (Rural) (1) (22-3) – 144
5. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (16-6) – 141
6. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (18-13) – 134
7. Ponte Vedra (5A) (22-9) – 127
8. Leesburg (5A) (24-2) – 102
9. Beachside (St. Johns) (5A) (20-6) – 98
10. Wildwood (Rural) (19-4) – 96
11. San Jose Prep (Jacksonville) (2A) (16-10) – 93
12. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (18-9) – 82
13. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (19-7) – 80
14. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (5A) (14-7) – 57
15. North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (2A) (15-6) – 48
16. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (21-4) – 40
17. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (2A) (17-10) – 33
18. Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (6A) (20-7) – 20
19. St. Augustine (5A) (18-4) – 18
20. Madison County (Rural) (21-5) – 17
Also receiving votes: P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) (3A) (14-9) – 15; Dunnellon (4A) (23-4) – 13; Orange Park (5A) (12-12) – 13; Gainesville (5A) (9-13) – 8; Paxon (Jacksonville) (4A) (15-9) – 6; Newberry (1A) (15-9) – 5; Williston (Rural) (11-12) – 5; Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (2A) (17-10) – 5; Fort White (Rural) (5-15) – 3; Columbia (Lake City) (5A) (14-11) – 2; St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) (2A) (20-7) – 1; Eastside (Gainesville) (4A) (15-9) – 1; Hilliard (Rural) (12-14) – 1; Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (3A) (13-15) – 1; Episcopal (Jacksonville) (3A) (10-17) – 1.
