Class 3A Runner-up Eustis finishes No. 1
GAINESVILLE — In 2024 the Eustis softball team won the Class 4A state title.
Although they didn’t win it all this year, they still finished number one in the final all-classification regional rankings.
The Panthers (23-5) advanced to the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game before losing to Somerset Academy (Silver Palms), 10-2, in the title game to finish as state runner-up.
Eustis, which defeated Wakulla (Crawfordville), 3-2, in the state semifinals, had wins in the regionals against Mount Dora and South Sumter (Bushnell), followed by a 13-4 win against current No. 4 Crystal River in the 3A-Region 2 Final.
They received five of the nine first-place votes to finish on top of The Prep Zone Power Poll.
Montverde Academy, which won at Eustis, 12-0, on April 9, is ranked second.
The Eagles (27-3) were nationally ranked until a 3-0 upset loss at home to current No. 6 Trinity Catholic (Ocala) on May 15 in the 2A-Region 2 Final. They received three first-place votes.
The only area state champion this year was Trenton, which received the other first-place vote and finished third. The Tigers (19-6) won their second straight state title in convincing fashion.
They defeated Northview (Bratt), 11-1 in 5 innings, in the Rural state championship game and they defeated Liberty County (Bristol), 9-2, in the state semifinals.
The Tigers, who closed the season with a 10-game winnings streak, also had wins this year against No. 6 Trinity Catholic (split series), No. 11 Middleburg, No. 4 Crystal River (split series), and receiving votes (RV) Columbia (Lake City).
Crystal River, which defeated Trenton at home, 6-9, on April 7, is ranked third.
The Pirates (24-6) had a 1-0 win against RV The Villages in the 3A regional semifinals before the loss at Eustis in the region final.
Matanzas (Palm Coast) is ranked fifth.
The Pirates (23-2) defeated No. 11 Middleburg, 2-1, in the 5A regional semifinals but lost at Niceville, 1-0, in 5A-Region 1 Final.
Trinity Catholic, which lost to Calvary Christian (Clearwater), 6-5, in the Class 2A state semifinals, leads off the second five ahead of Baldwin, Baker County (Glen St. Mary), Branford, and Santa Fe (Alachua) in the top 10.
Baldwin finished seventh after advancing to the Class 2A-Region 1 Final, but the Indians lost at North Bay Haven Academy (Panama City Beach), 6-3, to finish the season at 21-7.
Number eight Baker County was upset at home by No. 4 seed Arnold (Panama City Beach), 2-1, in the Class 4A-Region 1 Semifinals and finished 20-5.
Ninth-ranked Branford returned to the final four following a 13-1 win at No. 13 Madison County in the Rural Region 3 Final, but the Bucs (21-7) were denied their third straight state championship game appearance with a 14-6 loss to Northview (Bratt) in the Rural state semifinals.
Santa Fe won the 3A-District 5 title, but the Raiders (19-4) were upset at home by The Villages, 4-1, in the 3A-Region 2 Quarterfinals.
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 by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2025 SOFTBALL POLL #4 (FINAL POLL)
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, final record, and total voting points)
1. Eustis (3A) (5) (23-5) – 174
2. Montverde Academy (2A) (3) (27-3) – 166
3. Trenton (Rural) (1) (19-6) – 149
4. Crystal River (3A) (24-6) – 136
5. Matanzas (Palm Coast) (5A) (23-2) – 131
6. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (2A) (22-9) – 129
7. Baldwin (2A) (21-7) – 123
8. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (4A) (20-5) – 121
9. Branford (Rural) (21-7) – 106
10. Santa Fe (Alachua) (3A) (19-4) – 103
11. Middleburg (5A) (19-9) – 97
12. East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (22-6) – 93
13. Madison County (Rural) (19-2) – 49
14. Paxon (Jacksonville) (3A) (19-6) – 43
15. Gainesville (5A) (17-8) – 42
16. Fort White (Rural) (17-7) – 39
17T. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (22-6) – 36
17T. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (18-10) – 36
19. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (18-6) – 26
20. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (2A) (22-6) – 24
Also receiving votes: The Villages (3A) (14-11) – 21; University Christian (Jacksonville) (1A) (19-5) – 20; Deltona (5A) (14-5) – 13; Springstead (Spring Hill) (5A) (15-9) – 7; Columbia (Lake City) (4A) (15-12) – 4; Newberry (2A) (20-6) – 1; Williston (Rural) (14-11) – 1.