Gainesville High still on top of the all-classification regional softball rankings, but the gap narrows
GAINESVILLE – Gainesville High School remained on top of The Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Class 7A Hurricanes (15-2) went 2-0 last week with wins at Lecanto and Vanguard (Ocala). They received five of the six first-place votes to hold on to the No. 1 regional ranking.
However, following a 2-0 week which included a win against a top 20 team, Oakleaf (Orange Park) moved up to No. 2 in the rankings. The Knights (13-2), who defeated previous No. 20 First Coast (Jacksonville) 8-0, received the other first-place vote and are now just eight total voting points behind GHS.
Previous No. 2 Union County (Lake Butler), which was idle, dropped one spot to third. The Tigers (13-1) are ranked No. 1 in the Class 1A state softball rankings.
Class 6A schools Belleview and Springstead (Spring Hill) round out the top five at fourth and fifth, respectively, even though the Rattlers (13-2), ranked 6th in 6A, are ranked behind the top-ranked Eagles (16-1) in the state rankings.
West Nassau (Callahan) (12-3) moved up two spots to sixth. They are followed by Deltona (14-2), Trenton (14-1), Santa Fe (Alachua) (15-3) and Nature Coast (Brooksville) (13-4) in the top 10.
First Coast (Jacksonville) and Flagler Palm Coast fell out of the rankings, while 8A Creekside (St. Johns) (9-2) and 5A Keystone Heights (11-4) moved in at Nos. 18 and 20, respectively.
Class 5A Suwannee (Live Oak) (11-5) also moved into the rankings and are tied for 18th after a 7-3 win against previous #6 Santa Fe (Alachua) and a 16-5 win at previous No. #12 Trinity Christian (Jacksonville).
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.
The Prep Zone Power Poll – Softball Poll #3
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 4/2, and total voting points)
1. Gainesville (7A) (5) (15-2) – 119
2. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (8A) (1) (13-2) – 111
3. Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (13-1) – 107
4. Belleview (6A) (13-2) – 101
5. Springstead (Spring Hill) (6A) (16-1) – 96
6. West Nassau (Callahan) (5A) (12-3) – 90
7. Deltona (7A) (14-2) – 79
8. Trenton (1A) (14-1) – 76
9. Santa Fe (Alachua) (5A) (15-3) – 70
10. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (5A) (13-4) – 56
11. Eustis (5A) (12-1) – 55
12. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (10-4) – 46
13T. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (11-4) – 43
13T. Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (10-4) – 43
15. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (14-6) – 34
16. Aucilla Christian (Monticello) (2A) (9-5) – 29
17. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (4A) (11-2) – 26
18T. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (11-5) – 17
18T. Creekside (St. Johns) (8A) (9-2) – 17
20T. Keystone Heights (5A) (11-4) – 16
20T. Chiefland (1A) (10-3) – 16
Also receiving votes: Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (8A) (10-3) – 4; Ponte Vedra (6A) (10-4) – 4; Montverde Academy (4A) (10-4-1) – 3; Mount Dora Christian Academy (2A) (14-2) – 1; Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) (2A) (12-1) – 1.
