Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) ascends to top spot to start 2026
GAINESVILLE – For the third consecutive poll, there is a new No. 1 in the girls basketball all-classification regional rankings.
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville), an FHSAA Class 4A region finalist last season, went 8-0 since the Dec. 11 rankings. That includes a 2-0 record at this past weekend’s She Got Game Classic in Atlanta, GA, along with wins against previous No. 2 Wildwood, 58-20, and current No. 14 San Jose Prep, 54-49.
The Lady Crusaders (14-1) moved up two spots to No. 1 and received eight of the 10 first-place votes to start 2026 on top of The Prep Zone Power Poll, which ranks the top 20 teams across 26 counties in Florida.
Their rival, Bolles (Jacksonville), moved up four spots and is now ranked No. 2.
The Class 3A Bulldogs (10-4) went 7-1, including a 3-0 record to win the Battle on the Island at Fleming Island (Orange Park) in December.
Their only loss during that stretch was against the No. 14 overall team in Maryland, Elizabeth Seton (Bladensburg, MD), 59-45, at the She Got Game Classic in Washington, DC.
The ‘Dogs, who received the other two first-place votes, knocked off previous No. 1 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine), 58-56. They also defeated current No. 15 Ribault (Jacksonville), 66-40, and No. 17 Nease (Ponte Vedra), 67-48.
Defending Rural State Champion Wildwood (8-2) dropped one spot to No. 3. The Wildcats (8-2) had wins at current No. 20 Leesburg, 65-28, vs. RV Forest (Ocala), 72-45, and at RV Gainesville High, 77-47.
Tocoi Creek (11-4), a Class 6A state semifinalist last year, dropped three spots and is tied for fourth with Providence (Jacksonville) to round out the top five. The Stallions (9-3), last year’s 2A state runner up, remained fourth after a 5-0 record.
Two teams in the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area are ranked in the top 10.
Williston (9-2) moved up one spot to No. 7.
The Lady Red Devils, who went 5-1, lost at 3A No. 3 & #13 overall in Florida, Tampa Catholic, 59-53. They had wins at 3A Florida High (Tallahassee), 56-49, vs. current No. 7 Newberry, 92-73, at Santa Fe (Alachua), 63-13, at Eastside (Gainesville), 58-20, and vs. Buchholz, 60-29.
Newberry moved up two spots from ninth.
The Class 3A Panthers (11-1) bounced back from the loss at Williston to defeat previous No. 15 Fort White, 73-39, and West Port (Ocala), 75-34.
Williston, which is No. 1 in the MaxPreps Rural rankings, is No. 6, followed by 3A Newberry, 5A Ponte Vedra, defending 5A state champion New Smyrna Beach, and Orange Park 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 Be Well Fitness.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2025-26 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #3
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 1/4, and total voting points)
1. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (8) (14-1) – 198
2. Bolles (Jacksonville) (3A) (2) (10-4) – 179
3. Wildwood (Rural) (8-2) – 172
4T. Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (6A) (11-4) – 163
4T. Providence (Jacksonville) (2A) (9-3) – 163
6. Williston (Rural) (9-2) – 157
7. Newberry (3A) (11-1) – 133
8. Ponte Vedra (5A) (12-3) – 123
9. New Smyrna Beach (5A) (7-5) – 114
10. Orange Park (5A) (11-3) – 111
11. Springstead (Spring Hill) (5A) (12-3) – 97
12. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (8-5) – 85
13. The Villages Charter (3A) (10-5) – 84
14. San Jose Prep (Jacksonville) (2A) (12-7) – 78
15. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (11-5) – 68
16. Hilliard (Rural) (9-4) – 67
17. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (6A) (8-4) – 18
18. Eustis (4A) (9-4) – 14
19. Buchholz (Gainesville) (6A) (8-4) – 13
20. Leesburg (5A) (6-4) – 12
Also receiving votes: Fleming Island (Orange Park) (5A) (10-5) – 9; Chiefland (Rural) (10-1) – 8; Gainesville (5A) (7-5) – 7; North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (1A) (5-8) – 6; Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (3A) (9-7) – 6; DeLand (7A) (8-6) – 5; Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (2A) (5-4) – 3; Forest (Ocala) (6A) (7-4) – 3; Fort White (Rural) (8-5) – 2; Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (3A) – 2.
