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Leesburg still No. 1 in regional all-classification rankings
GAINESVILLE – The win streak is up to 15 for the No. 4 overall team in the state according to MaxPreps.
Class 6A Leesburg finished off another 3-0 week that began with a 78-62 win against previous No. 15 Wildwood. The Yellow Jackets (18-1) received all seven first-place votes to hold on to the top spot of The Prep Zone Power Poll heading into their final four games of the regular season.
Palatka remained second in the all-classification regional rankings. The Class 6A Panthers (19-0) defeated Class 9A Flagler Palm Coast, 57-45, to stay unbeaten.
The Villages (14-2) remained third and Creekside (St. Johns) is still fourth. However, Gainesville dropped from fifth to 10th following a 73-53 loss to rival Eastside.
With the victory against 7A GHS (15-5), the Class 6A Rams (14-4) moved up six spots and into a tie for fifth with Providence (Jacksonville), which moved up three spots following a 2-0 week.
Atlantic (Port Orange) and Hawthorne are tied for seventh, while Nature Coast (Brooksville) and GHS round out the top 10.
Class 9A DeLand and 2A North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) fell out of the rankings following losses, paving the way for Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) and Mainland (Daytona Beach), who are tied for 20th.
Class 5A Jackson (12-8) went 4-0, including a 55-28 win against No. 16 Raines (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. It is powered by Strive Fitness.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2017-18 BOYS BASKETBALL POLL #6
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 1/23, and total voting points)
1. Leesburg (6A) (7) (18-1) – 140
2. Palatka (6A) (19-0) – 132
3. The Villages (5A) (14-2) – 123
4. Creekside (St. Johns) (8A) (16-3) – 115
5T. Providence (Jacksonville) (4A) (14-5) – 97
5T. Eastside (Gainesville) (6A) (14-4) – 97
7T. Atlantic (Port Orange) (7A) (16-4) – 95
7T. Hawthorne (1A) (15-4) – 95
9. Nature Coast (Brooksville) (6A) (20-1) – 94
10. Gainesville (7A) (15-5) – 82
11. Englewood (Jacksonville) (7A) (16-3) – 70
12. Madison County (1A) (16-2) – 56
13. First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (16-4) – 49
14. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (16-4) – 47
15. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (6A) (14-5) – 44
16. Raines (Jacksonville) (5A) (15-6) – 33
17. Wildwood (1A) (12-5) – 32
18. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (5A) (14-5) – 20
19. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (8A) (13-5) – 18
20T. Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (5A) (12-8) – 8
20T. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (7A) (11-6) – 8
Also receiving votes: DeLand (9A) (14-6) – 6; Orange Park (6A) (13-6) – 4; Springstead (Spring Hill) (7A) (14-6) – 2; Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (13-6) – 2; North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (2A) (13-6) – 1.
