Defending state champion Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) remains No. 1 in the all-classification regional baseball rankings
GAINESVILLE – There was a little movement at the top of the Prep Zone Power Poll as two of the top five teams suffered setbacks.
Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) remained No. 1 in the all-classification regional rankings following a 3-0 week. The defending state champion Conquerors (8-0) received all seven first-place votes.
However, Providence (Jacksonville) took advantage of a pair of losses by previous No. 2 Creekside (St. Johns) and No. 3 Buchholz (Gainesville), and leap-frogged their way to second in this week’s rankings.
The Knights (5-2) dropped six spots to eighth following the 1-2 week, with both losses coming to Nease (Ponte Vera), which is popped into the rankings at No. 20. Meanwhile, the Bobcats (5-2) lost at Suwannee (Live Oak) on Friday following an 18-0 win over P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) the previous day. Last Tuesday, Buchholz lost to Keystone Heights, 5-2, in nine innings. They tumbled seven spots to No 10.
Previous No. 4 Bartram Trail (St. Johns) swept St. Augustine and moved up one spot to third, while Bolles (Jacksonville) moved into the top five. The ‘Dogs (6-1) defeated Savannah Christian (GA) and previous #9 Clay (Green Cove Springs) and moved up three spots to fifth.
Class 9A University (Orange City) went 3-0, including a win against previous No. 16 Deltona. The Titans (5-0) moved up four spots to sixth. They are followed by Forest (Ocala) (5-1), which remained seventh, Creekside, Mandarin (Jacksonville) (4-0) and Buchholz in the top 10.
Deltona (3-2) was the only team to drop out of the rankings.
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.
PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2016 BASEBALL POLL #2
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record through 2/28 and total voting points)
1. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (7) (8-0) – 140
2. Providence (Jacksonville) (4A) (7-0) – 130
3. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (6-1) – 126
4. North Marion (Citra) (6A) (7-1) – 117
5. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (6-1) – 103
6. University (Orange City) (9A) (5-0) – 102
7. Forest (Ocala) (8A) (5-1) – 95
8. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (5-2) – 87
9. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (9A) (4-0) – 82
10. Buchholz (Gainesville) (8A) (5-2) – 79
11. Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (6A) (7-0) – 67
12. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (8A) (5-1) – 61
13. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (6-1) – 59
14. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (6A) (5-3) – 40
15. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (6-1) – 35
16. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (4-3) – 27
17. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (3-3) – 18
18. Williston (1A) (3-3) – 17
19. East Ridge (Clermont) (8A) (8-1) – 14
20. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (7A) (6-2) – 13
Also receiving votes: Palatka (5A) (5-1) – 10; Gainesville (7A) (7-3) – 8; Central (Brooksville) (5A) (6-1) – 8; Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (4-2) – 7; Yulee (5A) (8-0) – 6; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (6-1) – 5; Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (5-1) – 5; Chiefland (1A) (5-2) – 4; Deltona (7A) (3-2) – 2; Nature Coast (Brooksville) (5A) (6-1) – 1; New Smyrna Beach (7A) (5-2) – 1; St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) (3A) (4-0) – 1.
