Jacksonville district foes Trinity Christian & Providence remain 1-2 in the regional rankings
GAINESVILLE – The defending 4A state champion Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) baseball team remained No. 1 in the Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Conquerors (9-0) received all eight first-place votes in the regional rankings. They will be tested this weekend at the Tournament of Champions with games against defending 1A state champion Williston, ranked 16th regionally, and nationally-ranked Westminster Christian (Miami).
Trinity Christian will also face Bishop Verot (Ft. Myers), who they defeated 6-4 in last year’s 4A title game to win their first state baseball title.
Right behind them is district rival Providence. The Stallions (9-0), who will travel to Trinity Christian on April 1 for a key 4A-District 2 contest, will also play in the Tournament of Champions in Jacksonville.
Bolles (Jacksonville) and North Marion (Citra) are tied for third. The Class 5A Bulldogs & 6A Colts are both 9-1.
Rounding out the top five is University (Orange City), last year’s 8A state runners-up. The Titans (7-0-1) have yet to lose but tied DeLand, 4-4, on Friday.
Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7-2) and Creekside (St. Johns) (8-2), who are tied for sixth, are also district rivals and compete in 7A-District 4, along with Nease (Ponte Vedra). The Panthers (8-2) moved up five spots to 15th following their fourth win in a row.
Forest (Ocala) (6-2), Buchholz (Gainesville) (7-3) and South Sumter (Bushnell) (9-1) round out the top 10.
Oakleaf is in the poll for the first time at No. 17. The Knights (7-3) lost their first three games – at #6 Creekside, 3-2, at #12 Clay (Green Cove Springs), 9-6, and at Palatka, 10-7, but they have won seven in a row since.
Yulee (9-1) and Gainesville (10-3) enter the poll for the first time at Nos. 18 and 20, respectively.
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 #3
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record through 3/5 and total voting points)
1. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (8) (9-0) – 160
2. Providence (Jacksonville) (4A) (9-0) – 152
3T North Marion (Citra) (6A) (9-1) – 139
3T Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (9-1) – 139
5. University (Orange City) (9A) (7-0-1) – 129
6T Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (7-2) – 114
6T Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (8-2) –114
8. Forest (Ocala) (8A) (6-2) – 100
9. Buchholz (Gainesville) (8A) (7-3) – 81
10. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (9-1) – 76
11. Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (6A) (9-1) – 72
12. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (6A) (7-3) – 71
13. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (8A) (6-2) – 67
14. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (8-2) – 58
15. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (7A) (8-2) – 38
16. Williston (1A) (5-3) – 29
17. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (8A) (7-3) – 23
18. Yulee (5A) (9-1) – 21
19. East Ridge (Clermont) (8A) (9-2) – 20
20T Mandarin (Jacksonville) (9A) (4-3) – 12
20T Gainesville (7A) (10-3) – 12
Also receiving votes: Deltona (7A) (7-2) – 11; Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (6-4) – 8; Nature Coast (Brooksville) (5A) (9-1) – 6; Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (4-4) – 6; Belleview (6A) (11-1) – 4; Eustis (5A) (8-1) – 4; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (8-2) – 4; Ponte Vedra (6A) (6-5) – 3; St. John Lutheran (Ocala) (2A) (10-1) – 2; Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (5-2) – 2; Madison County (1A) (7-2) – 2; Chiefland (1A) (7-3) –1.
