Nationally-ranked teams Oakleaf (Orange Park) & Gainesville remain 1-2 in the regional softball rankings
Gainesville – Everything is status quo at the top of the Prep Zone Power Poll for softball.
Oakleaf (Orange Park) remained a unanimous No. 1 ahead of #2 Gainesville, as well they should be. The Knights (16-0) beat GHS head-to-head, 2-1.
But the Hurricanes (14-1) are a unanimous No. 2 in the regional rankings because both teams are nationally-ranked.
After playing in the same district last season (Oakleaf upset GHS in the district semifinals), they are in separate classifications and could both bring home state titles in May. Oakleaf is ranked #1 in the Class 8A state rankings, while GHS is tied for No. 1 in the Class 7A state poll.
South Sumter (Bushnell) (14-1), ranked second in the state in Class 5A, moved up one spot to third. The Raiders’ only loss was at #16 Eustis, 3-2.
Rounding out the top five are 6A #3 Belleview (13-2) and West Nassau (Callahan). The 15-4 Warriors are ranked fourth in 5A.
Ponte Vedra (14-3) is ranked sixth, followed by Deltona (12-2), Chiefland (14-1), Clay (Green Cove Springs) (12-3) and Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (11-5) in the top 10.
Springstead (Spring Hill) made the biggest jump in the rankings. The Eagles (16-1) went from receiving votes to No. 14 following the Leopard Slam V championship in Brooksville. They defeated No. 11 Nature Coast (Brooksville), 1-0, in the championship game.
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 SOFTBALL POLL #5
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 3/20, and total voting points)
1. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (8A) (8) (16-0) – 160
2. Gainesville (7A) (14-1) – 152
3. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (14-1) – 139
4. Belleview (6A) (13-2) – 136
5. West Nassau (Callahan) (5A) (15-4) – 127
6. Ponte Vedra (6A) (14-3) – 115
7. Deltona (7A) (12-2) – 108
8. Chiefland (1A) (14-1) – 97
9. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (6A) (12-3) – 92
10. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (11-5) – 86
11. Nature Coast (Brooksville) (5A) (17-2) – 79
12. Forest (Ocala) (8A) (12-8) – 70
13. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (12-3) – 65
14. Springstead (Spring Hill) (6A) (16-1) – 57
15. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (10-4) – 50
16. Eustis (5A) (13-3) – 42
17. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (14-4) – 34
18. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (13-5) – 22
19. Aucilla Christian (Monticello) (2A) (6-4) – 14
20. University Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (13-4) – 11
Also receiving votes: Mandarin (Jacksonville) (9A) (13-3) – 10; Fort White (1A) (14-0) – 9; Montverde Academy (4A) (14-3) – 4; Trenton (1A) (11-4) – 1.
