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Class 9A state champion Spruce Creek (Port Orange) soars to the top
GAINESVILLE — Of the nine FHSAA Girls Basketball state champions crowned this season, two were from the area.
And one of them was selected as the top overall team in the all-classification regional rankings.
Class 9A state champion Spruce Creek (Port Orange) is the top team in The Prep Zone Power Poll’s final rankings for 2017-18. The Hawks (27-5) went 18-1 in 2018, including a 5-0 mark in the postseason.
They defeated Miami High, 44-43, in the 9A state championship game at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland to win their first state title in school history. They also defeated Oak Ridge (Orlando), 65-44, in the state semifinals, and previous No. 4 Flagler Palm Coast, 44-43, in the Region 1-9A semifinals.
Spruce Creek, which is ranked in the top 10 of MaxPrep’s all-classification state rankings, received five of the seven first-place votes to finish ahead of No. 2 Nease (Ponte Vedra).
The Panthers (26-4) dropped one spot after finishing 2-1 in the postseason, falling at eventual 7A state runner-up Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach), 47-42, in the Region 1-7A final. They also defeated previous No. 6 Gainesville, 71-45, in the Region 1-7A semifinals, and previous RV Forest (Ocala), 67-18, in the Region 1-7A quarterfinals.
Nease, which received the other two first-place votes, defeated Spruce Creek by 20 on Dec. 9 at the Flagler Palm Coast Shootout. However, the Hawks’ title carried more weight to earn the overall No. 1 vote.
Wildwood, which won its second straight Class 1A state title, moved up two spots and finished third. The Wildcats (25-6), who had wins against #10 Trenton and #13 Lafayette (Mayo) in the postseason, and at No. 9 P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) on Feb. 1, haven’t lost to a Class 1A team in two years.
Class 5A state semifinalist Fernandina Beach dropped two spots to fourth. The Pirates (26-5) lost to eventual state runner-up Lake Highland Prep (Orlando), 55-37, in the state semifinals.
Rounding out the top five is Ponte Vedra.
The Sharks (24-6) moved up three spots following a 4-1 record in the postseason, which concluded with a 59-33 loss to 6A No. 1 American Heritage (Plantation), 59-33, in the state championship game.
Flagler Palm Coast defeated Spruce Creek in the 9A-District 1 championship game but lost by one in the 2nd round of the state playoffs, dropping the Bulldogs (18-6) two spots from fourth to sixth. They are followed in the top 10 by Class 7A state semifinalist Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (26-5), #8 Gainesville (21-7), Class 4A semifinalist P.K. Yonge (19-8) and No. 10 Trenton (25-3).
Class 2A state semifinalist Aucilla Christian (Monticello) (22-6) and 2A state runner-up Calvary Christian (Ormond Beach) enter the final rankings at 18th and 20th, respectively.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 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 and it is powered by Strive Fitness.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2017-2018 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #7 (FINAL POLL)
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, final record, and total voting points)
1. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (5) (27-5) – 138
2. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (7A) (2) (26-4) – 130
3. Wildwood (1A) (25-6) – 126
4. Fernandina Beach (5A) (26-5) – 119
5. Ponte Vedra (6A) (24-6) – 107
6. Flagler Palm Coast (9A) (18-6) – 104
7. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (7A) (26-5) – 93
8. Gainesville (7A) (21-7) – 86
9. P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) (4A) (19-8) – 84
10. Trenton (1A) (25-3) – 77
11. Bartram Trail (8A) (19-11) – 71
12. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (8A) (24-6) – 70
13. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (21-8) – 66
14. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (6A) (18-10) – 35
15. Newberry (5A) (20-7) – 31
16. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (7A) (20-8) – 27
17. Weeki Wachee (6A) (25-3) – 25
18. Aucilla Christian (Monticello) (2A) (22-6) – 16
19. Ribault (Jacksonville) (6A) (15-15) – 13
20T. Calvary Christian (Ormond Beach) (2A) (13-14) – 12
20T. Eastside (Gainesville) (6A) (17-8) – 12
Also receiving votes: First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (18-8) – 11; Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (17-3) – 9; University Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (21-7) – 4; Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (16-10) – 2; Oakleaf (Orange Park) (8A) (21-5) – 1; Belleview (6A) (18-9) – 1.
