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Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) remains on top of regional all-classification rankings; top 10 stays intact
GAINESVILLE – The cream always rises to the top.
Top-ranked Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) remained No. 1 in The Prep Zone Power Poll, but most of the top 10 also stayed the same.
Several teams in the top 10 have lost to teams who are also in the top 10 of the all-classification regional rankings.
The Class 5A Conquerors (8-0) received all 10 first-place votes following a 35-0 win against Westside (Jacksonville). They also have wins over No. 2 Columbia (Lake City), No. 13 Bolles (Jacksonville) and RV Oakleaf (Orange Park).
The Tigers (6-1), who have a chance to clinch the 7A-District 2 title this week against No. 14 Fletcher (Neptune Beach), cruised to a 57-7 win against Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville). They were a unanimous selection as the No. 2 team, with their only loss coming to No. 1 Trinity Christian.
Vanguard (Ocala) is still third following a 49-28 win against Class 6A-District 5 rival Gainesville. The Knights (7-0) are ranked 3rd in the state in Class 6A in the latest Associated Press state football rankings.
Jacksonville schools Robert E. Lee and Raines round out the top five.
Lee’s (6-1) only loss was at No. 2 Columbia, while the defending 4A state champion Vikings’ (6-1) only loss was to Lee.
Last week, Lee defeated First Coast (Jacksonville), 29-21, and Raines beat previous No. 15 Oakleaf, 40-27.
Defending 1A state champion Madison County remained sixth. The Cowboys (6-1), whose only loss was at No. 2 Columbia, was off last week.
Class 8A schools DeLand and Flagler Palm Coast flip-flopped.
Flagler Palm Coast (7-1) moved up one spot from eighth to seventh following a 24-8 win against Spruce Creek (Port Orange). DeLand (6-1) dropped from 7th to 8th despite a 47-28 win at Lake Mary.
Menendez (St. Augustine) and Ponte Vedra remained ninth and 10th, respectively.
Class 1A Hawthorne, which defeated previous No. 19 Chiefland, jumps into the poll at No. 16. The Hornets (6-0) have one of the state’s most explosive offenses, averaging 57.3 points per game.
Mandarin (Jacksonville) also moves into the top 20 at No. 19 following a 27-7 win in 8A-District 1 against then-#13 Sandalwood (Jacksonville), which dropped out but is still receiving votes. The Mustangs (4-3) are currently in the playoffs with three games left to play.
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 and it is powered by Strive Fitness.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2018 FOOTBALL POLL #9
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, record, and total voting points)
1. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (5A) (10) (8-0) – 200
2. Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (6-1) – 190
3. Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (7-0) – 180
4. Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville) (7A) (6-1) – 166
5. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (6-1) – 160
6. Madison County (1A) (6-1) – 146
7. Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (7-1) – 139
8. DeLand (8A) (6-1) – 134
9. Menendez (St. Augustine) (6-1) – 116
10. Ponte Vedra (5A) (6-1) – 94
11. Baldwin (3A) (7-0) – 92
12. Buchholz (Gainesville) (7A) (5-2) – 86
13. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (5-2) – 83
14. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (6-1) – 60
15. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (5-2) – 50
16. Hawthorne (1A) (6-0) – 34
17. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (5-2) – 33
18. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (6-2) – 30
19. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (8A) (4-3) – 29
20. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (5-3) – 28
Also receiving votes: Oakleaf (Orange Park) (7A) (4-3) – 16; Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (5-2) – 10; Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (4-3) – 10; New Smyrna Beach (6A) (6-1) – 8; Crystal River (5A) (7-1) – 4; Lake Weir (Ocala) (6A) (5-2) – 1; St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) (3A) (8-0) – 1.
