Bartram Trail (St. Johns) remains unanimous #1 team in regional rankings as playoffs begin this week
GAINESVILLE — It’s time for the second season of high school football in Florida.
And for one team in The Prep Zone Power Poll, they have won more than anyone else and remain on top.
But now it’s win or go home.
Bartram Trail (St. Johns) finished its first perfect regular season in school history with a 38-15 romp over then-#13 Raines (Jacksonville).
The Bears (10-0) received all 10 first-place votes to remain at the top of the all-classification regional rankings. Bartram Trail is the #2 seed in Region 1-8A and plays a regional quarterfinal this Friday against Spruce Creek (Port Orange).
Madison County remains 2nd.
The Cowboys (8-2) finished off their regular season with a 34-13 win over a 7A playoff team, Crestview. They have won the last two 1A state titles, and the Cowboys have a bye as the #1 seed in Region 3-1A.
Madison County will open regional play at home on November 15 against the winner of this week’s game between Hilliard and Branford.
Dunnellon remains 3rd. The Tigers finished a 9-1 regular season with a 27-7 win over RV Trinity Catholic (Ocala).
They open up the 5A playoffs this week in a rematch against #5 North Marion (Citra) in a Region 2 quarterfinal. The Tigers defeated the Colts 20-14 just two weeks ago in a contest that clinched the District 6-5A title for Dunnellon.
Fleming Island (Orange Park) moves up two spots and into the top five at #4. The Golden Eagles (9-0) finished a perfect regular season by blasting rival Orange Park 44-6.
Fleming Island, which is the only other unbeaten team in The Prep Zone Power Poll other than #1 Bartram Trail, opens the 7A playoffs in a regional quarterfinal against Wekiva (Apopka).
North Marion rounds out the top five.
The defending 5A state runner-up Colts finished an 8-2 regular season with a 41-34 win at then #4 Columbia (Lake City). North Marion moves up a spot from the previous poll.
Columbia drops down four slots to #8, as the Tigers (7-3) have dropped three of their last four games heading into the postseason. They travel to #13 Ponte Vedra this week in a Region 1-6A quarterfinal.
Vanguard falls a spot to #6 despite finishing the regular season 7-2 with a 48-10 win at rival Forest (Ocala). The Knights hit the road to start the 5A playoffs at RV Menendez (St. Augustine), which won its first district title in school history this season.
DeLand moves from 9th a week ago to 7th in this poll after rolling over Seabreeze (Daytona Beach), 38-3. The Bulldogs (7-2) travel to Timber Creek (Orlando) in a Region 1-8A quarterfinal on Friday.
Following Columbia this week at #9 are the Bolles (Jacksonville) Bulldogs.
Bolles (8-1) moves up a spot to ninth after a 21-10 win at RV Mainland (Daytona Beach). They have won eight in a row after an opening-week loss to #12 University Christian (Jacksonville).
The ‘Dogs have a bye this week as the #1 seed in Region 1-4A.
Rounding out the top 10 is Trinity Christian (Jacksonville).
The Conquerors (5-5) stay put after a bye in week 11. Trinity Christian travels to Ocala for a Region 1-3A quarterfinal at RV Trinity Catholic (Ocala).
Moving back into the poll this week are #18 Westside (Jacksonville) and #20 South Sumter (Bushnell).
Westside finished the regular season 8-2 with a 43-8 win over Dixie County (Cross City) and opens the Region 1-5A quarterfinals at #16 Raines (Jacksonville), which has won the last two 4A state titles.
South Sumter (8-2) closed out the regular slate with a 44-29 triumph at P.K. Yonge (Gainesville).
The Raiders have a bye as the #2 seed in Region 2-4A and open the playoffs on November 15 against the winner of this week’s game between RV The Villages and Cypress Creek (Orlando).
Falling out of the poll are Mainland (Daytona Beach) and Trinity Catholic.
Both teams open with playoff games at home, as Mainland opens the 6A playoffs against Booker T. Washington (Pensacola).
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 Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2019 FOOTBALL POLL #12
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record, and total voting points)
1. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (8A) (10) (10-0) – 200
2. Madison County (1A) (8-2) – 184
3. Dunnellon (5A) (9-1) – 180
4. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (9-0) – 156
5. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (8-2) – 154
6. Vanguard (Ocala) (5A) (7-2) – 146
7. DeLand (8A) (7-2) – 130
8. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (7-3) – 128
9. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (8-1) – 126
10. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (5-5) – 116
11. Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (8-2) – 88
12. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (9-1) – 87
13. Ponte Vedra (6A) (7-2) – 78
14. Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville) (6A) (7-3) – 65
15. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (8A) (7-3) – 58
16. Raines (Jacksonville) (5A) (5-4) – 41
17. Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (5A) (7-2) – 39
18. Westside (Jacksonville) (5A) (8-2) – 20
19. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (8A) (7-3) – 19
20. South Sumter (Bushnell) (4A) (8-2) – 12
Also receiving votes: Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (5-4) – 11; Lake Minneola (Minneola) (6A) (7-3) – 7; Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (7-3) – 6; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (9-1) – 4; Menendez (St. Augustine) (5A) (7-2) – 4; The Villages (4A) (7-2) 4; Springstead (Spring Hill) (6A) (9-1) – 3; West Nassau (Callahan) (4A) (8-2) 3; Ribault (Jacksonville) (5A) (4-5) – 2; Keystone Heights (4A) (7-2) – 1.
