Gainesville – High school football in North Central Florida is so good, that there is still some doubt about who the top team is – in the Prep Zone Power Poll.
However, after convincing wins against Gainesville, Lincoln (Tallahassee) and unbeaten Buchholz (Gainesville), the Class 6A Columbia (Lake City) Tigers (3-0) remain the best going into Week #4. Columbia received six of the seven first-place votes and one second-place vote in garnering the top spot in this week’s poll.
Despite no first-place votes, Bolles (Jacksonville), the 4A state runner-up and 2011 state champion, is ranked second and making a case for who is best following a convincing 50-14 win against previous No. 17 North Marion (Sparr) (2-1) on Friday night. Last week, the ‘Dogs (3-0), who got five touchdowns in the first half from Dexter Carter, Jr., including a 100-yard interception return, beat 8A DeLand.
Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), which is ranked third, received the other first-place vote and three second-place votes. The Class 3A Conquerors (2-0) will get tested this week with a road game at 4A Madison County (1-2), which dropped nine spots from eighth to No. 17 following a 20-12 loss at 6A Gainesville. The win moved the ‘Canes (2-1) up four spots from 16th to 12th.
Mainland (Daytona Beach) also remained unbeaten. The Bucs (3-0) defeated Lake Wales, 42-10, and moved up one spot from fifth to fourth, followed by Fletcher (Neptune Beach). The Senators (2-1) also moved up one spot from sixth to fifth, following a 31-24 win against previous No. 11 Sandalwood (2-1), which dropped three spots to 14th in this week’s poll.
Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville), which is 3-0 for the first time in school history, is in the poll for the first time this season at No. 20, along with newcomers Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) (2-0) and Dixie County (Cross City) (3-0) at 18th and 19th, 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, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters.
PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2013 FOOTBALL POLL #4
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, record and total voting points)
1. Columbia (Lake City) (6) (6A) (3-0) – 139
2. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (3-0) – 129
3. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (1) (3A) (2-0) – 128
4. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (3-0) – 118
5. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (2-1) – 106
6. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (3-0) – 100
7. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (2-1) – 94
8. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (3-0) – 89
9. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (2-1) – 78
10. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (1-0) – 75
11. First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (2-1) – 73
12. Gainesville (6A) (2-1) – 65
13. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (3-0) – 64
14. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (2-1) – 47
15. St. Augustine (6A) (2-1) – 39
16. Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (3-0) – 29
17. Madison County (4A) (1-2) – 28
18. Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) (6A) (2-0) – 15
19. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (3-0) – 12
20. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (3-0) – 8
Also receiving votes: Citrus (Inverness) (6A) (3-0) – 6; Ed White (Jacksonville) (6A) (2-1) – 6; Trenton (1A) (1-1) – 6; Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (2-1) – 5; North Marion (Sparr) (5A) (2-1) – 4; Ponte Vedra (5A) (2-1) – 2; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (2-0) – 2; Fort White (4A) (2-0) – 2; Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (2-1) – 1.
