Gainesville – As we near the midpoint of the season, Columbia (Lake City) continues to represent the area on top of the Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Tigers (5-0), ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press 6A state poll behind nationally-ranked Miami Central, pushed their margin of victory to 37.8 points per game following a 59-0 win against Englewood (Jacksonville). It was the first shutout of the season for Columbia, which received six of the seven first-place votes.
Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) received the other first-place vote and remained No. 2 following a dominant performance against defending 2A state champion University Christian (Jacksonville), which dropped seven spots from eighth to 15th following a 39-0 loss against the Conquerors (4-0). In successive wins against St. Augustine, Warner Christian (South Daytona), Madison County and UCS, all teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in this week’s poll, Trinity Christian’s defense is only allowing 2.75 points per game.
Raines (Jacksonville), which rallied from a 31-10 deficit at home to defeat No. 6 Bolles (Jacksonville) a couple of weeks ago and also has a win against No. 7 First Coast (Jacksonville), moved up one spot to No. 3. The Vikings (3-1) were off last week but will get tested again when they travel to No. 4 Fletcher (Neptune Beach) on October 11.
Meanwhile, the Senators (3-1), who moved up one spot from fifth, have a tough three-game stretch following a 34-0 win against Creekside (St. Johns). Fletcher hosts Atlantic Coast and Raines in back-to-back weeks, followed by a key district game at unbeaten No. 10 Fleming Island (Orange Park) on Thursday, Oct. 17.
South Sumter (Bushnell) rounds out the top five following a 69-0 win over Central (Brooksville). No one has been able to challenge the Raiders (5-0) yet as South Sumter has outscored its opponents, 249-29, for a 44-point margin of victory per game.
Bolles (4-1), First Coast (3-1), Mainland (Daytona Beach) (4-1), Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (3-0) and Fleming Island (5-0) round out the top 10.
Ed White (Jacksonville), which enters the poll for the first time at No. 19, is off this week, but the Commanders (4-1) host #1 Columbia next week for the 6A-District 3 lead.
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 #6
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, record and total voting points)
1. Columbia (Lake City) (6) (6A) (5-0) – 139
2. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (1) (3A) (4-0) – 134
3. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (3-1) – 124
4. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (3-1) – 116
5. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (5-0) – 110
6. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (4-1) – 101
7. First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (3-1) – 96
8. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (4-1) – 90
9. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (3-0) – 89
10. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (5-0) – 80
11. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (4-1) – 67
12. Gainesville (6A) (3-1) – 65
13. St. Augustine (6A) (4-1) – 51
14. Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) (6A) (4-0) – 42
15. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (3-2) – 38
16. Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (5-0) – 37
17. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (3-0) – 19
18. Citrus (Inverness) (6A) (4-0) – 18
19. Ed White (Jacksonville) (6A) (4-1) – 16
20. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (3-2) – 15
Also receiving votes: Madison County (4A) (2-3) – 8; Chiefland (1A) (5-0) – 6; Warner Christian (South Daytona) (2A) (4-1) – 5; Fort White (4A) (3-0) – 2; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (4-0) – 2.
