Gainesville – The lead at the top of the softball Prep Zone Power Poll is getting smaller.
Creekside (St. Johns) remained No. 1, but #2 North Marion (Citra) is closing the gap.
The Knights (15-1) received five of the seven first-place votes to earn top billing, but the Colts (14-1) received the other two and trail by only two voting points, 137-135. Both Class 5A teams are also ranked in the top 10 of the Miracle Sports All-classification state poll.
Bradford (Starke), which was off last week, remained third. The Tornadoes (14-0) are the only unbeaten team remaining in the poll.
Another 5A team, Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (14-3), is tied with 3A Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (17-3) for fourth, to round out the top five.
PK Yonge (Gainesville) (18-2) moved up one spot to sixth, followed by Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (17-1), Belleview (13-5), St. Augustine (15-3) and Lafayette (Mayo) (13-3) in the top 10.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, basketball and baseball 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 SOFTBALL POLL #3
(School, followed by classification, record through March 25, first-place votes and total voting points)
1. Creekside (St. Johns) (5A) (15-1) (5) – 137
2. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (14-1) (2) – 135
3. Bradford (Starke) (4A) (14-0) – 126
4T Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (5A) (14-3) – 109
4T Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (3A) (17-3) – 109
6. PK Yonge (Gainesville) (3A) (18-2) – 104
7. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (17-1) – 96
8. Belleview (5A) (13-5) – 87
9. St. Augustine (6A) (15-3) – 75
10. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (13-3) – 70
11. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (15-3) – 68
12. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (6A) (13-4) – 61
13. Forest (Ocala) (7A) (11-4) – 59
14. Ponte Vedra (5A) (13-3) – 52
15. The Villages (1A) (17-2) – 44
16. East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (12-4) – 42
17. Baldwin (1A) (13-3) – 35
18T Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (8-4) – 14
18T Hernando (Brooksville) (5A) (12-2) – 14
20T Keystone Heights (4A) (8-5) – 13
20T Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (14-4) – 13
Also receiving votes: Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (13-7) – 2; Montverde Academy (3A) (14-6) – 2; Aucilla Christian (Monticello) (2A) (8-3) – 1; Deltona (6A) (11-1) – 1; Hernando Christian (2A) (12-2) – 1.
