Gainesville – The top two teams flip-flopped in this week’s Prep Zone Power Poll.
Defending Class 3A state champion Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) fell from the top after the nationally-ranked Conquerors (0-1) lost on the road at state power Buford (GA), 17-0. However, they received four of the nine first-place votes and almost held on to the top spot.
But the No. 1 ranking now belongs to Mainland (Daytona Beach), which defeated 8A DeLand, 41-0, on the road. The Class 6A state semifinalist Bucs received the other five first-place votes and edged the Conquerors.
First Coast (Jacksonville), ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Class 8A state poll, rolled over Ribault (Jacksonville), 41-6, and remained third.
South Sumter (Bushnell), which moved up to the No. 1 spot in the AP 5A state poll, remained fourth. The Raiders (1-0), seeking a third consecutive unbeaten regular season, routed Wildwood, 63-0.
Rounding out the top five is Bolles (Jacksonville), which remained fifth following a 44-0 win over Hernando (Brooksville). The ‘Dogs are the defending 4A state runners-up.
In the second five, Class 7A Fletcher (Neptune Beach) is ranked sixth. The Senators (1-0) moved up one spot from seventh following a 54-7 win over Stanton (Jacksonville).
Defending 5A state runner-up Clay (Green Cove Springs) also moved up one spot to seventh after a 25-22 win over previous #11 Fleming Island (Orange Park), which dropped four spots to No. 15.
It took overtime, but Columbia (Lake City) rallied past Gainesville, 44-43. However, the Tigers (1-0), who received 156 yards rushing, four TDs and the winning two-point conversion from Lonnie Underwood, dropped two spots and fell to eighth in this week’s poll.
Defending Class 1A state Trenton extended its home winning streak to 21 games with a 17-14 win over Lafayette (Mayo). The Tigers (1-0) remained ninth, while Raines (Jacksonville) rounds out the top 10. The Vikings (1-0) remained 10th after defeating previous No. 18 Ed White (Jacksonville), 13-7, bouncing the Vikings out of the poll.
Gainesville (0-1), despite the loss, and Sandalwood (Jacksonville), which defeated Creekside (St. Johns), 40-14, enter the poll for the first time at 19th & 20th, respectively.
There are some key games involving top 20 teams this week.
Top-ranked Mainland hosts RV Spruce Creek (Port Orange), No. 2 Trinity Christian visits No. 18 Warner Christian (South Daytona), No. 10 Raines hosts Miami Northwester, and #3 First Coast travels to #6 Fletcher in a match-up of top 10 teams.
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.
Prep Zone Power Poll – 2014 Football Poll #2
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, overall record and total voting points)
1. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (5) (6A) (1-0) – 175
2. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4) (3A) (0-1) – 171
3. First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (1-0) – 165
4. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (1-0) – 152
5. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (1-0) – 145
6. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (1-0) – 126
7. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (1-0) – 125
8. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (1-0) – 113
9. Trenton (1A) (1-0) – 104
10. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (1-0) – 102
11. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (1-0) – 82
12. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (1-0) – 80
13. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (0-0) – 77
14. St. Augustine (6A) (1-0) – 61
15. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (0-1) – 43
16. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (1-0) – 42
17. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (0-1) – 21
18. Warner Christian (South Daytona) (2A) (1-0) – 19
19. Gainesville (6A) (0-1) – 18
20. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (1-0) – 17
Also receiving votes: Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (1-0) – 13; Citrus (Inverness) (6A) (1-0) – 9; Ed White (Jacksonville) (6A) (0-1) – 8; Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (1-0) – 5; Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (1-0) – 5; Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (1-0) – 1; University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (1-0) – 1.
