Top-ranked team in 6A tops the poll
Gainesville – In a match-up of highly ranked teams, the top team in the Prep Zone Power Poll prevailed and remained No. 1 in this week’s poll.
Mainland (Daytona Beach), ranked No. 1 in the Class 6A state poll, rallied from a 30-28 halftime deficit to defeat 5A No. 2 American Heritage (Plantation), 42-30, the defending 5A state champion. The Bucs (5-0) collected seven of the nine first-place votes.
Defending 3A state champion Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) remained second. The Conquerors (3-1) were idle but recently picked up a forfeit win against Champagnat Catholic. They received the other two first-place votes.
First Coast (Jacksonville) quarterback De’Andre Johnson passed Tim Tebow in career scoring passes with 7 TDs (100 career) as the Bucs defeated Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville), 54-17, and remained third. This Friday, the Bucs (4-0) travel to Mandarin (4-1), which is receiving votes in this week’s poll, for a key Class 8A-District 1 game
Following their 28th consecutive regular season victory, South Sumter (Bushnell) remained fourth. The Raiders (5-0) posted their third shutout of the season in a 38-0 win over Central (Brooksville).
St. Augustine moved up two spots to fifth following a loss by previous No. 5 Clay (Green Cove Springs). The Yellow Jackets (5-0) defeated Ponte Vedra, 35-14, while the 5A Blue Devils (4-1) lost to 7A Oakleaf (Orange Park), 35-21, which put the Knights in the poll for the first time this season at No. 15.
Oakleaf is 5-0 for the first time in school history.
Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (3-1) is ranked sixth, while Bolles (Jacksonville) (4-1), Clay, Columbia (Lake City) (4-1) and Dixie County (Cross City) (4-0) round out the top 10.
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) fell out of the 10 after a narrow 45-42 defeat to Clearwater Central Catholic, the top-ranked team in Class 3A. The Celtics (3-1) had a 14-0 lead in the first quarter but the Marauders rallied on the road to get the victory.
Hamilton County (Jasper) enters the poll for the first time at No. 20. The Trojans (4-1) knocked previous No. 15 Union County out of the poll with a 31-21 upset of the Tigers (4-1) in Lake Butler.
Class 4A Madison County (3-2), previously ranked 20th, fell out of the poll following a 58-37 loss at 6A Pace.
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 #6
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, overall record and total voting points)
1. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (7) (6A) (5-0) – 178
2. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (2) (3A) (3-1) – 168
3. First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (4-0) – 166
4. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (5-0) – 154
5. St. Augustine (6A) (5-0) – 140
6. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (3-1) – 137
7. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (4-1) – 107
8. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (4-1) – 101
9. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (4-1) – 100
10. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (4-0) – 91
11. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (3-1) – 82
12. University (Orange City) (8A) (5-0) – 80
13. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (3-0) – 71
14. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (4-0) – 68
15. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (7A) (5-0) – 50
16. South Lake (Groveland) (6A) (5-0) – 43
17. Trenton (1A) (4-1) – 30
18. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (3-2) – 29
19. Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (4-1) – 28
20. Hamilton County (Jasper) (1A) (4-1) – 25
Also receiving votes: Ed White (Jacksonville) (6A) (4-1) – 19; Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (5-0) – 10; Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (4-1) – 7; Lee (Jacksonville) (6A) (5-0) – 3; Mandarin (Jacksonville) (8A) (4-1) – 1; Ribault (Jacksonville) (5A) (3-1) – 1; Dunnellon (5A) (4-1) – 1.
