Mainland still No. 1; Bucs are one of two #1-ranked teams in the top five
Gainesville – The north part of the state continues to hold its own in several classifications, and half of the eight classes are represented in the top five of the Prep Zone Power Poll.
Four of the top five teams in this week’s poll are ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in the state in the Associated Press poll, while another No. 1, Class 1A Dixie County (Cross City), is ranked 10th. A total of eight teams in the Prep Zone Power Poll rankings are also ranked within the top three of the state polls in all but three classifications.
Mainland (Daytona Beach) continues to stay on top. The nationally-ranked Bucs (6-0), ranked #1 in Class 6A, posted their fourth shutout of the season in a 35-0 win against 6A-District 9 foe Deltona. They received seven of the nine first-place votes.
The other two votes went to Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), which was nationally-ranked to begin the season. The defending 3A state champion Conquerors (4-1), ranked second in the state, won their district opener, 49-10, over Episcopal (Jacksonville). They have scored 42 points or more in their three games since being shutout in the season opener in Georgia.
First Coast (Jacksonville) remained third. The Bucs (5-0) are ranked second in the 8A state poll. They edged RV Mandarin (Jacksonville), 13-7, in 8A-District 1 to stay unbeaten.
Despite winning its 29th consecutive regular season game, South Sumter (Bushnell) dropped from fourth to fifth in this week’s poll following a narrow 14-6 win over Pasco (Dade City) in 5A-District 6. The Raiders (6-0), the top-ranked team in Class 5A, continue to get it done with defense, allowing an average of just 3.7 points per game.
St. Augustine leap-frogged the Raiders following a 58-0 win over rival Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach) in 6A-District 4. The Yellow Jackets (6-0), who tied a state record with their 45th straight district win, moved up one spot to fourth in this week’s poll.
Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (4-1) is ranked sixth, followed by Bolles (Jacksonville) (4-1), Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5-1), Columbia (Lake City) (5-1) and Dixie County (Cross City) (5-0) in the top 10. Those five positions remained the same.
The only team in the top 20 to lose last week was University (Orange City), which tumbled seven spots from 12th to No. 19 in this week’s poll. It was the first loss of the season for the Titans (5-1), who were edged by DeLand, 7-6, in 8A-District 2.
Dunnellon, which has won five games in a row since a season-opening loss to 8A West Port (Ocala), is one of two teams receiving votes in this week’s poll. The Tigers (5-1), who defeated Belleview, 45-7, travel to No. 16 North Marion in a battle of 3-0 teams in Class 5A-District 5.
The other team receiving votes is Ed White (Jacksonville), which has also won five in a row. The Commanders (5-1) travel to No. 9 Columbia (Lake City) in another battle for first place in Class 6A-District 3.
Other big games this week include: #8 Clay at #4 St. Augustine; 5A No. 4 American Heritage (Plantation) at #7 Bolles; No. 2 Trinity Christian hosts 5A No. 8 Godby (Tallahassee); and, No. 17 Hamilton County hosts No. 10 Dixie County in a match-up of the top two teams in Class 1A.
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 #7
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, overall record and total voting points)
1. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (7) (6A) (6-0) – 178
2. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (2) (3A) (4-1) – 173
3. First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (5-0) – 156
4. St. Augustine (6A) (6-0) – 149
5. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (6-0) – 141
6. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (4-1) – 132
7. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (4-1) – 117
8. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (5-1) – 113
9. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (5-1) – 98
10. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (5-0) – 95
11. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (5-0) – 85
12T Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (4-1) – 83
12T Oakleaf (Orange Park) (7A) (6-0) – 83
14. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (4-0) – 82
15. South Lake (Groveland) (6A) (5-0) – 55
16. North Marion (Citra) (5A) (4-2) – 30
17. Hamilton County (Jasper) (1A) (5-1) – 29
18. Trenton (1A) (5-1) – 26
19. University (Orange City) (8A) (5-1) – 25
20. Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (5-1) – 21
Also receiving votes: Ed White (Jacksonville) (6A) (5-1) – 15; Dunnellon (5A) (5-1) – 4.
