Top-ranked Williston hasn’t lost since March 13
GAINESVILLE – The top-ranked team in the Prep Zone Power Poll just keeps on winning.
Defending 1A state champion Williston remained No. 1 in the regional baseball rankings. The Red Devils (18-2) have not lost since a 3-2 defeat in eight innings to defending 3A state champion North Florida Christian (Tallahassee) on March 13.
Following wins against previous No. 9 Providence (Jacksonville) and No. 20 Baker County (Glen St. Mary), the Creekside (St. Johns) Knights moved up one spot to second. The Knights (17-3) are ranked third in the Class 6A state baseball poll.
Another 6A team, Forest (Ocala), is ranked third. The Wildcats (17-4) moved up one spot to third in this week’s rankings despite a 5-2 loss to The First Academy (Orlando), an honorable mention in the 3A state rankings. Forest also posted wins against Dunnellon and Lincoln Park (Fort Pierce).
Bolles (Jacksonville) defeated previous No. 2 Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), which dropped five spots to seventh. The win by the Bulldogs (16-6) helped them jump ahead of the Conquerors in the rankings as they moved up two spots to fourth. Both teams are ranked in the top five of the 4A state poll.
Bartram Trail (St. Johns) rounds out the top five. The Bears (15-5) defeated previous No. 10 Fleming Island (Orange Park), 6-3, as part of a 2-1 week.
South Sumter (Bushnell), which clinched the top seed in Class 4A-District 6, is ranked sixth, followed by Trinity Christian, Buchholz (Gainesville), Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) and University Christian (Jacksonville) in the top 10.
Class 8A Sandalwood (Jacksonville), which defeated previous No. 17 Westside (Jacksonville) to advance to the Gateway Conference championship game, is in the rankings at No. 17.
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 – 2015 BASEBALL POLL #5
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, overall record through 4/8 and total voting points)
1. Williston (1A) (6) (18-2) – 120
2. Creekside (St. Johns) (6A) (17-3) – 114
3. Forest (Ocala) (6A) (17-4) – 100
4. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (16-6) – 99
5. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (15-5) – 98
6. South Sumter (Bushnell) (4A) (12-3) – 88
7. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (15-6) – 87
8. Buchholz (Gainesville) (7A) (15-5) – 85
9. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (16-5) – 64
10. University Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (15-6) – 63
11. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (13-8) – 59
12. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (14-7) – 46
13. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (12-7) – 44
14T Umatilla (5A) (12-3) – 35
14T St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) (3A) (13-1) – 35
16. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (17-3) – 30
17. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (15-5) – 23
18. Keystone Heights (4A) (15-5) – 21
19. Eustis (5A) (14-5) – 19
20. Westside (Jacksonville) (6A) (15-4) – 11
Also receiving votes: Trinity Christian (Deltona) (2A) (14-7) – 9; Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (13-6); Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (10-8) – 3; Chiefland (1A) (12-5) – 3.
