GAINESVILLE – Last year, Williston posted back-to-back 4-0 shutouts over Paxon and Chipley to win the Class 1A state title.
Despite no wins against the top 20 this season, the Red Devils posted identical shutouts against 6A schools Vanguard (Ocala) and Gainesville on April 9th & 10th. Then, last week, they completed a two game sweep of defending 4A state champion Trinity Catholic (Ocala) for the second consecutive year.
Now, as they seek back-to-back state titles, Williston will be the top team in the Prep Zone Power Poll heading into postseason play.
The Red Devils (22-2), winners of 14 in a row, will be the top seed in this week’s Class 1A-District 7 tournament, which will be held at receiving votes Chiefland. Williston received all seven first-place votes.
Creekside (St. Johns) was a unanimous second.
The Knights (20-4), who went 3-1 last week, are the top seed in 6A-District 4 and, with a victory on Tuesday, could face No. 3 Bartram Trail (St. Johns) for the district title. The Bears (19-5), who went 3-0 last week with wins against #5 Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) and #14 Bishop Kenny, have yet to beat the Knights this season.
Class 3A University Christian (Jacksonville) benefited from several teams ahead of them losing multiple games. The Fighting Christians (17-6) lost to #12 Sandalwood (Jacksonville), but they defeated #8 Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) for the second time this season and moved up six spots to No. 4. UCS. is the No. 2 seed in 3A-District 4 behind #13 Providence (Jacksonville).
Bolles (Jacksonville) (17-8) is ranked sixth, followed by Buchholz (Gainesville) (17-7), Trinity Christian (17-8) and Fleming Island (Orange Park) (15-8) at No. 9.
Forest (Ocala) dropped seven spots from third to 10th following a 1-3 week. The Wildcats (18-7), the top seed in 6A-District 6, lost at 5A regional finalist North Marion, which is receiving votes, and to Belleview, which is in the rankings for the first time at No. 19 after winning 10 of its last 12 games.
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 #6 NOMINATIONS
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, overall record through 4/20 and total voting points)
1. Williston (1A) (7) (22-2) – 140
2. Creekside (St. Johns) (6A) (20-4) – 133
3. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (19-5) – 126
4. University Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (17-6) – 103
5. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (18-6) – 102
6. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (17-8) – 97
7. Buchholz (Gainesville) (7A) (17-7) – 93
8. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (17-8) – 92
9. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (7A) (15-8) – 89
10. Forest (Ocala) (6A) (18-7) – 86
11. South Sumter (Bushnell) (4A) (15-6) – 75
12. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (17-6) – 72
13. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (15-9) – 55
14. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (15-9) – 54
15. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (19-4) – 37
16. Westside (Jacksonville) (6A) (17-5) – 31
17. St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) (3A) (13-2) – 28
18. Eustis (5A) (16-7) – 12
19T Trinity Christian (Deltona) (2A) (17-8) – 11
19T Belleview (5A) (12-6) – 11
Also receiving votes: Hernando (Brooksville) (5A) (17-8) – 6; Umatilla (5A) (12-6) – 5; Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (15-7) – 4; Keystone Heights (4A) (17-8) – 3; Taylor (Pierson) (1A) (15-6) – 3; Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (13-9) – 2; Chiefland (1A) (15-5) – 1; Menendez (St. Augustine) (5A) (16-7) – 1; Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (14-10) – 1.
