Class 7A Nease (Ponte Vedra) a unanimous No. 1 in all-classification regional rankings
GAINESVILLE – Nease (Ponte Vedra) remained on top of The Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Panthers (15-1) lost for the first time this season, falling to 8A #1 St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale), 64-62, in the Naples Shootout championship game. However, they also had a 15-point win against 8A #6 Winter Haven.
They have dominant at times, posting a 40-point win at #5 Middleburg and a 42-point victory against No. 13 Bartram Trail (St. Johns). Nease received all seven first-place votes in the all-classification regional rankings.
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) remained second, following a 7-0 record during the holiday break.
The Crusaders (15-1) are ranked No. 1 in the Class 6A state poll by MaxPreps. They have wins this year against #5 Middleburg, #11 Bolles (Jacksonville), #12 Orange Park, and #18 University Christian. Their only loss was by four (54-50) vs. No. 13 Ribault (Jacksonville).
P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) is still No. 3.
The Lady Blue Wave (14-1) also lost for the first time, falling at Bradwell Institute of Georgia by three. But they bounced back to knock off No. 15 Trenton and they defeated previous No. 5 Raines (Jacksonville).
Moving up three spots from seventh to fourth is Sandalwood (Jacksonville). The Saints (10-3), who are ranked 2nd in the MaxPreps 9A state rankings, also had a win against Winter Haven, but they lost to 5A #1 Lake Highland Prep (Orlando) by six.
Rounding out the top five is Middleburg. The 7A Broncos (12-3) went 2-1 over the break and dropped one spot from fourth.
Father Lopez (Daytona Beach), which defeated No. 8 Fernandina Beach in the Father Lopez Christmas Tournament championship game, is ranked sixth, followed by Spruce Creek (Port Orange), Fernandina Beach, Raines, and Ribault (Jacksonville) in the top 10.
Weeki Wachee and Columbia (Lake City) enter the poll for the first time at 19th & 20th, respectively.
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.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2018-19 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #2
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 1/5, and total voting points)
1. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (7A) (7) (15-1) – 140
2. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (6A) (15-1) – 132
3. P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) (4A) (14-1) – 127
4. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (10-3) – 112
5. Middleburg (7A) (12-3) – 111
6. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (7A) (13-2) – 103
7. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (12-3) – 99
8. Fernandina Beach (5A) (14-2) – 83
9. Raines (Jacksonville) (5A) (13-3) – 80
10. Ribault (Jacksonville) (6A) (11-4) – 79
11. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (9-3) – 65
12. Orange Park (6A) (12-1) – 63
13. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (8A) (11-4) – 53
14. Flagler Palm Coast (9A) (12-1) – 52
15. Trenton (1A) (11-1) – 50
16. Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (10-2) – 31
17. Lake Minneola (8A) (10-2) – 20
18. University Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (9-2) – 15
19. Weeki Wachee (6A) (14-1) – 13
20. Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (10-4) – 12
Also receiving votes: Williston (1A) (11-5) – 9; Vanguard (Ocala) (7A) (10-4) – 4; Episcopal (Jacksonville) (5A) (9-2) – 4; Hawthorne (1A) (9-2) – 3; Trinity Christian (Deltona) (3A) (10-1) – 3; Creekside (St. Johns) (8A) (10-5) – 3; Eustis (6A) (8-2) – 2; St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park) (3A) (10-1) – 2.
