Raines (Jacksonville), winners of 13 in a row, new No. 1 in All-classification regional rankings
GAINESVILLE – There’s a new No. 1 in The Prep Zone Power Poll, but by a razor-thin margin.
Class 5A state semifinalist Raines (Jacksonville), which is ranked 2nd in the state in Class 4A by MaxPreps, ascended to the top spot following a 7-0 record since the first poll was released in mid-December.
The Vikings (16-1), who received three of the nine first-place votes, moved up two spots to #1 in the all-classification regional rankings.
They won the National Title IX Invitational Classic (12/27-29) with wins against Banneker (Washington, DC), 66-35, St. Laurent (Manitoba), 44-21, & Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart (MD), 49-37.
Raines also knocked off previous #2 Sandalwood (Jacksonville), 58-35 (12/17), and won at previous #5 Middleburg, 64-40 (12/12).
They edged previous No. 1 Father Lopez (Daytona Beach), 172-171, in total voting points for top billing.
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Despite four first-place votes, the Green Wave, who are ranked 2nd in Class 3A by MaxPreps, dropped one spot to No. 2.
Father Lopez went 6-1 and defeated previous #18 Flagler Palm Coast, 64-31, to win the Lopez Holiday Invitational basketball tournament championship on December 30. Their only loss since the last ranking was to 7A state semifinalist Fort Myers, 62-53, at the Spruce Creek Shootout, where they also defeated 3A #6 Seffner Christian, 63-55 (12/13-14).
Class 7A No. 1 Spruce Creek (Port Orange), which received one first-place vote, made the biggest jump, leaping from No. 15 to third.
The Lady Hawks went 9-0, including wins against 2A #1 & defending 2A champion Florida Prep (Melbourne), 55-52 (12/30), at previous #18 Flagler Palm Coast, 75-60 (12/17), at #6 Ribault (Jacksonville), 62-55 (12/16), and defending 9A champion Wekiva (Apopka), 53-45 (12/14).
Class 1A Wildwood (12-1) moved up three spots from seventh to fourth, while undefeated Class 2A University Christian (Jacksonville) (12-0), which received the other first-place vote, climbed four spots to round out the top five.
Ribault (Jacksonville) (13-5) is ranked sixth, followed by Creekside (St. Johns) (9-1), Bolles (Jacksonville) (9-2), Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville), and Hawthorne in the top 10.
Class 5A Orange Park (9-4), which had a pair of wins at #14 Trenton at the SAMCO Classic Christmas Tournament, moved into the rankings at No. 16, along with No. 20 Crystal River (9-2).
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 and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2019-20 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #2
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 12/31, and total voting points)
1. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (3) (16-1) – 172
2. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (3A) (4) (14-1) – 171
3. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (1) (11-3) – 155
4. Wildwood (1A) (12-1) – 136
5. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (1) (12-0) – 133
6. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (13-5) – 126
7. Creekside (St. Johns) (6A) (9-1) – 123
8. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (9-2) – 120
9. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (8-5) – 101
10. Hawthorne (1A) (11-1) – 100
11. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (7A) (10-5) – 99
12. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (11-2) – 89
13. Middleburg (5A) (7-5) – 70
14. Trenton (1A) (10-2) – 69
15. Flagler Palm Coast (7A) (9-3) – 66
16. Orange Park (5A) (9-4) – 31
17. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (7A) (6-5) – 29
18. Vanguard (Ocala) (5A) (7-4) – 21
19. West Port (Ocala) (7A) (9-4) – 17
20. Crystal River (4A) (9-2) – 14
Also receiving votes: Lake Weir (Ocala) (5A) (10-1) – 10; Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (6-2) – 8; Oak Hall (Gainesville) (3A) (10-2) – 7; Fleming Island (Orange Park) (6A) (10-4) – 5; St. Augustine (5A) (8-2) – 4; Ponte Vedra (5A) (5-8) – 4; P.K Yonge (Gainesville) (3A) (27-2) (6-6) – 4; Weeki Wachee (4A) (8-3) – 3; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (6-4) – 3.
