Defending Class 1A state champion Trenton, winners of 37 in a row, ranked No. 1 in the first all-classification regional softball rankings of 2020
GAINESVILLE – Last year’s state champions from Gilchrist County have picked up where they left off.
Defending 1A state champion Trenton, which went wire-to-wire to finish 27-0 in 2019, has reeled off 10 straight wins to begin the 2020 season.
The FHSAA softball season is on hold due to the Coronavirus, but it hasn’t been canceled yet.
If it resumes, Trenton, winners of 37 in a row, will be the top-ranked team in The Prep Zone Power.
The Tigers (10-0) received three of the six first-place votes to earn the top spot in the all-classification regional rankings.
Trenton flexed its muscle early with wins against Lafayette (Mayo), ranked 7th in Class 1A in the Miracle Sports state softball rankings, and 1A honorable mention Williston. They have outscored their 10 opponents 133-8.
Trenton is also ranked 5th nationally in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25.
Oakleaf (Orange Park), which is ranked 2nd in Class 7A, is ranked second.
The Knights (7-1), who were 8A state champs in 2017 and runners-up in 2018, advanced back to the state semifinals in Vero Beach last year where they lost on a walk-off to nationally ranked & eventual 8A state champion Winter Springs to finish 25-5.
Their only loss this season was to No. 6 Ridgeview (Orange Park), which is ranked #3 in Class 4A.
Oakleaf has wins at 6A #7 Creekside (St. Johns) & vs. 6A HM Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville). They received one first-place vote.
Trenton and Oakleaf, which is batting .382 with 13 doubles, four triples, and four homeruns, finished first and second, respectively, in last year’s final regional rankings.
Unbeaten West Nassau (Callahan) is third.
The Warriors (6-0), who are ranked second in Class 3A, have wins at #6 Ridgeview, vs. defending 4A state champion Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), which is ranked 16th, & against 5A #9 Columbia (Lake City), which is ranked 15th in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
Gainesville High, which received the other first-place vote, is ranked fourth.
The Hurricanes (7-0), who are ranked second in Class 5A, are led by JU signee Alissa Humphrey, who is 5-0 in the circle with a 0.00 ERA. In 47 innings pitched, she has yet to allow a run on just seven hits with only two walks and 106 strikeouts.
Rounding out the top five is Belleview.
The Rattlers (11-0), the No. 1 team in Class 4A, are off to their best start in school history. They have wins against 3A HM Marianna & 1A HM Williston and received the other first-place vote.
Ridgeview, which lost to eventual state champion Sebring in last year’s 6A state semifinals, is followed by No. 7 East Ridge (Clermont), Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7-1), Nature Coast (Brooksville) (9-0), and Dixie County (Cross City) (8-1) in the top 10.
The 6th-ranked Panthers’ (8-1) only loss was 1-0 in 9 innings in the season opener against 3rd-ranked West Nassau (Callahan). They also have a win at #2 Oakleaf.
The No. 7 Knights (7-0), who lost to Oakleaf in last year’s 8A Region Final, are actually ranked seventh nationally in the MaxPreps computer rankings.
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 – 2020 SOFTBALL POLL #1
(School, followed by classification, last year’s record, first-place votes, current record, and total voting points)
1. Trenton (1A) (27-0) (3) (10-0) – 117
2. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (7A) (25-5) (1) (7-1) – 105
3. West Nassau (Callahan) (3A) (17-12) (6-0) – 100
4. Gainesville (5A) (19-8) (1) (7-0) – 99
5. Belleview (4A) (22-7) (1) (11-0) – 94
6. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (4A) (22-9) (8-1) – 88
7. East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (22-8) (7-0) – 79
8. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (22-5) (7-1) – 76
9. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (4A) (16-11) (9-0) – 65
10. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (12-12) (8-1) – 55
11. Hernando (Brooksville) (4A) (27-4) (7-2) – 43
12. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (6A) (14-9) (4-1) – 41
13. Creekside (St. Johns) (6A) (25-5) (5-3) – 36
14. Santa Fe (Alachua) (3A) (22-7) (7-4) – 28
15. Columbia (Lake City) (5A) (14-9) (9-3) – 27
16. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (20-6) (3-3) – 24
17. Keystone Heights (3A) (16-10) (6-3) – 18
18. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (3A) (10-6) (7-2) – 17
19T. Palatka (3A) (16-11) (9-2) – 16
19T. South Sumter (Bushnell) (3A) (18-10) (8-2) – 16
Also receiving votes: DeLand (7A) (6-18) (6-2) – 15; Lecanto (5A) (11-15) (5-1) – 15; Mount Dora Christian (2A) (26-5) (7-5) – 14; St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park) (2A) (12-6) (5-2) – 14; Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (13-10) (6-2) – 12; Lafayette (Mayo) (1A) (11-13) (8-4) – 8; Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (16-11) (4-3) – 8; Middleburg (5A) (11-13) (6-6) – 7; Branford (1A) (5-14) (5-2) – 6; Mandarin (Jacksonville) (7A) (24-3) (4-2) – 6; Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (4A) (20-7) (1-6) – 6; Williston (1A) (14-14) (5-3) – 5; Madison County (1A) (20-6) (4-4) – 1.
