Providence (Jacksonville) remains on top after 4-0 start
With the Thanksgiving holiday behind them, the teams in The Prep Zone Power Poll can really get down to business and get into the flow of the regular season. And the usual suspects at the top of the regional all-classification rankings are all off to fast starts.
Providence (Jacksonville), which was ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll, stays No. 1 after a 4-0 start which includes wins at No. 10 Riverside (Jacksonville), Sandalwood (Jacksonville) and IMG Academy Blue (Bradenton).
The Stallions received seven of the eight first-place votes this week to stay at the top.
Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) remains 2nd.
The Tigers (4-1) defeated two Georgia teams along with Sandalwood and Creekside (St. Johns), with their only loss so far coming to Tampa Catholic. Jackson received the other first-place vote to stay No. 2 this week.
Ponte Vedra stayed third after starting 3-0. The Sharks defeated Bolles (Jacksonville) 74-52 and picked up a big win at No. 5 Paxon (Jacksonville), 65-61.
North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) moved up two spots to 4th.
The Eagles (4-1) picked up wins over Riverside, Tampa Catholic, and Potter’s House Christian (Jacksonville), with their only loss so far coming to The Rock (Gainesville).
Rounding out the top five is Paxon (Jacksonville). The Golden Eagles (2-1) beat RV St. Augustine and Lovejoy (GA), but they fell two spots after dropping a game at home to Ponte Vedra.
Fleming Island (Orange Park) is 6th. The Golden Eagles are also off to a 4-0 start which includes wins over Wolfson (Jacksonville) and Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville).
Clay County rival Orange Park is right behind Fleming Island in the No. 7 spot. The Raiders (2-1), who moved up two spots, lost to No. 20 Impact Christian Academy (Jacksonville) but picked up wins over Raines (Jacksonville) and First Coast (Jacksonville).
Nease (Ponte Vedra) is the big mover this week, up nine spots and into the top 10 at No. 8.
The Panthers have also started 4-0, picking up wins at Bartram Trail (St. Johns) and then-No. 13 Fletcher (Neptune Beach) as well as against RV Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville).
Ribault (Jacksonville) moved up five spots and into the No. 9 ranking. The Trojans (3-1) beat Mandarin (Jacksonville) and Westside (Jacksonville), dropping an overtime game at No. 10 Riverside (Jacksonville).
Speaking of Riverside, the Generals (1-2) dropped five spots this week after a tough start to their season which included losses to Providence and North Florida Educational Institute with the only win so far coming against Ribault.
Among the teams moving into the rankings this week are No. 12 Gainesville, which also started 4-0, No. 18 Oakleaf (Orange Park) (4-0), and No. 20 Impact Christian.
Impact Christian defeated Orange Park and Wiregrass Ranch (Wesley Chapel) while dropping their only game so far to Southridge (Miami).
Fletcher (Neptune Beach), which started 0-3, drops out of the poll this week along with DeLand and Trinity Catholic (Ocala). The Celtics fall out of the rankings after starting 0-4.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball & baseball 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 POWERED BY ANYTIME FITNESS OF GAINESVILLE – 2022-23 BOYS BASKETBALL POLL #2
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record through 12/4, and total voting points)
1. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (7) (4-0) – 158
2. Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (4A) (1) (4-1) – 148
3. Ponte Vedra (6A) (3-0) – 147
4. North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (2A) (4-1) – 129
5. Paxon (Jacksonville) (4A) (2-1) – 116
6. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (6A) (4-0) – 113
7. Orange Park (6A) (2-1) – 87
8. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (6A) (4-0) – 85
9. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (3-1) – 83
10. Riverside (Jacksonville) (5A) (1-2) – 81
11. The Villages (4A) (2-1) – 67
12. Gainesville (6A) (4-0) – 55
13. Bradford (Starke) (3A) (0-0) – 54
14. Columbia (Lake City) (5A) (1-1) – 48
15. Leesburg (5A) (1-3) – 47
16. Mount Dora Christian Academy (2A) (3-1) – 40
17. Santa Fe (Alachua) (4A) (1-1) – 37
18. Hawthorne (1A) (0-0) – 31
19. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (4-0) – 30
20. Impact Christian Academy (Jacksonville) (2A) (2-1) – 26
Also receiving votes: St. Augustine (5A) (3-1) – 17; Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (3-1) – 12; St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) (2A) (3-0) – 11; Interlachen (3A) (4-0) – 9; Central (Brooksville) (4A) (3-1) – 8; Forest (Ocala) (6A) (3-2) – 6; Springstead (Spring Hill) (6A) (2-2) – 5; Beachside (St. Johns) (4A) 4-1) – 3; DeLand (7A) (1-2) – 3; Deltona (5A) (2-0) – 1; Oak Hall (Gainesville) (2A) (4-0) – 1; Williston (1A) (3-2) – 1.
