Class 4A State Runner-up Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) remains No. 1
GAINESVILLE – Class 4A state runner-up Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) maintained its hold on The Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Crusaders (3-1) had wins against No. 17 Trinity Catholic (Ocala), 65-37, at Godby (Tallahassee), 50-15, and Bishop Moore (Orlando), 48-37, at the Insider Exposure 11th Annual Thanksgiving Classic in Jacksonville, where they lost to Legacy Early College (Greenville, SC), 38-25.
They received seven of the 10 first-place votes to stay at the top of the girls basketball all-classification regional rankings.
Class 2A Providence (Jacksonville), which has made back-to-back state semifinal appearances, remained second and received one first-place vote.
The Stallions (3-1) had wins against No. 3 Bolles (Jacksonville), 56-43, and Somerset Academy (Boynton Beach), 51-48, along with a 60-34 win against West Florida (Pensacola) at the Insider Exposure tournament, where they lost for the first time against Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota), 71-54.
Two-time defending state champion Hawthorne moved up one spot to No. 3.
The Hornets (1-0) defeated The Rock, 73-50, on Nov. 21, but their next game isn’t until Dec. 18 at Bradford (Starke).
Wildwood (2-0), which lost to Hawthorne in last year’s 1A state semifinals, is ranked fourth, while 7A Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (3-1) rounds out the top five.
Bolles (Jacksonville) dropped three spots to No. 6 following a 2-3 start.
The Bulldogs (2-3) had wins against previous No. 5 Ribault (Jacksonville), 85-60, and Somerset Prep (North Lauderdale), 54-41, with losses at No. 2 Providence (Jacksonville), 56-43, Holy Innocents Episcopal (Atlanta), 68-46, and North Crowley (Fort Worth, TX), 51-45.
New Smyrna Beach, which received the other two first-place votes, is ranked seventh.
The Barracudas (5-0) won at previous No. 6 Mainland (Daytona Beach), 60-25, defeated previous No. 15 North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville), 67-37, and went 2-0 at the Insider Exposure tournament with 62-12 win against Paxon (Jacksonville) and a 49-28 win over Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach).
Class 2A San Jose Prep (Jacksonville) (2-1), 5A Ponte Vedra (2-2), and 6A Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (4-1) round out the top 10.
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 by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2024-25 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #2
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 12/1, and total voting points)
1. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (7) (3-1) – 194
2. Providence (Jacksonville) (2A) (1) (3-1) – 189
3. Hawthorne (Rural) (1-0) – 158
4. Wildwood (Rural) (2-0) – 143
5. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (3-1) – 141
6. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (2-3) – 140
7. New Smyrna Beach (5A) (2) (5-0) – 133
8. San Jose Prep (Jacksonville) (2A) (2-1) – 117
9. Ponte Vedra (5A) (2-2) – 106
10. Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (6A) (4-1) – 101
11. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (1-0) – 99
12. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (1-1) – 96
13. Leesburg (5A) (2-2) – 93
14. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (2A) (2-2) – 53
15. Gainesville (5A) (2-0) – 43
16. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (5A) (1-1) – 37
17. Williston (Rural) (3-0) – 33
18. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (2-1) – 32
19. Beachside (St. Johns) (5A) (2-3) – 31
20. North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (2A) (2-3) – 26
Also receiving votes: Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (4-1) – 23; Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (3A) (2-1) – 18; Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (0-4) – 16; Newberry (3A) (2-0) – 15; Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (2A) (4-2) – 14; Trenton (Rural) (4-0) – 13; The Villages (3A) (2-0) – 11; Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (4-2) – 8; Orange Park (5A) (2-3) – 6; Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6A) (2-0) – 5; Fort White (Rural) (2-1) – 3; Madison County (Rural) (2-2) – 2; St. Augustine (5A) (2-3) – 1.