State runner-up Buchholz (Gainesville) starts season on top of regional rankings
GAINESVILLE — Already a month into the 2025 high school baseball season, and there have already been some interesting results in The Prep Zone coverage area.
But the Buchholz (Gainesville) Bobcats, who just missed out on a state title last spring, are off to a red-hot start and are on top of the first regional baseball all-classification rankings for 2025.
Buchholz (8-0) went to Jacksonville last week and knocked off Trinity Christian, 5-3. The Conquerors had previously been ranked No. 2 in all of Florida by MaxPreps.
This week, the Bobcats have moved up to 2nd statewide according to the FHSAA and 3rd according to MaxPreps. They also received five of the eight first place votes in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
Trinity Christian is ranked second.
The Conquerors, who made the 3A state semifinals in 2024, are now in 2A and have started the season 6-1 with the only loss to Buchholz. They received one first-place vote.
Bolles (Jacksonville) is No. 3.
The Bulldogs (8-2) already own wins over defending state champion No. 4 St. John’s Country Day (Orange Park) as well as RV University Christian (Jacksonville), Oakleaf (Orange Park), and Baldwin. Their two losses are to Fletcher (Neptune Beach) and 8th-ranked Providence (Jacksonville).
St. Johns Country Day is No. 4.
The Spartans (9-2) captured their first baseball state title in 2A last spring, and are now in 1A for 2025. SJCD, which received the final first-place vote, has won eight in a row after a 1-2 start, with the only losses to Bolles and Lincoln (Tallahassee).
Rounding out the top five is Spruce Creek (Port Orange).
The Hawks, who lost in the 7A region semifinals a year ago, are off to an 8-1 start with wins over New Smyrna Beach, Winter Springs, and Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs). Their only loss came to No. 15 Creekside (St. Johns).
Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) starts off the second five.
The Cardinals (8-1), who were eliminated in a 3A region final by Trinity Christian in 2024, have beaten No. 9 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine), No. 16T Columbia (Lake City), Trinity Catholic (Ocala), and St. Augustine. Bishop Snyder’s only loss came to Providence.
Clay (Green Cove Springs) is 7th.
The Blue Devils (9-2) lost in a region final at Lincoln last May, but already have beaten Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville), No. 11 Episcopal (Jacksonville), and Oakleaf. They also have lost to Providence and Lincoln.
Providence is No. 8.
The Stallions (8-2) already own three wins this season over top ten teams Clay, Bolles, and Bishop Snyder and also have a win against University Christian.
Tocoi Creek and 2024 1A state semifinalist Trenton round out the top 10.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, girls volleyball, 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– 2025 BASEBALL POLL #1
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, final 2024 record, current 2025 record through 3/6 and total voting points)
1. Buchholz (Gainesville) (6A) (5) (24-9) (8-0) – 155
2. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (1) (24-7) (6-1) – 152
3. Bolles (Jacksonville) (2A) (21-8) (8-2) – 128
4. St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park) (1A) (2) (25-6) (9-2) – 125
5. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (19-10) (8-1) – 124
6. Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (2A) (20-9) (8-1) – 114
7. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (4A) (18-10) (9-2) – 101
8. Providence (Jacksonville) (2A) (13-12) (8-2) – 88
9. Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (6A) (18-8) (9-1) – 80
10. Trenton (Rural) (13-12) (8-1) – 77
11. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (2A) (19-9) (9-2) – 71
12T. Lafayette (Mayo) (Rural) (23-3) (6-2) – 69
12T. The Villages (3A) (17-12) (8-0) – 69
14. St. Joseph’s Academy (St. Augustine) (1A) (20-9) (7-1-1) – 58
15. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (19-11) (4-5) – 34
16T. Columbia (Lake City) (5A) (15-13) (6-4) – 31
16T. Hernando (Brooksville) (4A) (19-10) (7-2) – 31
18. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (4A) (19-7) (7-3) – 23
19. Newberry (2A) (22-6) (4-3) – 21
20. Vanguard (Ocala) (4A) (18-10) (7-2) – 19
Also receiving votes: Keystone Heights (3A) (20-9) (8-3) – 18; University Christian (Jacksonville) (1A) (18-10) (6-4) – 17; Union County (Lake Butler) (Rural) (15-14) (7-2) – 15; Lake Minneola (Minneola) (6A) (21-6) (5-3) – 14; Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (20-9) (1-8) – 8; North Marion (Citra) (3A) (15-13) (5-6) – 6; Fernandina Beach (3A) (11-12-1) (8-0) – 5; Santa Fe (Alachua) (3A) (14-13) (4-6) – 5; Eustis (4A) (15-12) (8-2) – 4.
