Nationally ranked Montverde Academy new No. 1
GAINESVILLE — There’s a new No. 1 in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Montverde Academy softball team, which is nationally ranked by MaxPreps, flip-flopped with previous No. 1 Eustis in the all-classification regional rankings.
The Class 2A Eagles (10-1) fell to No. 24 nationally following a 10-0 loss to Doral Academy, which is ranked No. 2 in the country. The loss snapped a 9-game winning streak.
Montverde Academy received five first-place votes to move into the top spot and edged No. 2 Eustis, 176-175, in total voting points.
The second-ranked Panthers (10-1), who dropped down to 3A this season, received the other four first-place votes.
Eustis, which defeated Baker County (Glen St. Mary) last year, 1-0, in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship game, suffered its first loss of the season last week to MaxPreps’ No. 20 overall team Wakulla (Crawfordville), 4-0.
Baker County moved up one spot to No. 3.
The Wildcats (8-2) lost at current No. 5 Baldwin, 3-0, and at No. 1 Montverde Academy, 5-2. They have won at No. 15 Columbia (Lake City), 9-7, and at No. 17 Fort White, 3-0.
Class 5A Middleburg is ranked fourth.
The Broncos (9-3) lost three in a row following a 2-0 start but won seven in a row. Their losses this season have come at No. 9 Trenton, 5-1, at No. 10 Branford, 6-4, and against No. 42 overall East Lake (Tarpon Springs), 7-1.
They have wins against No. 5 Baldwin, 10-7, versus No. 15 Episcopal (Jacksonville), 11-0, and against RV Oakleaf (Orange Park), 2-0.
Baldwin rounds out the top five.
The 2A Indians (8-3) have losses at No. 4 Middleburg, 10-7, at No. 15 Columbia (Lake City), 6-3, and at 7A No. 8 Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville), 15-11. They have a win against No. 3 Baker County, 3-0.
Class 3A Crystal River, whose only loss was against nationally ranked No. 12 Calvary Christian (Clearwater), leads off the second five at No. 6, followed by 3A Santa Fe (Alachua), 7A Creekside (St. Johns), Rural schools Trenton and Branford in the top 10.
Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (11-1) and Ponte Vedra (5A) (9-1) are new to the rankings at Nos. 13 and 14, respectively, while Madison County (Rural) (8-0) and Paxon (Jacksonville) (3A) (8-1) enter the poll for the first time and are tied for 18th.
Class 2A Newberry, which moved into the rankings at No. 20 following a 10-0 start.
Class 6A Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A), 5A Gainesville (5-5), 7A Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (5-3), Williston (Rural) (7-5), and 5A Matanzas (Palm Coast) (9-1) all fell out of the rankings but are still receiving votes.
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 by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2025 SOFTBALL POLL #2
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 3/24, & total voting points)
1. Montverde Academy (2A) (5) (10-1) – 176
2. Eustis (3A) (4) (10-1) – 175
3. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (4A) (8-2) – 132
4. Middleburg (5A) (9-3) – 124
5. Baldwin (2A) (8-3) – 120
6. Crystal River (3A) (12-1) – 118
7. Santa Fe (Alachua) (3A) (10-1) – 94
8. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (8-2) – 92
9. Trenton (Rural) (7-2) – 91
10. Branford (Rural) (11-4) – 88
11. East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (11-2) – 83
12. University Christian (Jacksonville) (1A) (9-0) – 77
13. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (11-1) – 74
14. Ponte Vedra (5A) (9-1) – 73
15T. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (2A) (10-3) – 69
15T. Columbia (Lake City) (4A) (10-3) – 69
17. Fort White (Rural) (7-4) – 55
18T. Paxon (Jacksonville) (3A) (8-1) – 43
18T. Madison County (Rural) (8-0) – 43
20. Newberry (2A) (10-0) – 29
Also receiving votes: Matanzas (Palm Coast) (5A) (9-1) – 22; Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (5-3) – 16; Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (6-5) – 10; Beachside (St. Johns) (5A) (9-1) – 6; Deltona (5A) (4-1) – 5; Williston (Rural) (7-5) – 4; Gainesville (5A) (5-5) – 2.
