Providence (Jacksonville) unanimous #1 team once again as regular season nears close
GAINESVILLE — Time flies when you are having fun, and the spring has really flown by for the high school baseball teams in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
It’s the final week of the regular season this week, and with the district tournaments due to start next week one thing has remained the same.
That would be the team at the top.
Providence (Jacksonville) has been the top-ranked team in every regional rankings so far in 2017, and this week they are back to being the unanimous #1 team.
The Stallions (18-5) defeated Interlachen and Fleming Island (Orange Park) and received all eight first-place votes. Providence is ranked 2nd in 4A in the latest ThePrepZone.com state baseball poll as well.
Moving back to #2 this week is Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville).
The Crusaders (20-2) took a trip to the Panhandle and came back with wins over 8A Chiles (Tallahassee) and 4A #3 Pensacola Catholic. Bishop Kenny is currently atop the 5A state rankings as well.
Creekside (St. Johns) continues its hot play and moves up a spot to 3rd. The Knights (17-5) picked up wins against #11 Bolles (Jacksonville) as well as Episcopal (Jacksonville) last week.
Sandalwood (Jacksonville) drops two spaces to 4th in this poll. The Saints (18-4) actually received two first-place votes when they rose to #2 in last week’s poll, but a 7-3 loss at Yulee drops them back this week. Sandalwood is ranked 3rd in the latest state poll for 9A.
Rounding out the top five is Trinity Christian (Jacksonville).
The Conquerors (16-7) have won six in a row and won their only game last week against Nease (Ponte Vedra).
Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) remains 6th.
The Stingrays (17-5) combined to beat Paxon (Jacksonville) and then-#17 Stanton (Jacksonville) by a combined 21-0 in two wins last week.
Also staying put at #7 is Suwannee (Live Oak). The Bulldogs (19-4) won their only game against 7A Middleburg and are ranked 3rd in the 5A state poll.
Next up is Fletcher (Neptune Beach).
The Senators (18-5) stay in the 8th spot after winning against Bartram Trail (St. Johns).
Springstead (Spring Hill) moves up two spaces this week and into the top 10 at No. 9. The Eagles (21-3) picked up two wins a week ago against Nature Coast (Brooksville) and IMG Academy Gray (Bradenton).
They replace Bolles in the 9th spot, as the Bulldogs dropped two places to lead off the second 10.
Rounding out the top 10 is the #1 team in the 1A state poll, Trenton.
The Tigers (20-1) knocked off two 5A teams in The Villages and P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) and move up one spot to #10 this week.
The only team new to the poll this week is Clay (Green Cove Springs).
The Blue Devils (14-9) are ranked 20th and are 13-2 after a 1-7 start. Clay replaces Stanton (18-6), which falls out after a 16-0 loss to Atlantic Coast.
District tournaments for baseball start next Monday, May 1.
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.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2017 BASEBALL POLL #6
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, record thru 4/24, and total voting points).
1. Providence (Jacksonville) (4A) (8) (18-5) – 160
2. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (20-2) – 152
3. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (17-5) – 143
4. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (18-4) – 137
5. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (16-7) – 125
6. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (17-6) – 118
7. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (19-4) – 115
8. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (8A) (18-5) – 104
9. Springstead (Spring Hill) (6A) (21-3) – 83
10. Trenton (1A) (20-1) – 80
11. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (14-9) – 77
12. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (8A) (16-5) – 69
13. Gainesville (7A) (18-5) – 68
14. University (Orange City) (9A) (18-5) – 57
15. Keystone Heights (5A) (19-5) – 41
16. University Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (15-7) – 37
17. South Sumter (Bushnell) (5A) (18-2) – 32
18. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (4A) (15-6) – 31
19. Belleview (6A) (18-4) – 19
20. Clay (Green Cove Springs) (6A) (14-9) – 5
Also receiving votes: Ridgeview (Orange Park) (6A) (16-6) – 3; Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) (2A) (17-3) – 3; Christ’s Church (Jacksonville) (2A) (16-5) -2; Fernandina Beach (5A) (17-6) – 2; Dunnellon (6A) (14-8) -1; Mandarin (Jacksonville) (9A) (14-7) -1; Stanton (Jacksonville) (6A) (18-6) -1.
