Providence, Bolles dominate area and state baseball polls

GAINESVILLE – Duval County is once again dominating the area in high school baseball and around the state as well.

Along with two nationally-ranked teams sharing the top spot of The Prep Zone Power Poll, three other Jacksonville schools are ranked in the top 10.

Providence (Jacksonville), which is ranked third in Class 4A behind a couple of other nationally-ranked teams, is now sharing the top spot with Bolles (Jacksonville). The Stallions (16-2) went 1-1 last week, which included a 5-1 loss to defending Tennessee state champion Brentwood.

They dropped to No. 21 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Writer’s Poll, nine spots behind Bolles, which moved up one spot to No. 1 in this week’s regional all-classification rankings. The defending 5A state champion Bulldogs (14-2) won the IMG Academy Spring Tournament.

The ‘Dogs and Stallions each shared the six first-place votes.

Class 4A Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) moved up two spots from fifth to third. The Conquerors (10-3) went 2-0 which included a 6-2 win against West Jordan (UT) at the Bishop Gorman Tournament in Las Vegas.

Creekside (St. Johns) & and Forest (Ocala) are tied for fourth.

The Knights (11-3) are ranked 4th in ThePrepZone.com state baseball poll’s Class 7A rankings, while the Wildcats (13-2) are 4th in Class 8A.

Jacksonville schools Bishop Kenny and Mandarin are tied for sixth, while Buchholz (Gainesville), Ridgeview (Orange Park), and New Smyrna Beach round out the top 10.

Ridgeview made the biggest jump following an 11-1 win against previous #12 Ponte Vedra. The Panthers (12-3), who are ranked 9th in 6A and have won 10 in a row, climbed 11 spots from No. 20 to ninth.

There are two newcomers to the top 20.

Springstead (Spring Hill) went 2-0 and knocked off previous No. 11 Dunnellon, 11-1. The Eagles (12-4) are honorable mention in the 6A state rankings.

Class 5A Baker County (Glen St. Mary), which went 2-0 with wins against Cook (GA), 10-5, and Santa Fe (Alachua), 8-7, is in the top 20 for the first time at No. 20. The Wildcats (12-4) are ranked 7th in 5A.

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 – 2018 BASEBALL POLL #3
(School, followed by classification, first place votes, record through 4/4, and total voting points)
1T. Providence (Jacksonville) (4A) (3) (16-2) – 117
1T. Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (3) (14-2) – 117
3. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (4A) (10-3) – 107
4T. Forest (Ocala) (8A) (13-2) – 93
4T. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (11-3) – 93
6T. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (12-4) – 88
6T. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (9A) (11-4) – 88
8. Buchholz (Gainesville) (8A) (12-5) – 81
9. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (6A) (12-3) – 56
10. New Smyrna Beach (7A) (13-5) – 52
11. Fernandina Beach (5A) (11-4) – 51
12. University Christian (Jacksonville) (3A) (12-7) – 47
13. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (5A) (13-2) – 42
14. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (7A) (14-3) – 30
15T. Dunnellon (6A) (11-3) – 29
15T. Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (6A) (11-2) – 29
17. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (4A) (7-4) – 27
18. Ponte Vedra (6A) (11-5) – 24
19. Springstead (Spring Hill) (6A) (12-4) – 23
20. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (12-4) – 15
Also receiving votes: Stanton (Jacksonville) (6A) (12-4) – 14; Clay (Green Cove Springs) (6A) (11-5) – 12; Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (9A) (11-5) – 10; Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (8-5) – 8; Nease (Ponte Vedra) (7A) (8-6) – 4; St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park) (3A) (10-6) – 2; Williston (1A) (10-3) – 1.

PrepZone State Baseball Poll

ALL-CLASSIFICATION

1. Clearwater Calvary Christian (4A) 18-0

2. Plantation American Heritage (6A) 16-2

3. Ft. Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy (4A) 5-13*

4. Jacksonville Providence (4A) 18-2

5. Niceville (7A) 16-1

6. Pembroke Pines Flanagan (9A) 14-1

7. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (8A) 15-3

8. Lynn Haven Mosley (6A) 15-3

9. Jacksonville Bolles (5A) 14-3

10 Oviedo Hagerty (8A) 15-3

*forfeited 11 wins due to a clerical issue that did not affect the outcome of games played. As such, the result on the field (16-2) is accurate to the composition of the team.

CLASS 9A

1. Pembroke Pines Flanagan 14-1

2. Miami Palmetto 14-2

3. Orlando Cypress Creek 14-2

4. West Broward 14-3

5. Lake Worth Park Vista 14-3

6. Lantana Santaluces 17-2

7. Vero Beach 15-2

8. Parkland Stoneman Douglas 10-4

9. Lake Mary 13-2

10. Orlando Timber Creek 12-5

Honorable mention: Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast 12-4, Miami Columbus 11-4, Kissimmee Gateway 11-4, Jacksonville Mandarin 13-4, Lithia Newsome 10-5, Palm Beach Gardens 13-6, Kissimmee Osceola 13-4, Apopka 12-5, Palm Beach Central 13-6.

CLASS 8A

1. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 15-3

2. Oviedo Hagerty 15-3

3. Davie Nova 14-1

4. Lakeland George Jenkins 13-2

5. Wellington 15-3

6. Tampa Sickles 14-3

7. Tampa Plant 14-3

8. Ocala Forest 14-3

9. Bradenton Lakewood Ranch 14-5-1

10. Lakeland 13-4

Honorable mention: Tampa Wharton 12-4, Tarpon Springs East Lake 14-5, Tallahassee Chiles 10-7, Gainesville Buchholz 13-5, Palmetto 13-5, Plant City 11-4, Tallahassee Leon 13-4-1, Valrico Bloomingdale 11-5, Winter Park Lake Howell 11-6.

CLASS 7A

1. Niceville 16-1

2. Venice 14-5

3. Pace 14-3

4. Naples Gulf Coast 15-3

5. Cantonment Tate 13-5

6. St. Johns Creekside 13-3

7. Tampa King 15-3

8. Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer 13-7

9. Doral Academy 10-6-1

10. Miami Sunset 13-2

Honorable mention: Punta Gorda Charlotte 12-5, Ponte Vedra Nease 9-7, Winter Haven 11-6, Tampa Leto 13-4, New Smyrna Beach 14-5, Daytona Beach Father Lopez 14-3, Miami Belen Jesuit 10-7, Jensen Beach 10-6, Ft. Myers Riverdale 12-4.

CLASS 6A

1. Plantation American Heritage 16-2

2. Lynn Haven Mosley 15-3

3. Tampa Jesuit 12-5

4. Merritt Island 14-4

5. Rockledge 16-2

6. Miami Springs 15-2

7. Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy 12-6-1

8. Orange Park Ridgeview 13-3

9. Land O’ Lakes 14-3

10. Green Cove Springs Clay 13-5

Honorable mention: Naples Lely 13-3, Cape Coral Island Coast 12-4, Melbourne Eau Gallie 11-5, Dunedin 13-6, Ponte Vedra 11-6, Port St. Lucie 9-6, Tampa Jefferson 10-5, Miami Goleman 13-7, Spring Hill Springstead 13-4, Lake Wales 14-4, Dunnellon 12-4.

CLASS 5A

1. Jacksonville Bolles 15-3

2. Orlando Bishop Moore 18-3

3. Pompano Beach 12-4

4. Satellite Beach Satellite 16-2

5. Glen St. Mary Baker County 12-4

6. Jacksonville Bishop Kenny 13-4

7. Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons 14-4

8. Brooksville Nature Coast 15-2

10. Miami Monsignor Pace 10-6

10. Melbourne Central Catholic 12-5

Honorable mention: North Broward Prep 11-7, Marianna 12-7, LaBelle 13-2, Fernandina Beach 12-5, Panama City Bay 10-6, Titusville 9-3, Key West 14-8, Live Oak Suwannee 8-8, Yulee 13-5, Lakeland McKeel Academy 13-6, Miami Mater Lakes 12-6.

CLASS 4A

1. Clearwater Calvary Christian 18-0

2. Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy 5-13*

3. Jacksonville Providence 18-2

4. Palm Beach Gardens Benjamin 15-3

5. Pensacola Catholic 14-4

6. Jacksonville Trinity Christian 10-4

7. Orlando The First Academy 13-5

8. Miami Florida Christian 11-3

9. Tampa Berkeley Prep 10-5

10. Miami Westminster Christian 13-6

Honorable Mention: Delray Beach American Heritage 11-4, Hialeah Educational Academy 11-5, Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy 10-6.

*forfeited 11 wins due to a clerical issue that did not affect the outcome of games played. As such, the result on the field (16-2) is accurate to the composition of the team.

CLASS 3A

1. Fort Myers Canterbury 14-2

2. Tampa Carrollwood Day 15-1

3. Tallahassee North Florida Christian 14-2

4. Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin 12-4

5. Bradenton Saint Stephens Academy 11-2

6. Fort Pierce John Carroll Catholic 12-3

7. Tampa Cambridge Christian 14-2

8. Jacksonville University Christian 13-7

9. Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy 10-5

10. Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic 13-5

Honorable Mention: Fort Myers Southwest Florida Christian 13-3, Lake Mary Prep 15-6, Oviedo Master’s Academy 11-4-1, Maitland Orangewood Christian 12-6, Lakeland Christian 12-7, St. Petersburg Catholic 11-6, St. Petersburg Northside Christian 9-5.

CLASS 2A

1. Miami Christian 13-3

2. Lake Worth Trinity Christian 12-7

3. Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian 10-4

4. Jacksonville Christ’s Church 9-5

5. St. Petersburg Keswick Christian 10-5

6. Naples Seacrest Country Day 11-6

7. Fort Pierce St. Andrew’s Episcopal Academy 9-3

8. Kissimmee City of Life Christian 11-3

9. Brito Miami Private 8-7

10. Mount Dora Christian Academy 10-4

Honorable Mention: Sarasota Gulf Coast HEAT 11-6, Brevard HEAT 8-4, Crawfordville Wakulla Christian 8-4, Land O’Lakes Academy at the Lakes 8-5, Monticello Aucilla Christian 9-6-1.

CLASS 1A

1. Panama City Bozeman 16-2

2. Williston 11-3

3. Sneads 14-2

4. Trenton 11-4

5. Paxton 10-1

6. Bratt Northview 12-5

7. Freeport 9-4

9. Mayo Lafayette 9-5

9. Jay 7-3

10. Branford 10-4

Honorable Mention: Malone 11-5, Bonifay Holmes County 10-7, Blountstown 9-6, Lake Butler Union County 9-7, Baker 7-6, Fort Meade 10-9, Madison County 7-8.

Corey Davis

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