Mike Ridaught
The Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) girls basketball team remained on top of The Prep Zone Power Poll.
Following a 6-0 record since the last ranking, the Crusaders (9-1), who are ranked No. 3 in Class 4A and 23rd overall in Florida by MaxPreps, received all seven first-place votes to hang on to the top spot.
Bishop Kenny defeated current No. 17 Ribault (Jacksonville), 54-35, No. 12 Ridgeview (Orange Park), 53-28, No. 11 Orange Park, 45-20, and receiving votes (RV) Mandarin (Jacksonville), 43-28.
Nease (Ponte Vedra) moved up one spot from third to second.
The Panthers (6-1) were 4-1 with wins against No. 15 St. Augustine and previous No. 20 Paxon (Jacksonville). Their loss during that stretch was at previously RV Ridgeview (Orange Park), 65-40.
Spruce Creek (Port Orange) dropped from second to third. The Hawks (4-3) went 2-1 but their only loss was against defending 4A state champion Lake Highland Prep (Orlando), 67-60.
Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) is ranked fourth, followed by Oakleaf (Orange Park), which jumped four spots from ninth to fifth.
Wildwood, Mainland (Daytona Beach), and Ponte Vedra are tied for sixth, followed by Bolles (Jacksonville) and Providence (Jacksonville) in the top 10.
A total of five area teams are ranked or received votes.
P.K. Yonge went from unranked to 13th after a 5-0 mark which included wins at RV Bradford (Starke), 53-29, 3A state semifinalist Florida High (Tallahassee), 49-46, and at current No. 14 Trinity Catholic (Ocala), 63-53.
The Blue Wave (8-0) were undefeated headed into Monday night’s showdown at No. 6 Wildwood (7-0).
Hawthorne (1-1) is ranked 18th and Keystone Heights (6-2) rounds out the top 20 at No. 20.
In addition to Bradford (5-1), Gainesville High (3-3) also received votes.
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 weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2022-23 GIRLS BASKETBALL POLL #3
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 12/10, and total voting points)
Teams in bold are inside the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area.
1. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (7) (9-1) – 140
2. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (6A) (6-1) – 111
3. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (4-3) – 106
4. Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (4A) (7-2) – 103
5. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (8-1) – 100
6T. Ponte Vedra (6A) (5-2) – 96
6T. Wildwood (1A) (7-0) – 96
6T. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (5A) (7-2) – 96
9. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (8-3) – 85
10. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (7-2) – 84
11. Orange Park (6A) (4-4) – 58
12. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (5A) (7-2) – 51
13. P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) (3A) (8-0) – 48
14. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (4-2) – 38
15T. Lake Minneola (6A) (7-0) – 29
15T. St. Augustine (5A) (6-4) – 29
17. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (6-3) – 27
18. Hawthorne (1A) (1-1) – 25
19. St. John’s Country Day (Orange Park) (2A) (3-4) – 20
20. Keystone Heights (4A) (7-2) – 19
Also receiving votes: New Smyrna Beach (6A) (5-1) – 18; University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (5-1) – 16; West Port (Ocala) (7A) (7-1) – 14; Mandarin (Jacksonville) (7A) (3-6) – 14; Mount Dora Christian Academy (2A) (8-1) – 14; Bradford (Starke) (3A) (5-1) – 10; North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (2A) (3-3) – 8; Paxon (Jacksonville) (4A) (7-3) – 8; Gainesville (6A) (3-3) – 4; South Lake (Groveland) (6A) (9-2) – 3.