A month into the 2025 high school baseball season, 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 rankings for the new season.
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 No. 2 statewide according to FHSAA and No. 3 according to MaxPreps. Buchholz also received five of the eight first place votes in The Prep Zone poll.
Trinity Christian is at No. 2. The Conquerors, who made the 3A state semifinals in 2024, are now in 2A and have started the season 6-1, with their only loss to Buchholz. Trinity Christian received one first-place vote.
Bolles (Jacksonville) is third. The Bulldogs (8-2) already own wins over defending state champion No. 4 St. John’s Country Day (Orange Park) as well as RV (receiving votes) University Christian (Jacksonville), Oakleaf (Orange Park) and Baldwin. Bolles only two losses are to Fletcher (Neptune Beach) and eighth-ranked Providence (Jacksonville).
St. Johns Country Day is at No. 4. The Spartans captured their first baseball state title in 2A last spring and are now in 1A for 2025. St. John’s Country Day (9-2) has won eight in a row after a 1-2 start, with its only losses to Bolles and Lincoln (Tallahassee). St. John’s received the final two first-place votes in this opening poll.
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 at No. 7. 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 lost to Providence and Lincoln.
Providence is eighth. The Stallions (8-2) already own three wins this season over top 10 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.
Among the Mainstreet Daily News teams in the second 10 are No. 16T Columbia and 19th-ranked Newberry. Union County (Lake Butler), Keystone Heights and Santa Fe (Alachua) are receiving votes.
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)
Teams in the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area are in bold
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.