Staff Reports
For the second time this high school football season the top two teams in The Prep Zone Power Poll met on the field. And for the second time this season the team ranked No. 2 at the time defeated the top-ranked team.
Buchholz (Gainesville) used a fierce defensive effort to hand then No. 1 Bolles (Jacksonville) its first loss of the season, 14-7, last Friday in a neutral-site game at Bradford High School in Starke.
The Buchholz win moves them past Bolles and into the top spot this week, receiving all seven first-place votes. The Bobcats (7-1), who moved up two spots to No. 4 in the USA Today Florida Network Class 7A state rankings, have only lost this season to defending 4A state champion Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale).
Cardinal Gibbons was the last team to beat Bolles (6-1) before last week, knocking off the Bulldogs in last year’s 4A state title game in Tallahassee.
Buchholz can wrap up the District 2-7A title this week with a win at home against Forest (Ocala).
Meanwhile Bolles, which had been the top-ranked team the past four weeks after blanking then No. 1 Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), 35-0, drops to No. 2. The ‘Dogs return home to face TRU Prep Academy (Miami Gardens).
Vanguard (Ocala) remained third. The Knights (8-0) moved closer to the District 5-6A title by pounding then-RV (Receiving Votes) Belleview, 42-7. Vanguard heads to Springstead (Spring Hill) this Friday to wrap up district play.
Bartram Trail stays at No. 4. The Bears (7-1) clinched the District 1-8A championship with a 49-33 offensive slugfest at RV Oakleaf (Orange Park). Bartram Trail closes district play at home against Sandalwood (Jacksonville) this Friday before a showdown with Buchholz to close out the regular season on Nov. 5.
Riverside (Jacksonville) moves up three spots to round out the top five. The Generals (7-1) rebounded from their first loss of the season to No. 9 Columbia (Lake City) by winning 28-20 at then-No. 6 Trinity Christian (Jacksonville).
The Trinity Christian Conquerors (6-3) dropped two spots to No. 8 as they have lost two of their last three games.
Spruce Creek (Port Orange) remains No. 6 despite losing its first game of the season, 27-14, at Class 4A No. 1 Cocoa. Despite the loss, the Hawks (7-1) clinched the District 4-7A crown as they already own a tiebreaker with No. 18 University (Orange City).
Undefeated Hawthorne remains at No. 7 after cruising past Class 7A Forest, 27-6. The Hornets (7-0) have a bye this week before hosting RV North Marion (Citra) to close out the regular season.
After Trinity Christian is Columbia (Lake City), which drops four slots to No. 9 after losing, 28-16, at 1A Madison County. The Tigers (6-3) close out the regular season this Friday at No. 15 Raines (Jacksonville).
St. Augustine is ranked No.10. The Yellow Jackets (5-2) easily beat Matanzas (Palm Coast), 37-21, setting up a battle for the District 4-6A title this Friday night at Foots Brumley Stadium against visiting RV Gainesville (6-2).
Raines (6-2), which has won four in a row, moves into the poll this week after blanking rival Ribault (Jacksonville), 30-0, in the Northwest Classic.
Madison County (5-3) also moves back into the rankings at 16th after the upset win over Columbia.
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 – 2021 FOOTBALL POLL #10
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record, and total voting points)
1. Buchholz (Gainesville) (7A) (7) (7-1) – 140
2. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (6-1) – 133
3. Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (8-0) – 125
4. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (8A) (7-1) – 119
5. Riverside (Jacksonville) (6A) (7-1) – 109
6. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (7-1) – 97
7. Hawthorne (1A) (7-0) – 89
8. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (6-3) – 85
9. Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (6-3) – 81
10. St. Augustine (6A) (5-2) – 80
11. Dunnellon (5A) (6-2) – 64
12T. Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (8-0) – 58
12T. The Villages (4A) (8-0) – 58
14. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (6-2) – 53
15. Raines (Jacksonville) (5A) (6-2) – 37
16. Madison County (1A) (5-3) – 34
17. Creekside (St. Johns) (8A) (6-2) – 26
18. University (Orange City) (7A) (5-1) – 25
19. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (3A) (5-2) – 19
20. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (5-3) – 12
Also receiving votes: Oakleaf (Orange Park) (8A) (4-4) – 6; Ed White (Jacksonville) (5A) (5-2) – 5; Gainesville (6A) (6-2) – 5; Chiefland (1A) (8-0) – 3; Clay (Green Cove Springs) (5A) (6-2) – 2; Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (7A) (5-3) – 1; Hilliard (1A) (8-0) – 1; Keystone Heights (4A) (8-0) – 1; Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (4-4) – 1; North Marion (Citra) (5A) (5-3) – 1.