As the high school football season comes to an end this week, and the undefeated teams continue to dwindle.
But the team once again at the top, the St. Augustine Yellow Jackets, have a tough test if they hope to finish with an undefeated regular season.
The Yellow Jackets (9-0), who have already clinched the District 3-4A title, had no trouble last week in a 66-6 romp at Ridgeview (Orange Park) to finish their district schedule. This week, though, St. Augustine will host sixth-ranked Mandarin (Jacksonville) on Thursday in its bid for a 10-0 regular season.
St. Augustine received eight of the 11 first-place votes to stay in the top spot once again this week.
There is a tie at No. 2 this week between Buchholz (Gainesville) and Raines (Jacksonville). Both teams clinched their respective districts last week.
The Bobcats (8-1) pounded Bartram Trail (St. Johns), 50-16, and wrapped up the District 3-6A title. Buchholz finishes its regular season on Friday with a long trip to Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach).
Raines had no problem with RV (receiving votes) Yulee, obliterating the Hornets, 58-7, to clinch the District 3-3A championship. Raines (8-0) received two first-place votes.
Bolles (Jacksonville) is at No. 4. The Bulldogs (8-1) have a big test to end the regular season on Friday at No. 8 Columbia (Lake City).
Unbeaten DeLand rounds out the top five. The Bulldogs (8-0) host Lake Gibson (Lakeland) on Friday and will finish with a game at No. 9 Spruce Creek (Port Orange) next week that was postponed from earlier this month. That game will decide the District 2-7A title and will pick up on Tuesday with DeLand, who was leading Spruce Creek 14-0 in the first quarter.
DeLand picked up the final first-place vote.
Mandarin moves up to No. 6. The Mustangs (8-1) won the District 2-6A title with a 31-14 win over No. 12 Oakleaf (Orange Park) last Friday. Mandarin finishes its regular season on Thursday at top-ranked St. Augustine.
Nease (Ponte Vedra) is No. 7, Columbia at No. 8, Spruce Creek is ninth, and Bradford (Starke) moves up a spot to close out the top 10. The Tornadoes finished their regular season at 9-1 and won the District 2A-5 title with a 21-7 triumph over Santa Fe (Alachua).
The Mainstreet Daily News area teams in the second 10 are 11th-ranked Hawthorne, as Cornelius Ingram won his 100th game as head coach of the Hornets with a 34-16 road win over Melbourne Central Catholic.
Chiefland is at No. 14, Eastside (Gainesville) is at No. 18 and Williston came in at No. 19 after defeating Newberry in a close 15-14 contest last Thursday.
Among the district champions in the second 10 are No. 13 Vanguard (Ocala) and 15th-ranked Mainland (Daytona Beach).
Teams receiving votes who took their district crowns are Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville), Ed White (Jacksonville), University Christian (Jacksonville) and Trinity Christian (Jacksonville).
Williston (8-1) is the only team to move into the top 20 this week. The Red Devils replace Middleburg (7-2), who were 18th a week ago but lost, 21-10, at Fleming Island (Orange Park)
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 – 2025 FOOTBALL POLL #11
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record, and total voting points)
Teams in the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area are in bold
1. St. Augustine (4A) (8) (9-0) – 215
2T. Buchholz (Gainesville) (6A) (8-1) – 203
2T. Raines (Jacksonville) (3A) (2) (8-0) – 203
4. Bolles (Jacksonville) (2A) (8-1) – 184
5. DeLand (7A) (1) (8-0) – 179
6. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (6A) (8-1) – 156
7. Nease (Ponte Vedra) (6A) (7-2) – 149
8. Columbia (Lake City) (4A) (8-1) – 140
9. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (7-1) – 115
10. Bradford (Starke) (2A) (9-1) – 114
11. Hawthorne (Rural) (7-1) – 104
12. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (7-2) – 92
13. Vanguard (Ocala) (4A) (7-2) – 87
14. Chiefland (Rural) (8-1) – 68
15. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (5A) (6-2) – 66
16. The Villages (2A) (8-1) – 56
17. Ponte Vedra (5A) (7-2) – 48
18. Eastside (Gainesville) (3A) (7-2) – 32
19. Williston (Rural) (8-1) – 27
20. South Lake (Groveland) (6A) (8-1) – 14
Also receiving votes: Lafayette (Mayo) (Rural) (8-1) – 10; Madison County (Rural) (4-5) – 10; Beachside (St. Johns) (5A) (6-2) – 8; Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (3A) (7-2) – 8; Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (1A) (5-4) – 8; Middleburg (5A) (7-2) – 6; University Christian (Jacksonville) (1A) (6-3) – 4; Ed White (Jacksonville) (4A) (7-2) – 3; Taylor County (Perry) (Rural) (8-1) -1.