The top-ranked team in The Prep Zone Power Poll is among the best in the country.
Class 2A Montverde Academy, which is ranked No. 11 nationally by MaxPreps, remained No. 1 in the all-classification regional rankings.
The Eagles (23-2), whose only losses this season are against nationally ranked No. 7 Doral Academy and nationally ranked No. 3 Orange Beach (AL), is a unanimous selection for top billing. They received all eight first-place votes.
Class 3A Eustis is ranked second.
The Panthers (17-4), winners of six in a row since a 12-0 loss vs. No. 1 Montverde Academy, remained No. 2. They are ranked No. 24 overall in Florida in the final FHSAA rankings.
Class 4A Baker County (Glen St. Mary), Santa Fe (Alachua) and 3A Crystal River round out the top five.
Middleburg (16-8) is ranked No. 6, followed by Baldwin (16-7), Matanzas (Palm Coast) (19-1), East Ridge (Clermont) (19-5) and Fort White (16-5) round out the top 10.
Class 3A Santa Fe (17-3) moved up three spots to No. 7. Two of its three losses are to Fort White, which moved up seven spots and into the top 10 after winning nine of its last 10 games.
The Raiders are ranked 19th overall in Florida and No. 5 in 3A, while the Indians are ranked 39th overall and No. 3 in the Rural classification.
In addition to Santa Fe and Fort White, other teams in the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area include No. 12 Branford (17-6) and No. 18 Trenton (13-6).
Gainesville High (13-7) and Columbia (Lake City) (13-10), which has lost seven of its last 10 games and dropped out of the rankings, are receiving votes.
District tournament play begins this week with the regional tournaments beginning next week.
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 by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2025 SOFTBALL POLL #3
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record, & total voting points)
Teams in the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area are in bold
1. Montverde Academy (2A) (8) (23-2) – 160
2. Eustis (3A) (17-4) – 145
3. Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (4A) (17-4) – 142
4. Santa Fe (Alachua) (3A) (17-3) – 124
5. Crystal River (3A) (20-5) – 114
6. Middleburg (5A) (16-8) – 110
7. Baldwin (2A) (16-7) – 103
8. Matanzas (Palm Coast) (5A) (19-1) – 102
9. East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (19-5) – 87
10. Fort White (Rural) (16-5) – 84
11. Madison County (Rural) (16-1) – 72
12. Branford (Rural) (17-6) – 70
13. Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) (7A) (20-5) – 66
14. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (16-8) – 65
15. Deltona (5A) (14-3) – 58
16. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (2A) (19-5) – 43
17. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7A) (16-5) – 38
18. Trenton (Rural) (13-6) – 34
19. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (2A) (17-8) – 26
20. Paxon (Jacksonville) (3A) (15-5) – 15
Also receiving votes: University Christian (Jacksonville) (1A) (16-4) – 13; Gainesville (5A) (13-7) – 5; Columbia (Lake City) (4A) (13-10) – 4.