Power Polls: Northeast Florida high school basketball and soccer power rankings, Jan. 8

BOYS BASKETBALL

The Times-Union highlights the top teams across high school boys basketball for teams in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida through Jan. 7 in the 2022-23 FHSAA season.

1. Providence

13-1, Class 3A

Previous: 1.

Last week: Won 60-45 vs. Ponte Vedra.

This week: Tuesday vs. Bolles, Friday at Impact Christian.

Glance: Dominant third quarter (20-5) for big three of Chris Arias, Mason Lee and Jaylen Robinson powered Stallions past Ponte Vedra.

2. Oakleaf

13-1, Class 6A

Previous: 3.

Last week: Won 56-33 vs. Sandalwood, won 76-45 vs. Orange Park.

This week: Tuesday at Bartram Trail, Wednesday at Atlantic Coast, Friday vs. Clay.

Glance: Aaron Rivers (19 points against Orange Park) and the Knights are going strong into the new year.

3. Paxon

13-2, Class 4A

Previous: 5.

Last week: Won 78-64 at Stanton, won 52-19 vs. Bishop Snyder, lost 56-51 vs. Savannah Johnson.

This week: Tuesday vs. Orange Park, Friday vs. Jackson.

Glance: Friday's matchup at Jackson could be a Gateway Conference tournament preview.

4. Ribault

13-2, Class 4A

Previous: Not ranked.

Last week: Won 54-44 vs. Lake Howell, won 58-41 vs. Impact Christian.

This week: Tuesday at Ridgeview, Thursday vs. First Coast, Friday vs. Riviera Beach Suncoast.

Glance: Kalvin Gilbert's double-double (12 points, 11 boards) highlighted an impressive win against Impact.

5 (tie). NFEI

10-4, Class 2A

Previous: Not ranked.

Last week: Won 65-57 vs. Impact Christian, won 62-60 vs. Alexander.

This week: Monday vs. San Jose Prep, Tuesday vs. Bishop Snyder, Friday at Gainesville The Rock.

Glance: The Eagles picked up two quality wins at Jackson's MLK Tournament, continuing a bruising schedule.

5 (tie). Ponte Vedra

9-4, Class 6A

Previous: 2.

Last week: Lost 60-45 at Providence.

This week: Tuesday at Creekside, Friday at Palatka.

Glance: Sharks are fighting to get out of mid-season mini-slump but remain powerful all over the floor.

On the bubble: Bishop Kenny (11-3, 4A), Bolles (10-4, 4A), Columbia (10-5, 5A), Episcopal (10-4, 3A), Impact Christian (9-5, 2A), Jackson (8-8, 4A), Nease (13-3, 6A), Orange Park (9-4, 6A), St. Joseph (9-3, 2A)

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GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Times-Union highlights the top teams across high school girls basketball for teams in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida through Jan. 7 in the 2022-23 FHSAA season.

1. Bishop Kenny

16-1, Class 4A.

Previous: 1.

Last week: Won 49-38 at NFEI, won 33-30 at McEachern.

This week: Tuesday at Daytona Beach Mainland, Thursday vs. Bolles.

Glance: Abby Baker grabbed double-digit rebounds to lead defensive effort at She Got Game Classic in Atlanta.

2. Oakleaf

15-1, Class 6A

Previous: 2.

Last week: Won 76-54 vs. Nease.

This week: Monday vs. Fleming Island, Thursday vs. First Coast.

Glance: Winning streak is up to 14 in a row for Knights after excellent performance against Nease.

3. Jackson

13-3, Class 4A

Previous: 3.

Last week: Won 60-23 vs. Atlantic Coast.

This week: Gateway Conference tournament.

Glance: Tigers will be going for the Gateway repeat this week.

4. Providence

12-2, Class 3A

Previous: 4.

Last week: Won 48-33 at Tallahassee Lincoln, won 44-37 at Tallahassee Chiles.

This week: Tuesday at Ponte Vedra, Thursday at Episcopal, Friday at Hawthorne.

Glance: Senior Ella Ortman is closing in on 200 career 3-pointers.

5. Bolles

12-5, Class 4A

Previous: 5 (tie).

Last week: Won 51-45 at Creekside, Won 54-27 vs. Episcopal.

This week: Tuesday vs. San Jose Prep, Thursday at Bishop Kenny.

Glance: Bulldogs' outside shooting ranks among the best in Northeast Florida.

On the bubble: Nease (12-4, 6A), Paxon (9-4, 4A), Ponte Vedra (8-7, 6A), Ribault (10-5, 4A), Ridgeview (12-5, 5A), St. Johns Country Day (8-4, 2A).

BOYS SOCCER

The Times-Union highlights the top teams across high school boys soccer for teams in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida through Dec. 31 in the 2022-23 FHSAA season.

1. Mandarin

11-0-1, 7A

Previous: 1.

Last week: Won 4-2 vs. Nease, won 5-0 vs. Tallahassee Chiles.

This week: Gateway Conference tournament.

Glance: Another big scoring week for Antonio Mancinotti as the Mustangs roll into Gateway.

2. Ponte Vedra

8-1-3, 6A

Previous: 3.

Last week: Won 5-1 vs. Bishop Kenny, won 4-0 vs. Stanton.

This week: Tuesday vs. Creekside, Friday at St. Augustine.

Glance: Sharks pumped in the goals this week for an excellent start to 2023.

3. Bartram Trail

6-2-1, 7A.

Previous: 4.

Last week: Lost 1-0 at Daytona Beach Seabreeze.

This week: Tuesday vs. St. Augustine, Wednesday at Nease.

Glance: Second-half goal dented Bears' hopes of a quality win at Seabreeze.

4. Creekside

11-2-1, 7A

Previous: Not ranked.

Last week: Won 2-1 at Atlantic Coast, won 5-0 vs. Englewood.

This week: Tuesday at Ponte Vedra, Wednesday at Duval Charter, Thursday vs. Fleming Island.

Glance: Knights have gone unbeaten for last seven games entering a particularly significant week.

5. Fleming Island

8-2-2, 6A

Previous: 2.

Last week: Lost 5-1 vs. Tallahassee Chiles.

This week: Tuesday vs. Gainesville Buchholz, Friday at Creekside.

Glance: Rocky start to 2023 for Golden Eagles against an always-powerful Timberwolves team from the state capital.

On the bubble: Bishop Kenny (5-2-2, 4A), Bolles (5-4-2, 3A), Nease (6-1-3, 6A), Wolfson (7-4-2, 3A), Yulee (10-2, 4A).

GIRLS SOCCER

The Times-Union highlights the top teams across high school girls soccer for teams in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida through Jan. 7 in the 2022-23 FHSAA season.

1. Bartram Trail

11-0-2, 7A

Previous: 1.

Last week: Won 7-0 at P.K. Yonge.

This week: Friday vs. Bishop Moore.

Glance: Two more goals apiece for Olivia Bori and Grace Ivey in shutout of a strong P.K. Yonge team.

2. St. Johns Country Day

10-1-1, 2A

Previous: 2.

Last week: Off.

This week: Tuesday vs. Episcopal, Thursday at Bolles.

Glance: After nearly a month off, the Spartans are back in action this week.

3. Ponte Vedra

9-3, 6A

Previous: 3.

Last week: Off.

This week: Thursday at Bishop Kenny, Friday vs. Fleming Island.

Glance: Well-rested Sharks will take on two strong opponents this week.

4. Fleming Island

6-1-2, 6A

Previous: 4.

Last week: Off.

This week: Wednesday vs. Creekside, Friday at Ponte Vedra.

Glance: Clashes against St. Johns County state contenders will be among Golden Eagles' biggest remaining tests.

5. Creekside

6-3-0, 7A

Previous: 5.

Last week: Off.

This week: Wednesday at Fleming Island, Friday vs. Lake Mary.

Glance: Knights added a Wednesday game against Fleming Island to an already-strong schedule.

On the bubble: Atlantic Coast (6-3-2, 6A), Beachside (7-3-1, 4A), Fletcher (7-4-1, 6A), Mandarin (7-3-1, 7A), Nease (8-3-2, 6A), Stanton (6-4-2, 4A), University Christian (10-0, 2A).

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX, and sign up for the First Coast Varsity newsletter at https://profile.jacksonville.com/newsletters/first-coast-varsity/.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school basketball and soccer power rankings, January 8