With only one team posting a winning record to date in non-conference play, the Western Highlands Conference boys basketball race appears to be without a favorite.
With the defending champion owning an undefeated record to date, the girls race looks to be very similar to that of last season.
In both cases, the chase for the WHC regular-season championship begins Friday as league teams enter conference play. Polk County will begin its WHC title pursuit by hosting Madison, with varsity play beginning at 6:30 p.m. with the girls game.
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Madison’s boys come to Columbus with a 1-4 record, not an uncommon sight for league teams as six of the conference’s seven boys squads currently sport losing records. Hendersonville, at 4-1, owns the only winning record as this point.
“I don’t think there is a clear cut favorite in conference this year but I do think Mountain Heritage is a little ahead of everyone else at this point and most likely the favorite because the talent and experience they bring back,” said Polk County head boys coach Josh McEntire. “The rest of the league will be wide open with a lot of question marks for us and the other WHC teams.”
At 2-4, Mountain Heritage features Avery Austin, currently the league’s top scorer and Nick Chandler. Hendersonville has raced to its hot start behind the sibling duo of Bradley and Michael Schmidt. Avery has struggled early but has been led by Luke Crowe. Madison features Mitchell Ledford, averaging 13 points and nine rebounds per game. Mitchell, at 1-5, and Owen, at 0-9, sit near the bottom of the league standings along with Polk County (0-5).
The Wolverines have been hampered by injuries as well as having most of its roster making the transition from football to basketball. In its last two gamstes, though, Polk County has shown signs of beginning to round into the form expected by McEntire.
“We are still missing a few pieces to our team and we still have a ways to go before will be as good as we want to be,” Mcentire said. “But all things considered, with limited practices and injuries, I think we are in good shape for our first conference game versus Madison, and if we win that game we will be 1-0 and in first place in conference right where we want to be.”
In the place they want to be at the moment are the Mountain Heritage girls, who own a 6-0 record. The defending league champions are led by reigning player of the year Destiny Elkins, currently the area’s leading scorer.
Madison also sports an unbeaten record behind its one-two punch of Baylea Loven and Lexi Ammons and will square off with a 4-1 Polk County team led by Hayley Kropp in its league opener. Mitchell has relied on balanced scoring and defense in its 3-3 start, with Hendersonville at 2-3 and Owen at 3-6 just behind. Avery has struggled to a 1-5 start, but has one of the conference’s top players in Kylie Polsgrove.
