by Mark Schmerling

Enjoying a 25-3 lead after the first quarter, Polk County High School scored an easy 51-24 win over visiting Mitchell in women’s varsity basketball on Wednesday evening.

The win improved the Wolverines’ conference record to 3-6, with three conference games on tap next week and a game tonight (Friday).

“That (first quarter) set the tone,” said Coach Craig Culbreth after the game. “They (the Wolverines) came out really loose in that first quarter. (That’s) pretty good shooting there.”

Culbreth’s squad made 12 of 17 shots from the field in that quarter.

“It’s a big win,” he said.

The win raised Polk’s record to 9-9, and helped ease the pain of Monday’s 50-49 loss to West Henderson.

“They shot the ball the best they have all year, in that (Wednesday’s first) quarter,” Culbreth said of Polk. Hayley Kropp led the winners with 14 points, adding seven assists and five steals. Sarah Phipps canned 10 points.

Not only did Polk shoot the lights out in that first quarter, the Wolverines’ defense was fierce. Mitchell first found the net with four minutes and 19 seconds gone in the first quarter, and that on a foul shot by Sarah Robinson.

Tonight, the Wolverines host Owen. On Monday, Feb. 10 they host West Henderson, with games at Hendersonville on Tuesday, Feb. 11 and at Owen on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

“We’ve got a lot of basketball coming up,” said Culbreth.