With last week’s defeat at the hands of the Landrum Cardinals rapidly fading in the rear view mirror, Polk County will begin their quest for a third straight Western Highlands Conference football championship tonight at the Little Big House.
Head coach Bruce Ollis acknowledges that his squad will have their work cut out for them, as the 3-1 Wolverines play host to the undefeated Patriots of Madison High School in what promises to be an entertaining and highly competitive contest.
“This will be the second week in a row we have played an undefeated team, so we will have to be at our best,” said Ollis. “We’re trying to do the little things better – working on fundamentals and getting back to basics. We need to be able to play a complete game. Even in our three victories, we have yet to play well for the entire 48 minutes.”
Coming into the season saddled with a seven game losing streak, head coach Mark Gosnell has engineered a dramatic turnaround, as Madison, with a record of 3-0, is off to the best start in school history. The Patriots offensive attack will be spearheaded by sophomores Tyler Rogers at quarterback (418 yards, four TDs) and Tyler Hoffman at running back (382 yards, two TDs), and senior Dalton Ledbetter at wide receiver (seven receptions for 179 yards and two TDs). The offensive line will be anchored by junior center Josh Matthews, while sophomore Cheyenne Bunner, one of just a handful of female athletes playing high school football in North Carolina, will handle the placekicking duties.
Quarterback Alec Philpott, returning from a shoulder injury sustained in the season opener, is expected to start under center for the Wolverines. The Polk offense will face a significant challenge from a ferocious Madison defense, led by senior linebacker Dustin Fender. The Patriots forced six turnovers in their 14-7 victory over West Henderson last week, and no opponent has managed to put more than 10 points on the scoreboard against Madison this season.
Without question, the Wolverines have their eyes locked onto the big prize.
“These are the games that determine your seeding for the state playoffs and give you an opportunity to hang a conference championship banner,” said Ollis. “Our focus and preparation has been good this week, and our players and coaches are looking forward to getting back on the winning trail.”
The action kicks off at 7:30 this evening under the lights at Polk County High School.