SPRINGDALE — Trying to gauge a team’s strength before the start of conference play is risky, but a 12-1 record makes it hard to argue against.
That’s one reason Bentonville is picked as the team to beat in the 7A/6A-West Conference this season. The Lady Tigers were first in six of the eight ballots compiled by sports writers from NWA Media who cover the conference on a regular basis. Rogers High received the other two first-place votes and the Lady Tigers were no lower than third on any of the ballots.
NWA Media Poll
1). Bentonville
2). Rogers Heritage
3). Rogers
4). Fayetteville
5). Springdale Har-Ber
6). Van Buren
7). Siloam Springs
8). Springdale High
Conference play begins Friday including games involving Siloam Springs and Van Buren, which replaced Fort Smith Southside and Fort Smith Northside in the 7A/6A-West. Northside won the conference championship last season before moving to the 7A/6A-Central.
Bentonville started the season with 12 consecutive victories before losing to Webb City, Mo., in the championship game of the Neosho (Mo.) Holiday Classic. Bentonville’s biggest win of the young season came on Dec. 13 in a 56-44 victory over Greenwood, which has won statechampionships in two of the past three years.
Bentonville returns several players from last year’s team which finished 20-10, including senior guard Taylor Lee, who averaged 15.3 points per game as a junior.
“On paper, Bentonville should be picked to win conference,” Springdale Har-Ber coach Sandy Wright said. “They’ve got everybody back including Taylor Lee, who is one of the best players in the conference.”
Rogers has the league’s top player in Taylor Strickland, a three-year starter who averaged 19 points and six rebounds per game last season. But Rogers has some holes to fill after losing 50 percent of its scoring from last year’s team that finished 22-6. Senior guard McKinzie James is the only other player with extensive experience.
5 Games To Watch
Jan. 11 — Bentonville at Rogers Heritage
Jan. 15 — Rogers High at Bentonville
Jan. 22 — Rogers High at Rogers Heritage
Feb. 12 — Springdale Har-Ber at Springdale High
Feb. 22— Springdale Har-Ber at Rogers High
Rogers Heritage could make a push toward the top of the league standings if the Lady War Eagles avoid the injuries that plagued the team last season. Six players missed games with season-ending knee injuries, including twins Ashley and Brittany Ward, who missed the final eight games after averaging 12.5 points per game to lead the Lady War Eagles.
“I think we’re a hungry team,” Heritage coach Kevin Ramey said. “We’ve got some goals we want to accomplish and we’ve all bought into what we want to do.”
Har-Ber lost most of its inside game from last season but the Lady Wildcats received a boost when sophomore Bailey Schalk transferred into the district from a school in Ohio. Schalk (5-foot-10) is averaging about 12 points per game heading into conference play. Fayetteville is still in a rebuilding mode after winning a state championship two years ago and Springdale High is hopeful of a winning season in coach Heather Hunsucker’s second year.