POLK THE CENTER OF FLORIDA'S PREP BASKETBALL UNIVERSE

A while back I wrote here about how Polk County seems to be the centre of Florida's high school football world, with several top-10 ranked teams here...not to mention the 5A champion Lakeland High School Drednaughts.

It seems that you can also apply that case to high school basketball as well. Looking at the latest Florida Sports Writers Association polls, several Polk teams have done quite well for themselves:

BOYS'
CLASS 5A: 2-Auburndale (17-2)
CLASS 4A: 1 (Tie)-Lake Wales (14-3), 5-Lakeland Kathleen (16-4)
CLASS 2A: 9-Lakeland Christian (13-1)
CLASS 1A: ARV-Lakeland Sonrise Christian

GIRLS'
CLASS 5A: 1-Winter Haven (21-1), ARV-Lakeland Lake Gibson
CLASS 3A: ARV-Frostproof
CLASS 2A: 10-Winter Haven All Saints' Academy (14-3), ARV-Lakeland Christian
CLASS 1A: ARV-Lakeland Evangel Christian

ARV - Also receiving votes, but not enough to crack the top ten.

While I'm not a huge basketball fan, I would like to have watched the game a few nights ago between Lake Wales and Lakeland Kathleen, two of the top five teams in 4A boys' hoops. They faced off in a tournament, with the game going into OT.

UPDATE: The Winter Haven Lady Blue Devils are not only known around the Sunshine State, but now have some national mention. This week's USA Today Super 25 prep girls' poll debuts Winter Haven this week at #21. Way to go, girls!