Wildcats fly high

Winter Park’s tough start isn’t much unlike their previous seasons. They’ve entered the start of 2011 with a 10-4 record. But like some recent seasons past, their seemingly inordinate amount of losses have come against some of the best teams in the nation.

Namely, the Wildcats boys basketball team has lost to the No. 13 ranked team in the nation — Georgia’s Milton High — two times in 10 days, with their most recent defeat coming on New Year’s Day by a score of 75-60.

“Our schedule is tough all year,” Coach David Bailey said.

In their quest to play the toughest teams in the nation, the Wildcats have also lost to No. 14 Mater Dei from California, No. 20-ranked Palm Beach Gardens’ Dwyer, and formerly ranked Dr. Krop.

Of all of their losses, only one, against Dr. Krop, exceeded a 20-point spread.

Conversely, nearly all of the Wildcats’ wins so far have turned into massive blowouts. They opened the season against highly ranked Montverde Academy, winning 102-92 on Nov. 26. Six of the Wildcats’ 10 wins this season have been by 20 points or more. Twice this season, they’ve come within two shots of doubling their opponent’s score.

Turning the corner on the season during the holidays, the Wildcats are looking at a wild final 10 games to propel them into the postseason.

So far, district opponents have proven easy prey for Winter Park. On Jan. 3, the Wildcats trounced Oak Ridge 82-53 to move up to 4-0 in district play. They faced Edgewater at home at press time Wednesday.

They’ll travel to Freedom at 7:30 p.m. Friday for yet another district showdown on the road.

Two more district games follow next week, before the Wildcats host perennial New Jersey state championship contender St. Patrick — not only No. 2 in the nation, but also the winner of the nationally contested City of Palms Classic in Florida during the holidays.

“One of the reasons we play so successfully is we do better at the end of the season,” Bailey said. With competition remaining tough until the postseason, the Wildcats have a difficult push for their final month of the regular season.