Polk Girls Earn 3A West Playoff Bye

Wolverines seeded 8th, to host winner of 9th vs 24th seed on Thursday

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Polk County High School girls basketball team has received a first-round bye in the state 3A playoffs and will open postseason action at home on Thursday. The Wolverines, seeded 8th in the 3A West bracket, will face the winner of the 9th-seeded Draughn and 24th-seeded Madison matchup.

Why it matters

Earning a first-round bye is a significant accomplishment for the Polk girls, who finished the regular season with a 19-6 record. This gives them extra rest and home-court advantage as they aim to make a deep playoff run in the highly competitive 3A West region.

The details

The Wolverines, led by their standout players, secured the 8th seed in the 3A West bracket after a strong regular season performance. They will host the winner of Tuesday's opening round game between 9th-seeded Draughn (19-8) and 24th-seeded Madison (5-20) on Thursday. The top-seeded East Surry team would likely be Polk's opponent in the third round should they advance past the first two games.

  • The 3A girls basketball playoffs begin on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.
  • Polk County received a first-round bye and will open postseason play at home on Thursday, February 27, 2026.
  • The winner of the 9th vs 24th seed matchup on Tuesday will face Polk on Thursday.

The players

Polk County High School

The Polk County High School girls basketball team, known as the Wolverines, finished the regular season with a 19-6 record and earned the 8th seed in the 3A West playoff bracket.

Draughn High School

Draughn High School, the 9th seed in the 3A West playoffs, will host 24th-seeded Madison High School in the opening round on Tuesday.

East Surry High School

East Surry High School enters the 3A West playoffs as the top seed and would likely face Polk County in the third round if both teams advance.

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What’s next

The winner of the Draughn vs. Madison opening round game on Tuesday will face Polk County at home on Thursday, February 27, 2026.

The takeaway

Polk County's first-round bye and home-court advantage in the 3A West playoffs give them a strong opportunity to make a deep postseason run, but they will face stiff competition from top-seeded East Surry and other highly ranked teams in the region.