ROANOKE, Va. – The Virginia High School League state basketball tournament tips off across the Commonwealth on Friday. For the second consecutive season, the Patrick Henry girls team will be one of our area teams chasing state gold.
That success coincides with arrival of head coach Mike Hedrick two seasons ago. Patrick Henry is 22-1 at home during his tenure. This season, three senior captains have helped lead the team to a 20-6 record entering the state quarterfinals.
The Lady Patriots operate under #BeBetter and are reaping the benefits of establishing a winning culture.
"Culture is everything, and a lot of people confuse culture with winning. No, culture can be when you're winning or losing," Hedrick said.
"Culture is what happens well before that, and lucky for us we have been able to have some winning while building a culture, where sometimes people have to wait three, four, five years."
Senior captain Syleah Manns added, "We can credit that to Coach Hedrick by the confidence he has in us, and in the program that he could change us, being that we weren't relevant in recent years and being able to help us change. Some people, just a different mindset and just having confidence within us."
Patrick Henry travels to Hayfield High School in Alexandria, where they will play Thomas Edison Friday at 7 p.m.