Three months ago, Claire Cobb and Madi Polston helped the Montgomery County girls volleyball team win its fifth straight Eastern Missouri Conference crown.

Now, the MCHS junior reserves are looking to help the girls basketball team add another conference title to its trophy case.

The Wildcats improved to 5-0 in EMO play after cruising past Wright City 64-27 on Jan. 19 at Ballew & Snell Court. MCHS extended its conference winning streak to 35 games and is looking to win its fourth consecutive league title.

“I think that’s really good because we’re still first in conference,” Polston said. “I think we could have played a lot better. Our offense wasn’t all that great. But we still won and that’s all it matters.”

The Wildcats have five conference games remaining. They will play Van-Far (Jan. 30, away), Clopton (Feb. 2, home), Mark Twain (Feb. 7, away), Louisiana (Feb. 9, home) and Elsberry (Feb. 13, away).

MCHS and Elsberry are the only undefeated teams in conference play. Elsberry is 4-0 in EMO play.

“I feel like we already got some really good wins in conference, knocking off North Callaway and Silex,” MCHS coach Joe Basinger said. “I think those are two really good wins. In February, it’s going to become a grind. We’re going to have to show up every night. We won this thing the last few years. I tell these girls all of the time that you have a target on your back and you’re going to give everybody’s best shot.”

With the win over Wright City, the Wildcats improved to 13-4 with six games and a tournament left in their regular season schedule. They were scheduled to play Hermann in a first-round game at the Hermann Tournament on Jan. 23.

“I really think this team has a lot of potential and talent,” Cobb said. “I love them. I feel that we’re really good and we put the time and effort into it.”

The strong bench play from Cobb and Polston has been one of the key reasons in the Wildcats’ successful season.

Against Wright City, they combined to score nine points off the bench. Polston scored all six of her points in the second half, while Cobb hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the second quarter.

“They play such a huge role in what we do,” Basinger said. “We need minutes out of them night in and night out. Everybody gets all worked up about who starts and who doesn’t start. At the end of the day, that doesn’t matter. We’re all in this together.”

Cobb said she enjoys playing off the bench.

“It really keeps you on your toes,” the junior said. “You really learn to love and cheer for your teammates because they are so successful out there on the court.”

Junior Malia Rodgers led the Wildcats with 25 points. She hit five 3-pointers, one shy of tying a school record that was set by junior teammate Maddy Queathem on Dec. 16 against Wellsville-Middletown.

“She played well tonight,” Basinger said. “She does a good job of shooting the basketball when it’s her opportunity. She looks to find people a lot.”

Also for the Wildcats, Queathem finished with nine points and senior Carson Flake and junior Olivia Shaw each had eight.

The Wildcats also had conference wins over Bowling Green, Silex, Wellsville-Middletown and North Callaway. They won their league games by an average margin of 24 points.

“It feels really great being 5-0 in conference,” Cobb said. “We’ve had it three years in a row. I just wish my team good luck for the rest of the season.”

Cobb and Polston helped the MCHS volleyball team finish 8-0 in conference play last fall. Polston said she will be very happy if her team wins the EMO title again.

“It will be really nice,” Polston said.