Win streaks to start a season and a streak longer than three or four games has happened little in recent history for the men’s basketball program at West Stanly.

Before this year’s 7-0 start to the season, the last time the Colts won as many games was the 2016-17 season when West won eight in a row to the start the season. They reached the 2A playoffs and finished with a 17-10 overall.

Two big runs early in the game lifted the Colts to a 76-43 home win Tuesday over Central Academy.

Austin Medlin led West (8-0, 6-0 RRC) with 17 points while Trevor Kelly added 15.

West outscored the Cougars (2-7, 2-6) 16-5 over the first five minutes of the game. Then a 12-0 run in the second quarter helped the Colts build a 41-24 lead at halftime. The hosts outscored Central in each of the next two quarters en route to the win.

Kelly hit four 3-pointers in the first period, which West head coach John Thompson noted.

“He did a much better job of slowing it down just a little bit. We did a fantastic job of finding him.”

Regarding the shortened season and starting 8-0, Thompson said his team “tries to approach every game the same, but with this shortened season, there is more of a sense of urgency.”

West goes on the road Friday night to Montgomery Central; three of the final four games of the regular season for the Colts, all conference games, are on the road.