It's 3rd Region Tournament time for basketball, and we have the latest on the ECHS Lady Cat matchups; also, Coach Jeremy Garmon gives us a Softball preview. Wait no more...listen to the show now!

photos by Laney Meredith, ECHS Senior Jackson Sasse (L) was named to the 12th District All Academic Team.

Front row center: Austin "Cuban" Sowders and Hunter Buttram were named to the 12th District All Season Team.

Back row, third from left, Bailey Board and Hunter Buttram were named to the 12th District All Tournament Team.

Darren Doyle, story and photos
A fourth quarter push from the Lady Cats wasn't enough as they lost to the Grayson County Lady Cougars 65-58 in the finals of the 12th District Tournament last night in Leitchfield. A team effort saw nearly all of the Lady Cat starting five in double figures, but shooting struggles in the third quarter proved to be the difference as Grayson County was able to pull away.

"If you look at the score, it's not that different from the times we played them earlier in the season," said Coach Kevin Jackson. "But tonight was a totally different ballgame, we were in it pretty much all night."

Jackson said there were crucial times in the 3rd quarter where the Lady Cats needed to score, but the shots simply didn't fall, although they were good shots, and good looks at the basket. "That was the difference in the ballgame. When they hit 3's like they did, and we missed some good shots, that's how it goes."

In earlier contests between the two teams, Grayson County was able to mount huge leads after the first quarter, creating holes too deep for the Lady Cats. Things were different in this game, as the Lady Cats trailed 17-13 after one, and cut the deficit to 29-27 at halftime.

The Lady Cats had multiple shots that seemingly were halfway down the basket, yet bounced or rimmed out again and again during the third. The Lady Cougars were able to outscore Edmonson County 15-7 during the quarter.

"All you can ask is for an opportunity for a good shot, and for your kid to take that shot," Jackson said. "We had that, and we didn't have any of our kids back away from the pressure, and that's what I was proud of."

The Lady Cats trailed by as much as 15 late in the fourth, but Jackson said he told his team that the game wasn't going to get away from them. Pressure from Edmonson County and a couple of threes allowed them to cut the lead quickly, but it wasn't enough as Grayson County went on for the win.

The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Madelyne Taylor and Rachael Duncan who each had 14 points. Taylor added 6 rebounds and Duncan grabbed 5.

Peyton Martin had 13 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Caitlin Simon added 9 points and Jhonna Basil scored 8.
​
Jackson said prior to the game, he told the girls that he wanted Lady Cat fans to get their money's worth. After the game, he said he told them that had certainly been the case.

"I guaranteed them that no one who bought a ticket tonight would be asking for any money back," he said, smiling. "These girls laid it all on the line, and it wasn't just one or two, it was all of them that got in the game. Our kids on the bench are so supportive."

Jackson said that in his 30 years of coaching, he'd never had a team without at least one disciplinary problem until this year. He said it was one of the best teams he'd ever had in terms of working well together.

"That means more to me than winning a state championship. I told them they would all be good people and be successful in life. That's what it's all about."

The Lady Cats now await the pairings for the 3rd Region Tournament for games that will begin next week in Owensboro. We'll keep you posted as we receive the information. The first game will be broadcast right here at EdmonsonVoice.com on WildcatsLive. 

The Edmonson County Lady Cats will take on the Grayson County Lady Cougars tonight at Grayson County High School at 7pm for the 12th District Championship.

The Lady Cats (17-11) have won a season-high seven games in a row. The Lady Cougars (also 17-11) are favored to win with a 7-0 district 12 record. Coach Kevin Jackson said he wants his Lady Cats to have confidence going in to tonight's game.

"You know, when I coached here the first time, Allen County had won 10 straight district championships and we beat them," he said. "Grayson County is in the same situation, they've won 10 straight district championships, and man, wouldn't it be nice to knock them off on their home court on Thursday night."

You can listen live right here at EdmonsonVoice.com to WildcatsLive, with Jamie and Scott. The pregame show is scheduled to start at 6:45pm. 

Darren Doyle, story and photos
The 2015-16 Wildcat Boys Basketball season is over, and it ended way too soon. Over the course of the past four months, we've had the privilege of covering Wildcats sports (Lady Cats, too). The launch of our own broadcast network, WildcatsLive, has been an overwhelming success and we've enjoyed every broadcast, every interview, photo, and article that we've been a part of.

We've come to know and love these players as our own family. They've taken the time to answer our questions in good times and the bad, and were always ready to give one of our staff members a hand shake, fist bump, high five, or all three.

The coaches allowed us on the floor, in the locker room, and gave us their time and respect, while they were also willing to help us in so many ways in order for us to better do our jobs, and we are grateful. 

The season ended with a winning record of 17-10 on an unexpected loss, and those are the worst kind. But for us, we'll remember this season as something far more than wins and losses, and we want our readers to know why.

First of all, parents, fans, and readers need to know what kind of coaches by which these Wildcats were led. Coach Mike McClintic and Assistant Coach Bart Weaver returned every call we made, every text, and email, sometimes at midnight. That's enough to earn our respect, but there's way more to it than that.

Time and time again, they would talk to us about their kids. The Wildcats. Not about X's and O's, but the players. They took the blame for the losses, they gave all credit to the players. They talked about starters, they talked about bench players. They would occasionally get teary-eyed when talking about them. They would get choked up from time to time. Folks, this is something that is often missing from youth sports. In a world where wins and losses are the only things that matter to some,  Edmonson County is an exception.

Secondly, every interview we had with an individual player resulted in that player either giving credit to his teammates, coaches, or both, rather than themselves. Every single time. This year's team consistently had five guys that could score double figures in every game, yet none of them ever "show-boated," bragged, or took any credit for themselves around us. 

They continually talked about their love for one another and how proud they were to be Wildcats. With as much media coverage as these players have gotten over this season, none of them ever tried to make the news, they never tried to get interviews, and in today's times, that is amazing. 

Some will read this article and accuse me of being a suck-up. Call it whatever you want. I've been around enough bad coaches to truly appreciate the good ones, and Coach Mac and Coach Weaver and their staff deserve to be recognized. 

They don't get paid very much to be coaches, yet they're the first ones to the gym and the last ones to leave. They wash uniforms, watch film, study the stats, work all hours of the day and night, and that's in addition to their regular teaching jobs and their own families. They're often criticized by the "bleacher coaches" and folks at home listening in, yet they come back the next day, trying to figure out the best way to help their kids. 

However, the true test of a what a coach really is, can be tried by asking the kids themselves what they think. 

"I love this team so much," said Senior Hunter Buttram after the season-ending game. "The players and coaches have taught me so much about basketball and life. They've made me a better person overall."

Cuban Sowders said much of the same. "The whole experience of playing basketball here has taught me not only basketball skills, but also life skills," he said. "I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to play for this community and for all the support we've received."

Senior Jackson Sasse said he felt like he was speaking for all of the locker room when he said he couldn't have asked for better coaches. "We wanted to win for each other and for them," he said. "I hope I become half the role model that they've been to me."

Junior Bailey Board said that the coaches have helped him a great deal. "Both of them have taught me so much and improved my game on both sides of the court. They mean so much to me and they're like family."

Junior Caleb Skaggs told us that there wasn't enough good things he could say about them. "They really care about our team. They love us like sons and we love them like dads," he said.

You won't hear those comments unless your coaches have led you by example. These coaches have led these players to be good leaders themselves, as well as good followers.

The world needs more coaches that get choked up about their kids and less of the ones that don't. 

Hunter Buttram summed up what we've seen from these kids and coaches all season long when he said. "I'm so thankful to be a part of this community. I'm so proud to be a Wildcat and always will be."

We hear you, Hunter. All of us at the EdmonsonVoice feel the same. We thank all of you guys for a great season and we wish you nothing but the best in the years to come. WildcatsLive has been honored to be part of this year. We. Are. EC.

Darren Doyle, story and photos
The Edmonson County Wildcats were upset by Butler County last night in a disappointing 77-68 first round loss at the District 12 Tournament held in Leitchfield. The Wildcats came into the tournament favored with a perfect 6-0 record against district opponents. 

Wildcat fans were extremely unhappy with touchy fouls and questionable calls by the officials during the first half which saw Butler County shooting in the bonus during the first quarter, and the double bonus early in the second quarter. Butler County found themselves in a little foul trouble as the game went on. The Wildcats ended with 23 total team fouls, Butler Co. had 22.

Four out of five Edmonson County starters were benched for almost the entire second quarter, which seemed to rattle the Cats and kept them from getting into a rhythm and gaining momentum.

The Wildcats had plenty of opportunities to gather themselves in the second half despite the foul troubles, but only shot 54% from the free throw line and a measly 39% from the field. The team only hit 5 of 25 three-pointers.

Butler County shot an impressive 57% from the field and hit 45% from behind the arc.

"We got off to a decent start, but the fouls starting mounting up early on," Coach Mac said. "We had to start pulling our guys out. I give a lot of credit to our bench guys for stepping up when they had to."

McClintic also said that it was just one of those nights when things didn't go their way.

"We just couldn't stop them from getting to the basket, and that's on me," said the coach. "I should've been able to come up with better ways to get defensive stops when we needed them, so that's my fault."

Austin "Cuban" Sowders said the loss was obviously very tough and that he hadn't prepared for the fact that last night would be his final game for Edmonson County.

"We had a great year, no doubt, and I love my teammates and coaches," he said. "We just couldn't get shots to fall or get any breaks last night. Being a senior, it was very hard going out the way we did."

Hunter Buttram said he had no regrets with his senior year, although it was a difficult way to end the season. "We played hard last night, but it just came down to who hit more shots, and they did," he said. 

The Wildcats led 15-11 in the first quarter, which would be their largest lead of the entire game over the Bears, but a 9-1 Butler County run into the second quarter propelled the Bears to a 32-28 lead at the half and Butler County never looked back nor trailed again.

Leading the way for the Wildcats was Cuban Sowders, with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Two other Wildcats were in double figures as Hunter Buttram added 17 points and 8 rebounds, and Bailey Board finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds.

Caleb Skaggs had 7 points and Iszic Blankenship finished with 7 points and 7 rebounds. Jarod Hines added 2 and Tucker Cole added 1.

"Butler County came in with a good game plan," Mac said. "I give credit to them. We had some opportunities, but we just couldn't get over the hump."

As always, Coach Mac credited the effort of his team. "I'm so proud of these kids, especially our seniors. I'm a lucky coach to be able to coach a group of kids that have been brought up the right way. I hate this loss because they deserve better. I try to teach them there's more to life than basketball, still, it hurts to have their season end like this." 

​The Wildcats finish their season with a record of 17-10. "I hope everyone knows how proud I am of them," coach said, emotionally. "I love them like they're my sons. We're not just a team, we're a family."

Darren Doyle, story and photos
The Edmonson County Lady Cats advanced to the District 12 finals last night after defeating Butler County 51-34 in Leitchfield. The win also guarantees them a spot in the Region 3 Tournament in Owensboro next week.

The Lady Cats got off to a slow start, although they led 11-7 after the first. They took a 25-18 lead into the locker room at the half, but Coach Jackson was unhappy with what he called "sloppy play" at the break. 

Jackson's game plan for a win was to out rebound the Lady Bears and utilize the Lady Cat full court trapping press for transition buckets off of turnovers. None of that went as well as Jackson had hoped in the first half, but fortunately for EC, Butler County struggled from the free-throw line and failed to capitalize on several easy opportunities.

"We just didn't play well in the first quarter," Jackson said. "We didn't execute, we had some nerves, and we knew it would be tough beating a team for the third time (this season), so we give Butler County a lot of credit."

Jackson went to a full court man-to-man defense in the second quarter that he said allowed his team to move better, and get more comfortable. The Lady Cats went on a 10-3 run during the quarter. "From that point on, our kids gutted it out."

Peyton Martin and Caitlin Simon each had 14 points. Martin added 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 6 steals, while Simon added 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Martin took a shot to the face where a broken nose was first suspected, but as of now, it appears as it's just bruised. She did have some swelling after the game, and she also experienced some nausea later.  

Tori Browning became tangled up during a rebound attempt and came down hard on her right ankle. She had to be helped off the court and didn't return to the game. Tests showed that nothing was broken, but it appears to be severely sprained. It is unsure if she'll be able to play in the finals on Thursday night.

"It's swollen up, I'm not sure about Thursday," she said. "It's just day-to-day right now, but I'm hoping to play."

Jackson said Browning has been the spiritual leader of the team all season long. "Her ankle is not very good, and I hate it for her," he said. "We'll see what happens in a day or two, we're going to take the day off tomorrow, our kids are exhausted."

Madelyne Taylor finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, the first double-double of her career. 

Jhonna Basil ended up with 6 points, Rachael Duncan had 3 points, and Katlin Collins finished with 2.

The girls will take on Grayson County in the championship game on Thursday, Feb 25 at 7pm. WildcatsLive will carry the broadcast on EdmonsonVoice.com beginning at 6:45pm.

​The boys will take on Butler County in the first round of their tournament tonight at 6pm. Jamie and Scott will have all the live action on WildcatsLive beginning at 5:45.

Darren Doyle story
Laney Meredith photos
Someone forgot to tell junior Iszic Blankenship that seniors are supposed to have the spotlight on senior night, but there were certainly no complaints as his 21 points and 10 rebounds led the Wildcats to a 71-64 win over the Greenwood Gators last night at ECHS.

Emotions were high in Brownsville as six seniors suited up at home one last time. The seniors and their families were honored in a pre-game ceremony with their families, as well as senior members from the ECHS archery team. 

The Wildcats looked for revenge against the Gators as they were defeated at the buzzer in Bowling Green on December 11th. 

"We hung together, we fought through a couple of runs and held on to a lead in the fourth quarter," said Assistant Coach Bart Weaver. "We missed some free throws down the stretch, but we hit some big ones late. We're really proud of theses seniors to go out with a win in our gym over a good team."

A total of four Wildcats landed in double figures last night, something that happens nightly, but Weaver noted Blankenship's performance.

"He had a great practice yesterday, just extra will and effort," he said. "He was just playing loose and he felt really good. I felt like he was going to have a big game. He really stepped it up on the boards and offensively as well. I can't say enough about Iszic."

The Wildcats started out a little too loose, allowing open looks from three point land and overall sloppy play, trailing 16-13 after the first quarter. Things stayed pretty even in the second as the Gators held a 37-34 lead at the half.

The Cats would turn things up in the third quarter thanks to three point shooting by Buttram and inside play from Blankenship that would lead Edmonson County on a 21-13 run to give them the 55-50 lead going into the final quarter.

Greenwood cut the lead to 60-57 on Dawson Crump's 3 pointer with 2:46 left in the game. Crump ended up with 31 points on the night and hit four 3 pointers. That's as close as the Gators would get as Bailey Board answered with a bucket on the Wildcats' next play. Greenwood missed another three and the next trip down the court resulted in a two-hand dunk by Blankenship over the Gator's Scotty Harris and a foul. Wildcat Alley erupted as Edmonson County took a 64-57 lead. 

None of the seniors had what you'd call a career night, but as the coaching staff has noted time and again, no one on this team is looking to make headlines, they just do what's necessary to win. 

Cuban Sowders talked about how the time has flown by during his time at ECHS. "I love my teammates to death," said Sowders. "They are my brothers." Sowders finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds.

Hunter Buttram, another Wildcat in double figures with 12 points and 6 rebounds, also was quick to credit his teammates. "I can't say enough about them," he said. "We've played together for many years and we've become very close."

Bailey Board also had a solid night with 19 points and 4 rebounds. Caleb Skaggs added 7 points and 7 rebounds, and senior Jacob Peger added 2.

Now they say it's time to focus on what really matters, the district tournament. Edmonson County hasn't won a title since 1993.

"It's great to have this momentum going into the tournament," said Buttram. "Winning these last couple of games has built up confidence for the team and I'm hoping it will help us heading into the district."

Sowders enjoyed the festivities of senior night, but he also said the main goal was yet to be achieved. "We still have to play our basketball and focus on the little things to get this district title," he said. 

The Wildcats play Butler County Tuesday night at 6pm in the first round of the district tournament at Grayson County High School. They improve to 17-9 on the season. It's the best record the Wildcats have seen since the 2009-10 season under coach Darryl Travis where the team finished 19-8.

Darren Doyle story
Laney Meredith photos
The Lady Cats took the court one last time this season at ECHS last night in a 67-44 victory over the Greenwood Lady Gators. It was certainly special for four seniors, as it would be the last home game of their high school careers.

Sophomore Caitlin Simon was brilliant in the Lady Cats sixth win in a row with 29 points and 10 rebounds, but the night belonged to the seniors, and they were honored with their families in a pre-game ceremony,  as well as seniors from the cheerleading team and band. Lady Cat seniors discussed the roller coaster ride of emotion.

"Knowing this was my last time walking off the floor was bittersweet," said Jhonna Basil, "but getting the win made it so great and I couldn't have asked for a better game to go out on." Basil finished with 17 points and 4 rebounds.

Rachael Duncan said much of the same. "I love playing with these other seniors, and I'm so glad they've stuck through it with me," she said. "They have been there for me during my roughest times, and I could never repay them. They are my best friends."

In a pre-game interview, Coach Jackson discussed how they wanted to embrace the special night, yet control their emotions in a positive way in order to take care of business. The Lady Cats were a bit scattered in the first quarter as they trailed 17-15 after one.

Edmonson County took control of the game in the second quarter, going on a 17-8 run that gave them a 32-25 lead at halftime. 

The Lady Cats never looked back as they forced Greenwood into many turnovers and were able to score baskets in transition. Simon was able to create opportunities with dribble drives, scoring easy buckets or drawing fouls. She scored 12 points from the free throw line alone.

​It was the fourth game of the week for the Lady Gators and Edmonson County, with fresher legs, was able to take advantage.

The win improved the Lady Cats' record to 16-11 on the year, and the focus now is carrying positive energy into the district tournament next week, were they'll face Butler County first.

"I believe the momentum we have going right now into the tournament is awesome," said Tori Browning. "Coach Jackson has been talking a lot about Butler and getting us prepared for them. We know what we have to do and I hope we can carry over the way we've played these last few games into the tournament."

Madelyne Taylor called the game a "tear-jerker," especially noting the impact of hearing the announcer saying "one minute remaining." She said her team was a family.

"They're all great people and I know they will all be successful in whatever they choose to do after high school," she said. Like her teammates, she's focused on next week. "We're in a six game win streak going into the district tournament so we have confidence. We want to be the aggressor in the tournament and hopefully we come out with some W's."

In the remaining box score, Duncan had 8, Martin had 7, Collins had 4, Taylor had 1.

The Lady Cats will face Butler County Monday night at 7:30pm at Grayson County High School in the first round of the District 12 Tournament. You can listen to all the action live on WildcatsLive, starting around 7pm on EdmonsonVoice.com.

This week, we shine the Senior Spotlight on Austin Hodge and Jacob Peger and get a baseball preview from Assistant Coach Bart Weaver. By the way, did you hear about the ECMS Academic Team? Click that play button!

The Lady Cats and Wildcats will take the floor one final time tonight in the last home game of their high school careers. The girls game is scheduled for tip off at 6pm, with the first half of Senior Night Festivities planned to begin just before game time. 

Not only Lady Cat basketball seniors will be recognized, but also cheer and band members as well. All first half participants are asked to be at ECHS no later than 5:30 tonight.

The second half of the night will recognize not only boys basketball seniors, but also archery team members as well. Those participating are asked to arrive no later than 7:00pm.

Edmonson County Youth Basketball Little League members will be recognized at halftime during the boys game.

ECHS Pep Band president Joy Curtis has also announced that tonight will also be "Fan Night," and encourages everyone in attendance to wear Edmonson County gear and attire.

The Lady Cats are on a 5-game winning streak and look to leave ECHS tonight winners going into the district tournament next week. They were defeated 50-48 by Greenwood earlier in the season on a last-second shot in Bowling Green.

The boys just completed a 6-0 perfect district regular season record, as they defeated Whitesville Trinity earlier in the week. They look to avenge the Greenwood Gators, who also beat the Wildcats 67-66 on a buzzer-beater at Greenwood earlier in the season.   

If you can't attend the game, you can listen to Jamie and DD live on ​​​WildcatsLive, tonight beginning around 5:45pm, on your home for ECHS sports, EdmonsonVoice.com.

Darren Doyle, story and photos
Four different Wildcats landed in double figures last night as they capped off a perfect 6-0 district season after defeating Whitesville Trinity 69-66 at ECHS. Coach Mike McClintic was asked if he expected to finish the season undefeated in District 12 play.

"No. Everybody had us picked to finish fourth in the district," he said. "But our kids took that as a challenge, and they rose to it."

He also spoke of the team effort that he saw from the Wildcats last night, an effort where he didn't know who scored in double figures or who didn't. He said he had recently discussed the same subject with a head coach from a different school.

"He told me that there wasn't just one guy on our team that someone could stop to make a difference because someone else would just pick it up. We've got guys that aren't afraid to pass the ball. When you've got guys that are passing up open shots so someone else can get a better shot, you know you're coaching a good team."

The Wildcats got off to a mediocre start trailing 13-9 after the first quarter, but a 14-2 run by Edmonson County in the second helped them grab a 23-15 lead. The Raiders found a run of their own, outscoring the Wildcats 12-5 during the last couple minutes of the half as they cut the Edmonson  County lead to 28-27 at halftime.

The Raiders came out of the locker room with plenty of intensity and tied it at 30 all with a three pointer during the first minute of the third quarter, then regained the lead with another three to make it 33-30. The score see-sawed over the next few minutes until Trinity was able to put up an unanswered bucket and a three to take their largest lead of the game at 46-60 with a minute and a half left in the third.

The Wildcats regained their composure as Bailey Board would score a bucket, then two free throws on the next play to come within two at 46-44 with just a few seconds left in the quarter.

The same type of back-and-forth scoring took place as the fourth quarter began, but Tucker Cole shot a big time charge into the crowd when banked in a three pointer to tie the score at 49 all with 6:20 left in the game. The lead changed 5 times during the next 5 exchanges.

Caleb Skaggs was fouled hard on a layup attempt with 3:02 left. He hit both free throws to regain the lead at 57-56, and the Wildcats would never trail again, holding on for the 69-66 win.

Leading the way for the Cats were Hunter Buttram and Bailey Board with 18 points each, Austin Sowders added 15 points and 6 rebounds, and Caleb Skaggs had 10. Buttram sank 4 of 10 from beyond the arc and was 3/3 on two-point baskets. Iszic Blankenship had 5 points and 7 rebounds and Tucker Cole scored 3.

The Wildcats improve to 16-9 on the season and will play the last home game of the year this Friday night against Greenwood. Senior night was something that Coach Mac didn't want to say too much about.

"I'd have a hard time talking about that right now," he said with glassy eyes. "Those kids mean an awful lot to me. I also want to mention something else. We've talked about Jarrod (Hines) and what he's been through, we've talked about Austin Hodge being injured, but I also want to mention Jacob Peger. He's a senior, and he's been great. Whether it's in the locker room, or backing up what we say, that's something people don't always see, but as a coach, you appreciate that. You know, it's leadership."

Coach Mac went on about his personal relationship with his Wildcats. "They make me laugh. Last year's seniors have rubbed off on this year's, it's gotta be a team, or nothing."

Darren Doyle, story
Laney Meredith, photos
The Lady Cats have implemented a new style of play over the course of this season that involves pushing the ball and increasing the overall tempo of the game. If they're putting up 55+ points per game, Coach Jackson has said that his team will be in a good position to win. 

So wait, according to the headline, did the Lady Cats score 60 points last night? Yes, plus more...60 points was the margin of victory last night at ECHS as the Lady Cats demolished the Trinity Lady Raiders 76-16 in their final regular season district game of the season.

"I'm really pleased with the kids," said Coach Jackson. "You talk about a total team effort, and we had it tonight. All 18 of our kids got into the game and 13 of them scored. We're proud of our seniors. It may have been the best overall effort from them all season long."

The seniors combined for a total of 32 points, 12 of which came from Jhonna Basil, and another 9 came from Rachael Duncan, who connected on 3 of 4 three pointers.

The Lady Cats simply outmatched Trinity in the extremely lopsided game, but Jackson used it as learning opportunities for his younger reserves. Some might see the score as "running up the scoreboard," but that definitely wasn't the case, as Jackson regularly used his entire roster, including four 8th graders and two freshmen.

"I had a referee come to me after the game and told me he appreciated the fact we got all of our kids into the game," Jackson said. "He said they go some places and they don't do that, so that made us feel good, and we're glad our younger ones got in and get a little taste of it."

Leading the Lady Cats in scoring was Caitlin Simon with 16 points, while Peyton Martin added 5 points with 11 assists. Also getting in the books was Katlin Collins with 7, Tori Browning added 6, and Madelyne Taylor had 5.

The remaining box score was: Cline 2, Harrison 5, Doyle 3, Dishon 2, Vincent 2, Ballance 2.

The Lady Cats will take on Greenwood Friday night at home, which will be senior night, the last game at ECHS for seniors Jhonna Basil, Rachael Duncan, Tori Browning, and Madelyne Taylor. Girls will tip at 6pm with the boys game beginning immediately after.

You can listen to the live action on Edmonson County's home for ECHS sports, ​WildcatsLive on EdmonsonVoice.com.

Both the Lady Cats and Wildcats will play their last regular season district game tonight at ECHS in a doubleheader beginning at 6pm. The game will be a "Red-Out," so all Edmonson County fans are asked to wear your red gear tonight against the Trinity Raiders, who are royal blue.

A win tonight will give the Wildcats a district record of a perfect 6-0, but they've already secured a number one seed for the upcoming district tournament that will be held at Grayson County next week.

The girls are currently 3-2 in district play and have secured a number 2 seed in the tournament.

If you can't make it to the game, listen to the guys call it live, on WildcatsLive, on your home for ECHS sports and Edmonson County's number one news source, EdmonsonVoice.com.

Darren Doyle, story
Edmonson County came home with two wins last night after the boys first defeated Fredrick Fraize High School (Cloverport) 84-62, with the Lady Cats taking care of business in large fashion with a 68-19 victory.

Wildcats 84 Cloverport 62
The boys game was yet another complete team effort with 5 different Wildcats landing in double figures. Edmonson County wasted no time in getting things started with an 18-13 lead after the first quarter and was able to stretch the lead to 40-30 at the half.

The Wildcats were able to continue to overpower the Aces in the third with a 62-43 lead going into the final quarter, and younger reserve players were able to get some playing time as they went on to win 84-62.

Austin Sowders sat out much of the second half with a sore shoulder, but it doesn't seem to be a major issue at this point.

Official stats were unavailable at press time, but WildcatsLive numbers showed ten different Wildcats going in the scorebook with Bailey Board leading the way with 18. Caleb Skaggs had 14, Hunter Buttram had 13 points and 8 rebounds, Iszic Blankenship had 12 points and 6 rebounds, and sophomore Tucker Cole scored a varsity career-high 11 points. 

Sasse and Peger each had 3 points while Minton and Elmore added 2 apiece. The Wildcats are now 15-9 on the season and are looking to finish off a perfect district season as they take on Trinity at home Tuesday night.

Lady Cats 68 Cloverport 19
Yes, you read that correctly. The Lady Cats defeated Fredrick Fraize (Cloverport) by a margin of 49 points last night as the girls were led by Caitlin Simon's 19 points and 9 rebounds. 

The Lady Cats had no trouble at all against the struggling Lady Aces as nine different players scored during the contest. Peyton Martin had 14, Jhonna Basil added 8, Rachael Duncan and Madelyn Taylor each had 7, Katlin Collins and Abby Alexander had 4 each, and Skylar Lewis and Tori Browning each had 2.

"We had some things we wanted to work on, but you could see Fredrick Fraize was out-manned a little bit," said Coach Kevin Jackson. "You can still get some things done offensively and defensively, and I was trying to preach defense."

The team must have had plenty of "amens" to give the sermon, because holding a team to only 19 points for an entire game will make any choir sing.

"I thought our kids did a good job tonight, our first bunch got a lot of steals, run-outs, and easy baskets off the steals," he added. "Our second bunch came in and did a good job, too. It's always good when you can relax a little and let the second bunch play a little bit. They got some good minutes tonight, and we got some scoring out of them." 

The Lady Cats are now at a season-high for consecutive wins at four in a row. They look to take the momentum into next week's final district game against Trinity at home on Tuesday. The Lady Cats crushed the Lady Raiders in their earlier meeting this year by 36 points.

This week, we take a look at ECHS Girls' Basketball stats, talk to Edmonson County Band members Rebecca Bugh, Monica Gregory, Jared Grimes, Katie Johnson, Tabitha Miller, and Kolbie Vincent, and get a Madison Rich update. Why wait? Listen now!

Edmonson Voice Sports
A team effort and solid rebounding helped lead the way for the Lady Cats as they won their third straight game, defeating Ohio County 45-30 on the road. 

Coach Jackson has referred several times to the importance of getting one or more Lady Cats involved in the offense other than Peyton Martin and Caitlin Simon, the team's leading scorers. For the third straight game, senior Jhonna Basil has scored in double figures. Basil has also led the team in scoring two out of the last three games, and notched a double-double last night with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

"It was a total team effort for us tonight," Jackson said. He mentioned the solid performances by both Martin and Simon, but also noted Basil's night. "Jhonna had a double-double, and that's the first one she's had all season long, so kudos to her."

Edmonson County got a solid start with a 14-7 first quarter, but cooled off a bit as the Lady Eagles began to even the pace, cutting the lead to 21-16 at the half. The Lady Cats were able to play add-on a little at a time in the second half while containing Ohio County's 6ft post player, Alison Druin.

"I really give Madelyne Taylor and Tori Browing a lot of credit for doing a good job (defensively) on her," Jackson said. Averaging almost 17 points per game, the Lady Eagle was held to 12 points. "She didn't have any the first quarter, and I thought our two girls did a really good job. I challenged them to step up play really good defense against a nice post player."

The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Peyton Martin who had 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Caitlin Simon also had a solid performance with 11 points and 8 rebounds. 

The Lady Cats improve to 13-11 on the season. Also helping out was Duncan with 5 points, while Taylor and Browning had 4 points apiece. 

Edmonson Voice Sports
The Edmonson County Wildcats fell to a hungry Ohio County team last night in Beaver Dam 68-49, where the Eagles got their revenge against the Wildcats for a close loss back in December.

"Ohio County had some kids to step up," said Coach Mike McClintic. "They came out with high energy which is something we did not. The snow kind of got us out of sync a little bit, but I'm not going to make excuses. I didn't have us well prepared going into this game. We were pretty flat."

Out of a team total 11 turnovers, 8 of those came in the second quarter which allowed Ohio County to create the space necessary to seal the deal.

Edmonson County out-rebounded the Eagles 29-22, but had to deal with Ohio County's 62% field goal percentage and 5 three pointers from 10 attempts. EC was only able to muster 2 out of 15 from three-point range and shot 38% from the field.

The Wildcats were led by Cuban Sowders with 16 points and 9 rebounds with Bailey Board being the only other Cat in double figures with 13 points. 

"Our kids played hard...we never worry about that," Coach Mac said. "I don't know, maybe I pushed them too hard in practice on Wednesday, they didn't seem to have their legs under them like we normally do, but these kids will fight. We're going to forget about last night and focus on what's ahead. We'll get straightened out."

Finishing up the box score was Iszic Blankenship with 7 points and 6 rebounds, Caleb Skaggs had 5 points, Buttram and Carey had 4 points each. 

​The Wildcats now move to 14-9 on the season.

With Edmonson County schools being closed today due to snow, it's unclear whether or not tonight's game at Cloverport will go on as scheduled. A decision is supposed to made at noon today and we'll keep you informed as details become available.

Edmonson County High School Athletic Director Kyle Pierce has announced that tonight's girl/boy double header has been cancelled due to inclement weather. 

Both games have been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 16th. The game originally scheduled on that date against McLean County has been cancelled for this year. The match up will be the final regular-season district contest of the year where the boys have a chance to finish off a 6-0 perfect district season. They've already locked up a number one seed for the District 12 Tournament.

The girls have secured a 2-seed and have a district record of 3-2. 

The next game will a double header against Ohio County on the road where the girls game is scheduled to tip off at 6pm in Beaver Dam. You can listen to the game live right here on WildcatsLive, only on EdmonsonVoice.com

Edmonson Voice Sports
Shawn McCombs photo
The Lady Cat Freshman team won the 12th District Freshman Title hosted at Butler County on Saturday, February 6. The girls played two games in one day, first defeating Grayson County 31-20, then winning the title 37-24 over Butler County.

Edmonson Voice Sports
Granville Meredith, photo
Thanks to a strong first half and a dominating first quarter, the Lady Cats won their second game in two days with a victory over Owensboro, 49-43 on the road.

The Lady Cats jumped out to a 14-4 lead after the first and held a 25-13 lead at the half. The second half began with a rocky start for the Lady Cats as Owensboro outscored them 15-6 in the third to cut the Edmonson County lead to 33-28. 

Owensboro made another strong showing in the fourth, but the first half deficit was too much for the Lady Devils to overcome as the Lady Cats went on to win.

Jhonna Basil led Edmonson County in scoring for the second game in a row with 17 points, while Caitlin Simon teased triple-double stats with 10 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 steals. Peyton Martin also impressed with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Also scoring was Rachael Duncan with 6 points on two 3 pointers and Madelyn Taylor added 4 points.

The Lady Cats are now one game over .500 with a 12-11 record.  

Edmonson Voice Sports
Laney Meredith photos
The backboards were clean in Butler County after the Wildcats' 71-61 win over the Bears, as Edmonson County dominated the rebounding column 46-29, with two Wildcats in rebounding double figures.

"We really told the kids that rebounding would be huge going into this game," said Head Coach Mike McClintic. "We knew we had to keep them from getting second chances on scoring."

Both Austin Sowders and Hunter Buttram had 14 rebounds each. Iszic Blankenship also pulled down 8 rebounds, none bigger than an offensive grab off the glass, put up by Tucker Cole that turned into a two-handed dunk that wowed Edmonson County fans.

Junior Bailey Board led the Wildcats with 22 points and 7 rebounds, but he was quick to credit a team win, not his own stats. "We played as a team and the shots just seemed to fall tonight, but I wouldn't be able to get anything without my teammates. We play as a team," he said.

Wildcat fans were worried at the start of the game as Butler County came out on fire with a 10-0 lead. It didn't last long as the Wildcats answered with an 11-0 run of their own to take the lead. Butler County's last lead of the game would come in the second quarter off a free throw to make it 12-11, but the Cats would step on the gas and didn't look back.

Now, with a perfect district record of 5-0, the Wildcats are heavily focusing on the first district championship since 1993. The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 26 at Grayson County.

"It's still anybody's district," said Austin Sowders, "but going into the tournament and playing EC basketball, there's no doubt in my mind that we leave Grayson County with nets in our hand." 

Sowders finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Board said that the main key to this year's success has been unselfishness, which has been discussed several times throughout the year by coaches and other players. "We have each other's backs through the good and bad times," he said.

Coach Mac said the team broke down the district season into 3 parts: the first three games, the second three, and the upcoming tournament. "The title is our goal, now that we have that opportunity," he said.

Board says that the district title is definitely within reach. "That's what we've striven for all year and going undefeated in the regular season would be icing on the cake," he said. "But if we stay focused and listen to our coaches, we'll bring the district title back to EC."

A total of 4 Wildcats scored double figures. In addition to Board's 22 and Sowders' 15, Caleb Skaggs added 12 points, Blankenship added 11, Cole had 6, and Buttram had 3.

The Wildcats will take on Trinity on Tuesday, Feb 9 at home in a girl/boy double header. Girls action is scheduled for tip at 6pm. The Wildcats now improve to 13-8 on the season, 5-0 in district play, and are currently ranked 5th in the 3rd Region at 7-4.

Edmonson Voice Sports
Laney Meredith, photos
"Rebound, Rebound, Rebound," was the message written on the Lady Cats locker room board before the team took the short trip out HWY 70 to take on the Butler County Lady Bears in a district 12 match up. The message must have worked, because 29 rebounds later, the Lady Cats went home on the smiling side of the scoreboard 57-50.

An aggressive first quarter helped the Lady Cats jump out to a 17-9 lead as Edmonson County was able to push the ball up and down the court. Butler County hung with EC in the second, but solid post play and dribble drives helped the Lady Cat offense keep the advantage as they went into the locker room with a 29-22 lead at halftime.

The Lady Cats extended their lead to 46-34 in the third, but had to fight off a solid comeback attempt from the Lady Bears in the fourth. Butler County outscored the Lady Cats 16-9 in the final quarter, but Edmonson County held on to defeat Butler County for the second time this year.

Jhonna Basil led the way for the Lady Cats with 17 points and 6 rebounds. "We knew coming in that we had to keep them off the boards, and I think we did that well," she said. "We had great ball movement and I credit my teammates for getting the ball to me when I was open."

Some of that credit can go to sophomore guard Peyton Martin, who finished the game with 14 points and 7 assists. "My approach was to handle the ball as best as possible," she said. Martin had only two turnovers on the night while the team as a whole kept the total to only 7. "We wanted to try our hardest and hustle for the entire game. We wanted to do whatever it took to win."

Martin also added that the win was important as it locked in an ECHS second seed for the upcoming district tournament that begins in Grayson County on February 23. The Lady Cats have evened up their season record at 11-11, and now hold a 3-2 record in district 12 play.

Caitlin Simon also impressed with 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Madelyn Taylor added 6 points and 5 rebounds, Tori Browning had 4 points and 5 rebounds, and Katlin Collins added 2 points.

The Lady Cats will face Trinity at home on Tuesday, Feb 9 as a make-up game in a girl/boy double header. Listen live on your home for ECHS Sports on WildcatsLive on Edmonson County's number one local news source, EdmonsonVoice.com.