Edmonson Voice Sports:
Blake Skaggs, a recent graduate of Edmonson County High School, has signed with Campbellsville University to join their track team as a pole vaulter.

Blake has been involved in track and pole vaulting for three years.  He first started pole vaulting with the track team at Warren East High School , coached by Ken Skae, and was part of the boy’s regional champions there as a sophomore in 2019.

After COVID shut down the track program in 2020, Skaggs returned to ECHS in 2021 as part of the Wildcat Track Team, competing in track and pole vaulting. He recently placed fourth in the region in pole vault, where he competed against athletes who had vaulted for years while Blake had only two years experience.  Blake also competed in the 200 meter and 400 meter events. 

ECHS Track Coach Brad Meredith discussed Blake's signing today.

"I'm very proud of Blake," he said. "He's worked extremely hard, on his own I may add. There were times when he was the last one at practice, working on his own. His work ethic is the reason he's got this opportunity. I'm very excited for him and his family and I thing Campbellsville is a perfect fit and I think he'll succeed."

Blake most recently competed in the KHSAA State meet where he performed his personal best.   Blake chose Campbellsville over the University of the Cumberlands.   

"I would like to thank all of my coaches from high school, including Edmonson County Track Coach Brad Meredith and Warren East Track Coach Ken Skae," Skaggs said. "Also a special thanks goes to Vault Coach Mike Fansler and former teammate and Vault Coach Rylee Fansler for their help and dedication."  

He’s the son of Lori and Brian Alexander of Caneyville and Kyle and Kelli Skaggs of Oakland.

Edmonson Voice Sports:
The Edmonson County Lady Cat Softball team hosted a youth team camp June 23rd and 24th at James Woodcock Field.

Head Coach Alex Jane Massey said during the two-day camp, 47 youth players ranging from grades 1-8 learned drills, techniques, and most importantly, had plenty of fun.

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County High School named new coaches today for the Wildcat and Lady Cat Golf Team for the upcoming school year. Granville Meredith was named boys' coach and the girls' team will be led by his daughter and former ECHS golf standout, Kayla Meredith.

Granville is a 1988 graduate of ECHS and is returning to the course in his Edmonson County gear after serving as volunteer assistant coach for the team from 2010 through 2016.  Upon completing his first stint of coaching, Granville continued to stay busy in high school athletics as a KHSAA softball official and is currently in his 9th year as umpiring at the high school level.  

He also has 36 years experience as a youth league umpire. He is currently a WildcatsLive sports commentator on the Edmonson Voice and is employed at Delta Faucet Company in Morgantown as Information Technology Administrator.  
 
"I look forward to this opportunity," he said. "I enjoy working with youth and teaching them not only about the sport, but also about attributes they can carry with them their whole life.   I want to be a positive role model and teach them that whether you win or lose, be thankful for the opportunity.   I'm excited to be coaching at my old high school. Everybody says it but I mean it.  Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.”

Granville's daughter Kayla graduated from ECHS in 2016 after playing multiple seasons with the Lady Cat golf team where she qualified for the All-A State Tournament three times and the KHSAA State Championship her senior year. After graduating, she attended Midway University on scholarship as a member of the Lady Eagles golf team. She went on to win individual and team titles including NAIA Conference Champions for three years and also competed at the national level by qualifying for the NAIA National Championship. Kayla also works as a behavioral therapist for children with autism.

"I’m very excited to help this team," she said. "It’s a big moment for me to have the opportunity to return to my home team that I love so much, and I hope I can help create opportunities for these kids, just like the ones I had over the years."

Principal Jonathan Williams said that this is a unique opportunity for not only Granville and Kayla, but also for the school.

"I don't know that we've ever had a father-daughter combo in coaching any of our teams, so that's special and I'm excited about that," he said. "But you can't have quality coaching unless you start with quality people, and that's what we have here with Granville and Kayla. They know what they're doing and I'm looking forward to seeing where they'll take our golf program."

Granville said few get the opportunity to coach a high school sport with their children.

"After coaching Kayla for six years and seeing her reach so many of her goals, words can't express the joy of joining her as head coach for this program," he added. "She certainly knows golf, but her drive and compassion to help others is what I believe will bring her success and I look forward to being out on the course with her and the kids."

The two coaches plan on scheduling a meet-and-greet with team members soon.

Edmonson Voice Sports:
The ECHS Track team had a successful run at the 2021 KHSAA State Meet on Thursday, June 10th in Lexington at the University of Kentucky's track and field complex.

Multiple team and individuals finished in the top 20 of their respective categories, with four categories finishing in the top 10.

Karrington Peger earned All-State Honors in the discus with an 8th place finish. She also finished 10th in the shot put.

Daniel Woosley set a personal best in the long jump to finish 9th place. 

Cariann Williams, a 7th grader, finished with a new personal best, which was 18th in the 800 meter.

Emma Grace Cena finished 19th in the 400 meter.

Blake Skaggs set a personal best in the pole vault, while he finished 16th.

Lane Lindsey jumped a personal best in the triple jump and placed 10th while also placing 16th in the 400 meter dash. 

Girls Relays:
4x800 -13th place
Team Members: Caroline Parsley, Cariann Williams, Emma Grace Cena, Courtney Garrett

4x200-11th place:
Team members: Jaedlyn Simon, Lilly Jane Vincent, Courtney Garret, Katie Lindsey

4x100 13th place: (team broke their own school record)
Team members: Maham Shabazz, Lilly Jane Vincent, Courtney Garret, Katie Lindsey 

4x400 -12th place:
Team members: Emma Grace Cena, Caroline Parsley, Maham Shabazz, Courtney Garrett

Boys 4x200 -16th place:
Team members: Payton Vincent, Zander Bass, Tyler Anderson, Lane Lindsey 

Head Coach Brad Meredith complimented the impressive finishes for his team.

"We had a great state meet," he said. "I’m so proud of how our athletes performed and represented our school and community at the state level.”

Edmonson Voice Sports:
Members of the ECHS Wildcat Track team are headed to the KHSAA State Championships this week to compete in a host of events.

Competing in the girls 4x100 Meter Relay will be Maham Shabazz; Lilly Jane Vincent; Courtney Garrett; Katie Lindsey Emma Grace Cena; Jaedlyn Simon; Christina Compton.

For the girls 4x200 Meter Relay: Jaedlyn Simon; Lilly Jane Vincent; Courtney Garrett; Katie Lindsey Caroline Parsley; Maham Shabazz; Emma Grace Cena; Christina Compton.

In the girls 4x400 Meter Relay: Emma Grace Cena; Caroline Parsley; Maham Shabazz; Courtney Garrett Lilly Miller; Katie Lindsey; Jaedlyn Simon; Cariann Williams.

For the girls 4x800 Meter Relay: Caroline Parsley; Cariann Williams; Courtney Garrett; Emma Grace Cena Jaedlyn Simon; Kenadi Swihart; Lilly Miller.

For the boys, in the 4x200 Meter Relay: Payton Vincent; Zander Bass; Tyler Anderson; Lane Lindsey Daniel Woosley; Hunter Hayes; Braden Wall.

Competing in the boys 4x400 Meter Relay: Lane Lindsey; Payton Vincent; Zander Bass; Tyler Anderson Daniel Woosley; Braden Wall; Logan Brooks; Jarrett Prunty.

ECHS is coordinating a "wave parade" to send off the team in style as they leave this Wednesday for competition on Thursday. The team bus will leave around 10:15am on Wednesday and community members and fans are asked to line up down the street and on the square to cheer on the team.

All ECHS athletes making the state roster included: Tyler Anderson, Zander Bass, Logan Brooks, Emma Grace Cena,  Christina Compton, Courtney Garrett, Hunter Hayes, Katie Lindsey, Lane Lindsey, Lilly Miller, Caroline Parsley, Karrington Peger, Jarrett Prunty, Maham Shabazz, Jaedlyn Simon, Blake Skaggs, Kenadi Swihart, Lilly Jane Vincent, Payton Vincent, Braden Wall, Cariann Williams, and Daniel Woosley.

ECHS Tracks and Cross Country is coached by Brad Meredith.

Edmonson County High is inviting the public to attend an open meeting tonight, June 2nd at 5:30PM to discuss the possibilities of addition of soccer, tennis, and/or other sports for the 21-22 school year.

The meeting will be held in the high school library. Anyone interested in the addition of any new sports is invited to attend.

Darren Doyle, story:
The Edmonson County Wildcat baseball team won their first district championship team in more than 30 years yesterday, defeating the Trinity Raiders 4-1 in Butler County.

The Wildcats last won the district title back in 1988, during the school's District 15 and Region 4 days. That was the year Edmonson County's very own Superintendent of Schools, Brian Alexander, was a senior on that team.

Edmonson County moved to the District 12 finals yesterday after defeating Grayson County on Monday in an extra-inning game, 4-2.

The Wildcats were in control the entire game yesterday, paced by 7th-grader Hunter Wilson on the mound. Wilson gave up zero runs on three hits, struck out four, and walked three. Junior Gavin Minyard pitched two innings in relief, allowing only one run on no hits, one strikeout, and a walk.

While the Wildcats notched only one unearned run against the Raiders, they were able to use five errors committed by Trinity to their advantage, turning them into trips across the plate. Edmonson had zero errors in the field, and defense is an area where Head Coach Bo West has been determined to find success all season long.

"Our defense was huge yesterday," he said. "Our defense is what's turned us around this year. We committed only one error in two district tournament games, and coming into the stretch, we knew it would be even more important."

West said in addition to solid defense, it was also the senior leaders that helped boost the team's confidence early in the season after beating Butler County on the road 6-2, after getting thrashed from them at home the night before, 15-3. 

"Everything was off when this season started because of the COVID shutdown," he said. "We were working through so much after losing an entire season. The guys were pretty quiet at the beginning of the year as everyone started working back to baseball stuff. Our seniors stepped up and led the team as the team as a whole started gaining confidence. Our guys were able to stay loose but also stay focused and those are things that led to the guys playing really good baseball recently."

Isaiah Johnson and Hunter Wilson each went 1-3, Chaz Wilson was 1-1 with an RBI. Gavin Rose was 1-2 with an RBI, and Dylan Lindsey went 1-2 with 2 RBIs.

The team was met at Riverhill with emergency vehicles last night for an official district championship escort into town.

"I thought there was a wreck or something, then they said it was because they were escorting us in, and that was awesome," Coach West said.

West's teams have gotten close a few times, but not often. The last time Edmonson competed in the region tournament was 2013, so the opportunity to still be playing baseball at this time of the year brings on a whole new excitement for the team.

"I'm proud of these kids and proud for our county," our parents, our coaches, the alum, and everyone that's been involved in the baseball program," he said. "You wouldn't think it'd be that hard to win two games, but boy, it is. I'm just happy for everybody."

The District Champion Wildcats are now set to take on District 11 runner-up Hancock County this Saturday, at 10AM at the Region 3 Tournament, hosted at Grayson County.

"Everybody is excited to make it to region. I feel like we'll be ready and that right now, we're playing our best baseball. I'll look at some scouting reports on Hancock, but we know they have good speed and a couple good pitchers. We'll have to have our A-game on defense to beat them. We're going out there with nothing to lose and we're looking forward to it."

Edmonson County is now 17-14 on the season and have won their last 4 games. They have won the last 8 of 9 contests, dating back to May 11th.