By Mark Wardlow, SHH Board Member:

The Santa’s Helping Hands 7th Annual Golf Scramble, sponsored by Alford’s Pharmacy, was blessed with a full field, great food, beautiful weather, and a little less heat than previous days. SHH would like to say a special thank you to Michael Meredith, Brad Johnson, and Greg Nugent for helping organize everything from signups, guidelines, rules, and teams.

Mark Rich gave the blessing before the scramble started and then everyone began at their designated holes at Shady Hollow Golf Course, which was in excellent condition as always. Course owner Stanley Ramsey has always supported Santa’s Helping Hands.

The pavilion was very popular because of the great food donated by Dad’s BBQ, lots of cold drinks donated by Houchens Industries, and the several fans that were brought by Rob & Lynette Saling. Between 1st, 2nd & 3rd place and 12 different holes to win prizes there were over $1,600 worth of Rafferty’s gift cards won on Saturday. Most of the teams were from Edmonson County but we also had teams from Louisville, Elizabethtown, Leitchfield, Franklin, Bowling Green, and Tennessee.

When the scores were finally posted, nine out of the top 10 teams were from right here in Edmonson County.

First place was awarded to the team consisting of Brad Johnson, Tommy Webb, Ty Johnson, & Matt Atwell. Second place finishers were Josh Jones, Mickey Jones, Dennis VanMeter, & Gary Minor, while third place went to Stanley Ramsey, J.C. Ramsey, Neil Vance, and Patrick Campbell.

A 90 minute for-golfers-only raffle was held from 6:30am to 8:00am with Charlie Peck winning a Winchester SXP 12ga pump shotgun.

Everyone at Santa’s Helping Hands would like to thank Alford’s Pharmacy for sponsoring our golf scramble this year as well as each and every one of the hole sponsors.

We had more players and hole sponsors than previous tournaments, and we would also like to thank all the volunteers that helped put this tournament together.

We will be starting our big “Kentucky Edition" Henry Rifles Raffle soon and our 19th Annual SHH Auction/Benefit will be held November 4th at the ECHS gymnasium. We are in the process of looking for items to be donated for our auction.

Thanks to everyone who supports this charity where the money stays in Edmonson County.

--from Mark Wardlow, SHH co-founder, and the SHH Board Members

Story and photos by Joseph Barkoff:
​With the heat index in the triple digits throughout the day in Brownsville, the regular start time for the Edmonson County Wildcats to host the visiting Metcalfe County Hornets was pushed to 7:30 p.m. Friday, August 25 to help players, friends and families, enjoy the game a bit more.

Did it help? Perhaps.

The largest way it helped was get the fans, players and community closer to a double-digit heat index, with the sun setting over Wildcat Stadium at kickoff, and the breeze that eventually kicked in, it was anyone’s game to begin.

Though during pregame warmups, Metcalfe County loosened up without their shoulder pads and helmets in some cases. It could have ultimately been a sign of things to come, but, spoiler alert—there was a 30 minute lightning game delay with 6-plus minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Did the game delay give Metcalfe County a much-needed boost? It seemed so as the momentum left the Wildcats and shifted toward the Hornets.

It was a point brought up in the post-game interview on the Edmonson Voice live feed, where ECHS head coach Zach Vincent agreed.

Edmonson County elected to defer to the second half for the coin-toss and kicked to ball to Metcalfe to begin the game.

Lightning was not the only electricity on the field of play during the evening.

After stopping the Hornets at mid-field and forcing them to punt, the Wildcats, with great punt coverage from the visitors, stalled out themselves. Following a blocked punt, the Hornets capitalized on excellent field position and scored first.

The Wildcats then drove for a couple first downs and on third down and 5, from their own 35 -yard line, senior running back Michael Mills made it to the visiting sideline and followed it the endzone for a touchdown.

​The Wildcats were unable to convert the extra-point attempt and the score was 7-6 Metcalfe County with 4:41 left in the first quarter.

The electricity wasn’t done yet.

On the ensuing kickoff, Edmonson County elected to onside kick the ball and Aiden Seabolt was able to recover it for possession Edmonson.

The first quarter would end Edmonson down by one point with a 4th down and 15 on the 30. To begin the second quarter, they would ultimately turn the ball over .

The half would end with the score still 7-6 in favor of the visiting team.

In the third quarter Edmonson County tied the game at 14-14, after being behind 8 with a two-point conversion from Mills. By the end of the quarter, with 34 seconds remaining, Metcalfe would go back ahead.

The score was now 21-14, visiting Metcalfe County over Edmonson County.

With 6:26 left in the game, there was a lightning strike visible enough for an official to call a game delay.

Edmonson County would score again with 4:11 left with Mills in at the quarterback position on a 15-yard run to their right. The PAT went to the left following, and Mills did not have a path to the endzone this time.

Metcalfe County retained its lead 21-20.

Metcalfe would score twice more. The final score was on a pick-6 interception with only 20 seconds remaining in the game.

The final score was visiting Metcalfe County 34 and 20 for Edmonson County.

​“We tried to pull a rabbit out of our hat and it just didn’t go our way this time,” Vincent said.
 
I thought we were in better shape and didn’t see any of our guys take a knee, Vincent said. I was glad to see that, he said.
 
The players gathered around Vincent near the home endzone after the game.
 
“There’s nothing wrong with your work ethic,” Vincent said to his players after the game. “This one is on me. Right there towards the end, I made some bad calls.”
 
He said he is thankful for the patience and commitment of the families of the team. With the practice schedule consistently changing due to weather, but the desire to train and everyone believing in his system, he said.
 
“Getting the kids here and supporting them,” Vincent said. “I can’t ask for a better situation.”
 
“When we get to where we can play four quarters, we can play some football,” Vincent said.
 
They work hard, Vincent said. The kids, he wants a win for them, but he wants them to earn it, he said. 
 
“We are this close,” Vincent said holding up his thumb and pointy finger daylight close, “We are this close to being a different team.”
 
“I wish we would’ve, after we stopped them on that opening drive, I wish we could have come out and scored,” Mills said.
 
Mills hopes they can come out and score first to put the pressure on the other teams and looks forward to working hard in the next week to get ready for Muhlenberg County, he said.
 
Starting senior quarterback Noah Meredith feels his team played some good smash mouth football, he said. They just got the batter hand.
 
“I thought this was a very, very tough Metcalfe County team and I thought we played them really well,” Meredith said.
 
Meredith feels like his team often ends up playing from behind but feels as well like his coach and teammate Mills where if they can get ahead and score first, making the other teams have to catch up to them, it will be a good day, he said.
 
The biggest thing, Vincent said, is keep working boys, it’s going to happen.
 
Next week Edmonson County travels to play Muhlenberg County September 1 at 7 p.m.. 
 
 

Madison Doyle, story and photos:
Last night the Edmonson County Lady Cat Volleyball team faced the Allen County Lady Patriots for the first home game of the season, which was also part of the 2A classic tournament. Edmonson County, which has been in Class 1A for over a decade, recently moved into Class 2A.

The Lady Cats have a different roster this season after the departure of five seniors last year, and only one returning varsity on this year's team. Edmonson fell to Allen in a 3-0 sweep.

During the first set the Lady Cats started out strong and kept the score close, through most of the set, there was only a two to three point difference until Allen was able to pull away in set one, winning 25-20.

In set two, Allen County started with the lead but Edmonson quickly took it back, tying it up at 4-4 before scoring four straight and taking an 8-4 lead. Allen answered with a 13-point run, and Edmonson never saw the lead again. The Lady Patriots ended the set with a 25-16 win, and a 2-0 lead.

The Lady Cats scored the first point of the third set but the Lady Patriots went another run, scoring 8 consecutive points. Edmonson struggled to keep up with Allen until the very end of the set when they began to close the gap, but it was too little, too late as Allen won the third set 25-18, and sweeping the Lady Cats 3-0.

"Hard fought effort displayed by our girls tonight," said Head Coach Christine Barrett. "Although the final score didn't swing in our favor, it's undeniable that their dedication and cohesive teamwork were on full display. The game might be marked as a loss, but we gained alot of valuable insights tonight. We're going to use this match to refine our skills and strategies. We're not just building strong characters that can handle victories and setbacks alike."

Senior Madison Bullock led the Lady Cats with six kills. Sophomore Josie Lich had four, and senior Riley Monroe had two.  Senior Ryann Davis led the team in digs with eight, and Bailey Ferguson, Josie Lich, Alivia Mabrey, and Brookelyn Simon had three each. Alivia Mabrey had four assists and Brookelyn Simon had two.

The Lady Cats are now 2-8 on the season and are scheduled to take on Grayson County away on Monday, August 28th at 7 pm.

Joseph Barkoff, story and photos:
On Friday, August 18, 2023, Friday night lights, was the season opening for most of Kentucky and Edmonson County Wildcats opened their 2023 season at home against longtime rival Grayson County Cougars at the Tobacco Bowl in Brownsville.

The stadium, and high school in Brownsville, is surrounded on all sides by beautiful, lush green trees. Though it was not enough of a serene environment to negate the level of competitiveness, almost palpable on the sidelines and seen on the field of play throughout the contest. Yet, the first half of play was marred by “first game jitters,” as was described on the Edmonson Voice WildcatsLive broadcast on Facebook and available on Youtube.

Grayson won the pregame coin toss and elected to receive the ball first. After a short pooch kick from Edmonson they drove down and punched to ball into the endzone, despite a heartfelt goal line stand by Edmonson, in less than three minutes in the first quarter.

With 9:12 on the game clock, Grayson missed their kick short, but the score was 6-0 Grayson.

In their first series of the game Edmonson lost their momentum and ended up punting, but first game jitters and all.

On the home side of the field, a Grayson County player on punt coverage essentially tackled and sat on top of an Edmonson player and when the ball bounced in, it landed off the back of the Grayson player onto the legs held in the air of the Edmonson player as other Wildcats picked up the ball.

Fourth down conversion, check.

The Wildcats would stall-out again, and the end of the first half had Grayson County up 14-0.

“It wasn’t so much of an adjustment as it was a motivational speech,” head coach Zach Vincent said about the discussion with his team in the locker room after the first half.

The second half, the Wildcats came out with a sense of purpose.

“I think we are in better shape,” Vincent said. “We’re more physical. That first half killed us.”

Starting on their own 30-yard line with 5:40 left in the third quarter, the Wildcats began their drive with senior running back Michael Mills. Mills was able to achieve a first down to the 40. Mills’ next run netted 7 yards. From the 47, Mills was able to, from some key blocks, explode through the Grayson defense playing their men mostly in the box with none on long coverage.

Mills scored the first and only touchdown for Edmonson County on a 53-yard run with 4:26 left in the third quarter. The score was now 14-7 in favor of Grayson.

Perhaps a little late, there was still fight left in the Wildcats, and surrender is not in their vocabulary.

“You can tell these kids have grown since last year considering where we started last year,” Vincent said.

With only eight seniors on the squad this year, after 11 graduated last year, Edmonson County feels good about where they are headed.

“It was really slow in the beginning,” Vincent said. “We’ve got the fight in there and we are in better shape physically.”

They were somber when they came out, Vincent said, and he feels they need to look deep inside themselves to find what motivates them to come out strong.

Despite being a KHSAA Division 5A team, with a school size more similar to a Warren County school, Vincent said he was pleased with how the team executed against Grayson in the second half.

Senior quarterback Noah Meredith acknowledges the team came out “sluggish” in the first half, maybe only giving a 70 percent, he said.

“I feel like we acted like we did rally in the second half,” Meredith said. “They didn’t score a touchdown, our line blocked really good. We had a good run by Michael, number 24, he bounced it out for a big long touchdown. It was a hard-fought loss.”

Meredith feels, like his coach, they need to come out stronger in the beginning of the game.

“We have to come out strong in the first half,” Meredith said. “If we don’t, it’s going to happen every time.”

​Edmonson is home at Wildcat Stadium again next week, Friday, August 25 at 7PM versus Metcalfe County.

Photos by Joseph Barkoff:

Like these photos? Check out more photos this season from photographer/writer Joseph Barkoff!

The recently held Edmonson County Youth Football Camp was a success, according to Allison Mello, youth football board member.

"Thanks to our amazing coaches, high school football team, and experienced volunteers," she said when describing the event as a "huge success."
 
She continued with "Everyone worked together to teach the players skills to be GREAT! Football is a team sport and we want our players to be great on and off the field. It is our hope to continue to grow our youth program. We have teams Kindergarten-6th grade.  If your child would like to sign up, it’s not too late! Follow us on Facebook EC Youth Football."