Madison Doyle, story and photos:
Tonight at the ECHS football game against Breckenridge County, several seniors were recognized from band, cheer, golf, cross-country, and football. Below is a slideshow of each senior that was recognized and their families.

Not pictured was cross country senior Brandon Lindsey who has traveled to compete in state competition.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
It's been an up-and-down season for the Wildcats, and when you consider last season, more downs than ups; however, this year's senior Wildcats as well as the rest of the team, were up tonight with a big win over Breckinridge County on Senior Night 2022, winning 38-6.

Edmonson County got on the board early and never looked back. Michael Mills scored on a 23-yard TD run as senior Daren Alexander converted on the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead with 9:13 in the first quarter.

After the Tigers fumbled and the Cats recovered, senior Zander Bass scored on a 20-yard run, and a good two-point conversion made it 16-0 for the Cats with 6:33 to go in the first.

The Cats got the ball down to the two-yard line with seconds to go in the first, and as the second quarter started, Edmonson County was charged with a 10-yard penalty. It would then be senior Jude Clemons who rushed in for the TD. The conversion attempt was no good but the Cats led 22-0 with 11:40 in the second.

The game would finally be decided on some huge plays from the Wildcats, with Michael Mills scoring on 54-yard touchdown and another two-point conversion. Peyton Keith would then later score on a 64-yard TD, and with another conversion, the Cats led 38-0, which would be the score at the half.

Mills had an easy touchdown run but actually ran it out of bounds at the one-yard line in an attempt to give some other Wildcats a chance to score. With Edmonson County being the victim of several beat downs and the score being run up on them over the past couple of seasons, fans were glad to see the sportsmanship of the Cats as plays were run to give other guys opportunities that don't get a lot of touches to run the ball.

Breckinridge would eventually get a touchdown in the 4th quarter but the Wildcats had already sealed the deal earlier in the game.

Coach Zach Vincent discussed the win tonight, but talked more about the 11 seniors than anything else in his post game interview.

He went through each senior in the lineup and shared his thoughts on each player and their contributions to the team.

"Tyler Anderson, a great athlete," he said. "The only thing I could ever be mad about Tyler, and I tell him this all the time, he didn't play all four years. He came out as a freshman, great kid and great athlete, can cut up but knows when to cut it off."

"Zander Bass, also a great athlete and I hate what happened to him--he went down the first game. He's just big-hearted, such a competitive athlete. I mean, he just wants to win, he wants to score."

"David Brewer got introduced to football this year. And as he said before, 'I love it, I wished I'd done if for four years. He's always got a smile on him. I've never seen him when he didn't have a smile on him."

"Daren Alexander, me and him go way back. You gotta love him--he goofs around, but it's just amazing how he can be the guy that cuts up and then get serious."

"Peyton Keith turned into a pretty good leader, I think. I mean, we had the quarterback position open, he didn't win it right off the bat, played a different position, took that linebacker position, played it well, then took the quarterback position in a different style."

"Owen Still had some issues early, he's got some knee issues, but just a kid who's very passionate. People forget about the kickers, but he used to come out here and punt every day...a good, passionate kid where he thinks he can make the team better."

"Jude Clemons, you cannot meet a more passionate, big-hearted kid than Jude. He wants to win, not just for himself but for the team. He's a big team guy."

"Caden Swihart, a good, hard worker, great lineman," Coach Vincent said. "He's got good leadership skills and helping coaching guys on the sideline. He went down with a knee injury and has almost turned into a coach."

"Monte Orvis: hard-working-kid. If you saw Monte his first year here, he looked like a spaghetti noodle. But a kid that not only works hard during the season, but working during the off season, lifting weights. He's got a goal and he's very focused on his goal."

"Austin Cherry is a kid that's kind of like a Swiss Army knife. He can play left tackle, left guard, tight end, running back. He just wants to play and he doesn't care as long as he gets to hit somebody or beat up on the opposing team."

"Nolan Martin is a good kid and everybody loves him," Vincent said. "Like David (Brewer), always got a smile on his face, got a big heart, and let me tell you something, there's a monster in there and when it does wake up, I don't want to be on the other side of him."

Vincent also talked about the upcoming game next Friday against Lexington Catholic, a team that is heavily favored against the Wildcats.

"Don't put us down. These kids have some fight about them," he said. "I think we play better as underdogs a little bit, I think we have a little bit of fire in us in the second half, it's like I tell the kids every day, we gotta play four quarters. If we can do that, I think we can be very competitive next week."

Edmonson County improves to 3-7 on the season while Breckinridge County finished the regular season 0-10.

The Cats will travel to Lexington for a 6:30PM central time game start (7:30 local time) for a first round playoff.

Madison Doyle, story and photos:
The Edmonson County Lady Cat Volleyball team traveled to Meade County last night to take on the Meade County Lady Waves in round one of the Region 3 tournament, something Edmonson County's Volleyball team has not done since 2017.

Edmonson fell behind Meade by just a couple of points in the beginning of the first set, but quickly caught up and took the lead with some big blocks and hard attacks at the net, causing trouble for the Lady Waves. The Lady Cats tied things up at 8-8, where they then took the lead and stayed in the lead the remainder of the set. The were able to fight off an 8-0 run from Meade with their own 7-0 run to end the set, winning 25-18.

The second set was much of the same. Each team swapped the lead back and forth for most of the set. The Lady Waves tied things up at 20-20, but the Lady Cats stayed on top of their game. Edmonson won the second set 25-22.

In the third set the Lady Cats started out with a comfortable lead, and forced a Meade County timeout at 9-5. The mistakes Meade made in the first two sets were shored up, they gained some momentum, and tied things up at 15-15, forcing an Edmonson County timeout. The Lady Waves appeared to get rid of the jitters forced by Edmonson earlier as Meade won the third set 19-25, making the score 2-1.

The Lady Cats started to see trouble in set four. Small mistakes began costing points, and with Meade on top of their game it was difficult for Edmonson to recover. Meade went on to take set four 17-25, and then the score was tied 2-2, going into a final set five. The Lady Cats simply could not recover from their mistakes as the Lady Waves won set five 15-6, resulting in a 3-2 loss for the Lady Cats.

"A loss is always a loss, but last night's loss was hard for more than one reason," said first year Head Coach Caitlin Caudill. "This was the last time that this group will ever be together as a team. They played hard and pushed hard the whole game and as a coach that's all I could ask for." Caudill applauded the accomplishments this group have made this year. "This season we have played in three championship games, we made it to the regional tournament, and finished with a winning record. This group of girls have built back up and have brought back the respect around this volleyball program."

The Edmonson Voice also spoke with a few members of the Lady Cat Volleyball who wanted to thank the student section this season. The student section showed up home or away to cheer on the team this season. Many times when the Lady Cats were down and would normally start to give up, the pep section would lift them up and turn their attitudes around, and that is something the EC Volleyball Team has never had before.

"Our student section was a huge help this year," said Senior Rylee Laster. "They cheered us on consistently whether it was home or away. I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who has encouraged us during, and even after, all of our games this year."

Senior Whitney Davis also expressed her gratitude for the students who always came to loudly cheer on the Lady Cats. "I am so incredibly thankful to have had such an amazing pep section to cheer us on, especially when we were down. This season wouldn't have been the same without them, and I be sure to cheer them on during basketball season the way they have for us," said Davis.

Senior Alyssa Doyle also credited the student section. "This year's pep section played a big part in our success this year. They showed up to every home game, and the same group of boys showed up to all of our important away games. They were always loud and gave us the energy we needed to feed off of and to keep our momentum going."

Alyssa Doyle, Rylee Laster, Kaylee Lindsey, Raven Cast, and Whitney Davis laced up their volleyball shoes for the last time last night. "As our season comes to an end, we will be losing five seniors. These seniors have dedicated their time to this program and they will be greatly missed," said Coach Caudill.  "It has been a huge honor to be their coach for their final season. I am so incredibly proud of each and every one of them."

The Lady Cats ended their season with a winning record of 19-14, a major improvement from last year's 7-21 record. This is the most wins any Lady Cat Volleyball team has brought home in the last five years.

Edmonson Voice Sports:
The Wildcats were in it all the way down to their last possession, but a mishap in the first quarter would prove to be the difference in the game for Edmonson County.

The Cats scored early on Michael Mills' 37-yard touchdown run in addition to his 2-point conversion for an 8-0 lead with 7:21 in the first quarter. With just over a minute left in the quarter, the Wildcats had a disappointing possession with a personal foul penalty then an incomplete pass on what was close to a 40-yard pass attempt. This would force the Cats to punt on fourth down with the kicker in the Wildcats' end zone; however, the snap was high and the Cats could not get on the ball, resulting in a Monroe County recovery and a Falcons' touchdown, plus a 2-point conversion to tie the score at 8-8 with 1:07 left in the first.

Early in the second, it was Mills again, as he scored on a 29-touchdown run, plus another 2-point conversion. The Cats took a 16-8 lead with 9:27 in the second quarter.

The Falcons bounced back on their next possession, returning the kickoff for a 38-yard gain. After being stuffed by the Cats on the next down, Monroe connected on a 10-yard pass then another 20-yard gain for a first down on Edmonson County's 20-yard line. The Falcons were able to score after another couple of short runs in the possession, plus a two-point conversion that tied the score at 16 with 6:15 left in the half, which would also be the score at halftime.

The Wildcats and Falcons swapped possessions in the third with no score but Monroe County was left with good field position after an errant punt attempt from the Wildcats early in the 4th. Monroe took over on the Wildcats' 16-yard line. They would eventually score on a 2-yard push with 10:27 left in the game. Their conversion attempt was no good but they led 22-16.

Edmonson County's last possession began early in the 4th and a facemask penalty against Monroe gave an advantage to the Cats, but they eventually turned the ball over on downs, going for it on 4th and 6 with 7:13 to go. The Falcons held Edmonson County for the remainder of the quarter and was able to utilize the clock to their advantage as the fourth wound down. It was Monroe County's second win of the season.

Edmonson County finished with a total of 162 yards rushing and 11 yards passing (unofficially), with 10 penalties, compared to four total penalties and one interception from Monroe County. Nolan Martin for the Wildcats intercepted a Falcon pass earlier in the game.

Edmonson County is now 2-7 on the season and will take on the winless Breckinridge County (0-9) next Friday night on the Wildcats' senior night, for the final home game of the year.

Madison Doyle, story and photos:
The Edmonson County Lady Cat Volleyball team fell 3-0 to the Trinity Lady Raiders last night in the 12th district championship game. The Lady Cats had not seen a district final since 2017.

In the first set the Lady Cats stayed neck and neck with the Lady Raiders through most of the set, until Whitesville went on a 9-1 run and eventually took the set 25-15. The second set was much different for Edmonson, as they were only able to put a total of 8 points on the scoreboard. Trinity won the second set 25-8, leading the match 2-0.

The start of the third set looked much like the second. Several errors were made by the Lady Cats which gave a heavy advantage to the Lady Raiders. Edmonson finally cleaned their game towards the end of the set but were not able to completely recover, losing the set 20-25, resulting in a 3-0 sweep for Trinity.

Head Coach Caitlin Caudill applauded her team despite the loss. "This was not the outcome we wanted," Caudill started. "But I don't want this loss to overshadow the accomplishments these girls have achieved this season. Being able to accomplish a winning season of 19-13 and being able to place in the district tournament for the first time years is so big. In my heart I believe my team is a champion team. These girls are not finished. As we prepare for region next week, I plan to to encourage my girls to keep fighting and to stay mentally strong."

In addition to the team receiving a runner-up trophy, two Lady Cat seniors were named to the All-District Tournament Team, Raven Cast and Kaylee Lindsey. For unknown reasons, Grayson County, who hosted the tournament, did not name district all-season or all-academic team members, something that has always been done.

The Lady Cats are now 19-13 on the season and are scheduled to play in the region tournament next week.

Watch the game live tonight on the Edmonson Voice Facebook page as the Lady Cats take on Whitesville Trinity at 6PM. Pregame show starts at 5:45PM with special guest commentator, ECHS Principal Jonathan Williams.

Darren Doyle, story: Madison Doyle, photos:
The Edmonson County Lady Cat Volleyball team is headed to the District 12 Championship for the first time since 2017 after defeating the Grayson County Cougars 3-2 in 5 sets on Monday night. The win also guarantees their trip to the Region 3 Tournament next week, also the first time in five years. 

After sweeping Grayson County at GCHS 3-0 in their last meeting, the Lady Cats knew they would have their hands full with the Lady Cougars seeking revenge, and especially since Grayson County would also be hosting the tournament.

Edmonson County established the tone early as they jumped out to a 7-1 lead, which forced the Lady Cougars into their first timeout. That timeout did little to change anything for Grayson County as Edmonson went on a 10-6 run, earning a 17-7 lead. The Lady Cats forced the Lady Cougars into their final timeout leading 19-12, but Edmonson County would only allow two more Grayson County points in the remainder of the set for a 25-14 set one victory.

The Lady Cats, led by the five seniors: Raven Cast, Whitney Davis, Alyssa Doyle, Kaylee Lindsey, and Rylee Laster, and junior Alivia Mabrey, kept the intensity up in the second set as well, getting out to another good start. The start was good enough to keep a comfortable lead, despite a couple of small runs from Grayson County. Edmonson went on to win the set 25-16 and grab a 2-0 lead.

While the Lady Cougars faced an uphill climb, they certainly weren't going away for set three, scoring the first point of the set, which was their first lead of the game at 1-0. They forced Edmonson County into their first timeout with a 7-3 lead and then again with a 16-7 Lady Cougar lead. Edmonson County cut the lead to four, but Grayson County went on a 6-0 run and took set three 25-15. 

Set four would be the barn burner of the match, featuring six ties and three lead changes and runs for both teams. Edmonson County's biggest lead was at 18-13, but an 8-1 Grayson County run allowed them to take a 21-19 lead. A couple of calls that didn't go the way the Lady Cats wanted and tough play from the Lady Cougars resulted in a 26-24 set four win, setting up the final 15-point set five. 

After Grayson County scored the first point, they would never lead again. They burned both timeouts by the time the score was 10-4 and they were unable to withstand the digs, kills, blocks from the Lady Cats as Edmonson went on to win 3-2 and ending the season from Grayson County. 

"I am simply on cloud nine," said Head Coach Caitlin Caudill. "What these girls accomplished out here tonight is nothing short of amazing. We fought with grit, heart, and soul for every point we earned. Nothing has been handed to us this season, and I expect the same for tomorrow night in the championship game. If we play tomorrow night with the same intensity and determination, I have no doubt we can win."

Kaylee Lindsey led the team with kills (15), Whitney Davis had 9, Alyssa Doyle had 7, and Rylee Laster added 5. Davis led the team in digs with 44, Alivia Mabrey added 38, Doyle had 34, Cast had 33, Lindsey had 28, and Laster had 33. Lindsey also led in blocks (13), while Doyle and Davis added 5 each and Laster had 2. 

Edmonson County is now 19-12 on the season and have won their last four matches. They will face a tough Whitesville Trinity team (25-7) on Tuesday night for the District 12 Championship at Grayson County at 6PM. The game will be streamed live on the Edmonson Voice.

Madison Doyle, story and photos:
Last night the Edmonson County Lady Cat Volleyball team held their 2022 senior night match-up against the Monroe County Lady Falcons. Five Lady Cat seniors played their last game in ECHS, and walked away with a win against the Lady Falcons.

Edmonson started off with the lead in the first set, but Monroe was not far behind. The set was very close as both teams took turns taking the lead, and nothing more than a 3 point gap, until the Lady Cats forced a Lady Falcon timeout at 20-18. Edmonson shut Monroe down for the remainder of the set, resulting in a 25-18 win.

Monroe started out with the lead in the second set but Edmonson quickly tied things up at 6-6, and then again at 8-8, where they then took the lead. The Lady Falcons were not able to catch up back up to the Lady Cats. Edmonson won the set 25-21, resulting in a 2-0 win overall.

"What a bittersweet ending to an exceptional season," said Head Coach Caitlin Caudill. "I am so grateful I had the opportunity to coach this group of girls. This was such a special season for me because I played with so many of these girls my senior year when they were just starting out. So, to be their head coach now as they are seniors is something very special to me. This group of seniors have put so much time into this program and they will be deeply missed. Although season games have come to an end, now it's time to prepare for Monday night as we take on Grayson County in the first round of the district tournament. I encourage everyone to come out and support these girls Monday night."

The Lady Cats are now 18-12 on the season and are scheduled to take on The Lady Cougars at Grayson County at 7:30 pm Monday night for the first round of the district tournament.

Madison Doyle, story and photos:
Last night at the volleyball match-up between the Edmonson County Lady Cats and the Monroe County Lady Falcons, five Lady Cat Seniors, Alyssa Doyle, Kaylee Lindsey, Rylee Laster, Whitney Davis, and Raven Cast were honored as it was their last game they will ever play in the ECHS gym.

The Lady Cats defeated the Lady Falcons in a 2-0 sweep. They are now 18-12 on the season.