ECHS Bass Fishing Duo Ranked #1 in State

L-R: ECHS bass fishing members Cooper Richardson, Asst. Coach Matt Richardson, and Jake Coy

Darren Doyle, story:
Two members of the Edmonson County High School Bass Fishing Team are currently ranked number one in the state.

As of this week, Jake Coy and Cooper Richardson, both ECHS juniors, sit at the top of the point leader standings for the Kentucky Student Angler Federation (KY SAF).

According to ECHS Bass Fishing Head Coach Jeremy Hodges, the young anglers are in a good spot to finish on top, with only two more KHSAA-sanctioned tournaments to go this year, where the points are averaged from the top eight finishes from each team.

Coach Hodges said one of those tournaments will be held here on their home lake, Nolin, where they are projected to finish high enough to retain their top ranking for the year, noted in the rankings as TOY, or Team of the Year.

"Their performance this season has already qualified them for the Student Angler National Tournament, but finishing with the number one ranking would not only secure them a spot for Nationals, but also provide lodging and meal accommodations during their stay near Lake Hartwell on the Georgia-South Carolina border," said Hodges.

Should Coy and Richardson win the national tournament, they would each win a $10,000 scholarship in addition to other high school fishing sponsored items.

Coy and Richardson at an earlier tournament.

“For the last three years, I have watched in amazement the way Jake and Cooper have totally dominated the very competitive field of high school bass fishing," Hodges added. "Their commitment and dedication  is unparalleled, and we all see the results of their efforts right now with their top ranking. I’ve caught myself just shaking my head when these two go the weigh-ins with great big bags of fish time and time again.  Every high school team around knows who they are when they step up to the scales and usually end up shaking their heads too.  We’re so proud of the way that these two young men have represented ECHS.”

ECHS Bass Fishing was first organized during the 2019-20 school year but did not compete due to the COVID pandemic. They began bringing home trophies in 2021. Hodges has been the head coach since that time. He is assisted by Matt Richardson, also Cooper's father.