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The Lady Dragons of Green County soon forgot about the solid first quarter they faced from the Lady Cats as a big run in the second was enough to keep Edmonson County playing catchup for the rest of the night.

Edmonson's girls came out with a good start; something that's plagued them throughout the season, as they shot well and crashed the boards. Hallie Cassady gave the Lady Cats a 16-14 lead with 4 seconds remaining in the quarter when a controversial call put Green County at the line for three free throws. Edmonson's Jaedlyn Simon fouled Green County's Kylie Jackson at half court with 0.1 seconds on the clock. The foul appeared to be on the floor but Jackson tossed the ball up after the foul, and she was awarded three free throws, hitting all of them for a 17-16 lead.

While down 17-16 after one, the Lady Cats kept it up at the start of the second and took a 26-21 lead with four minutes to go in the half; however, during that 4-minute stretch, Green County went on a 14-3 run and took a 35-28 halftime lead. Edmonson County trailed for the remainder of the contest; most of the time in double digits.

Green County remained in control during the second half and the Lady Cats were unable to mount a comeback. 

Despite a sore thumb on her shooting hand, Macie McCombs led the Lady Cats in scoring with 11 points and also grabbed 5 rebounds. Katie Lindsey, who was also recognized after the game for scoring her career 1000th point earlier in the week in a win against Warren Central, added 8 points and 8 assists, Shea VanMeter had 7 points and 6 rebounds, Lily Jayne Vincent had 5 points and 7 rebounds, Hallie Cassady had 4 points, Jaedlyn Simon had 4 points, and Paige Wolfe and Leah Ballance added 3 points each.

The Lady Cats are now 5-11 on the season and have the final three regular season games scheduled for next week: Monday at Glasgow, Tuesday at home against Campbellsville, and Friday at home against Muhlenburg County.

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Edmonson County Wildcat Head Basketball Coach Mike McClintic has announced his retirement from both coaching and teaching after the 2020-21 school year.

Coach Mac joined the boys' basketball program at ECHS in 2013 as an assistant coach and took over the program during the 2014-15 season. In 2017, McClintic led the Wildcats to their first district championship since 1993, breaking a 24-year drought.

McClintic discussed his career and his thoughts on moving forward after the school year ends.

"It's been fun and I've loved it," he said. "I've been blessed with great kids, with great parents, and the only complaint I have is that we didn't get more wins--and that's not for me, that's for the kids."

Coach Mac began his professional career as a teacher at his Alma Mater at Orleans High School in Orleans, Indiana in 1978, where he also began coaching JV basketball and was assistant coach to the varsity team. In 1986 he moved to Cannelton High School in Indiana where was named head varsity coach and stayed until 2000, when he retired from Indiana schools.

He came to ECHS in 2002 as a special education teacher and began coaching the ECMS boys team until 2004 when he took over the Edmonson County Lady Cat basketball program. He remained head coach for the Lady Cats through 2011 until he was named head coach of Lady Cat Volleyball. He came to the boys' basketball program as assistant during the 2013-14 season and became head coach in 2014 where he has remained ever since.

In addition to coaching basketball and volleyball, he also coached ECHS track from 2012-16 and he has been the assistant athletic director at Edmonson County since 2010. 

​This season makes his 43rd year in basketball, not counting all the years as a player in both high school and college. As a player at Orleans High School in Indiana in the early 70s, McClintic regularly took on NBA legend Larry Bird, as Bird played for Springs Valley High in French Lick, a rival school of McClintic's Bulldogs from Orleans.

"We played against each other all the time," said Coach Mac. "He was a fantastic player when he was 6'2", but after one summer he came back and he was 6'8". He was unstoppable then."

Bird and McClintic were actually teammates, if only for a couple months in college.

"He never talked about it, but he transferred to Northwood Junior College where we were teammates," Mac said. "He didn't stay long, it was only a couple of months before he left there and went to Indiana State. From there, well, he became "Larry Legend."

The 65-year old McClintic simply said, "It's time." He has two daughters and six grandchildren in Indiana, with whom he wants to spend more time. 

"As you get older, you get more mellow, you get softer, or at least I have," he said. "I don't really have any plans for the future except spending more time with my family. That, and I'll probably play a little golf."

He said any success that may have come his way was because of the kids he coached and the people around him.

"I've been lucky. I have a wife like Teresa who has supported me and encouraged me, and she was a big part of why I got back into basketball. The administration has been great here, we've always gotten along great. And everyone knows how close Bart (Weaver) and I are. We had a lot of great times together here, I just can't say enough about this place. Not just him, but all the great coaches we've had and still have on our staff. It's just been great. I'm proud of all the kids that I've seen come through our programs. Most all of them have been successful after they leave here. Anything good that's ever come out of here while I've been here is because of those kids."

McClintic said he hopes that he'll be remembered as a positive person that tried to brighten the lives of the kids he coached. He said while everyone wants to win and see banners hanging, he said he also wanted to focus on mentoring kids and helping players and students become better people.

McClintic's record as head coach for the Lady Cats was 73-108 and 87-99 (as of today) as head coach for the Wildcats, which is not likely to turn any heads or win awards. However, at every graduation ceremony at ECHS, you'll find a long line of seniors--boys, girls, players, and students-- waiting to get their photos taken with Mike McClintic, and that says all a person really needs to know.

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
It's one that definitely slipped away from the Lady Cats last night at ECHS as the Lady Bears of Butler County overcame a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat Edmonson County 66-65. 

Butler County held the Lady Cats to only 5 fourth quarter points as they knocked Edmonson County out of a guaranteed first seed in the upcoming District 12 Tournament, which is scheduled to be hosted by Whitesville Trinity. The seeding will now be determined by a draw between the three tied teams: Edmonson, Butler, and Grayson.

​Butler County outscored the Lady Cats 20-5 in the final quarter.

While Edmonson County stuck to their game plan that allowed success for three quarters, untimely turnovers (19) and poor free throw shooting (6/16 =38%) overshadowed excellent rebounding (38 team rebounds), much better shooting (46%, 7/8 from 3pt), and a 29-point, 6 assist performance from senior Katie Lindsey.

Coach Bart Weaver discussed the Lady Bear comeback.

"It's a tough one, especially when you're up by 17 at the half," he said. "We missed some free throws, we missed several loose balls, and those things just add up."

​Weaver said the only thing to do after a game like this is look forward and try to learn from the result.

"We were desperately needing a good start, we got a good start. We pounded the boards. We just have to move on and we have to move on, quickly. We have to play Warren East Tuesday night. Don't hang your heads, they gave it all they got, physically. Both teams gave it every ounce of energy that they had."

In addition to Lindsey's 29, Macie McCombs had 15 points and 5 rebounds, Paige Wolfe added 10 points, Lily Jayne Vincent added 7 points and 8 rebounds, Shea VanMeter had 3 points and 9 rebounds, Hallie Cassady added one point and 5 rebounds, and Jaedlyn Simon pulled down 7 rebounds.

It's the 5th consecutive loss for the Lady Cats and they now fall to 4-9 on the season. They are scheduled to take on Warren East at home tonight in a JV/V match with JV set for a 5:30PM tip.

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The Lady Cats struggled to make shots early tonight while Larue County found it hard to miss. The Lady Cougars shot nearly 60% from the field in the first half, putting the Lady Cats in a deficit they couldn't overcome. 

Edmonson County shot only 26% from the field during the first half, which included only 1-16 from the three-point line. 

Larue County also outrebounded Edmonson 31-28 and both teams were equal in turnovers with 12 each. 

Edmonson trailed 19-9 after one quarter and 33-20 at the half. Despite a couple of Lady Cat runs in the third, Larue was efficient in the paint and took advantage of second-chance points. 

Katie Lindsey's 24-point performance wasn't enough to dig out of the hole they faced early; however, despite the loss, the Lady Cat seniors were honored before the game for senior night, which included Lindsey, Macie McCombs, and Shea VanMeter.

Lily Jayne Vincent added 7 points and 5 rebounds, Macie McCombs had 6 points, Hallie Cassady had 6 points and 8 rebounds, and Jaedlyn Simon had 2 points and 10 rebounds. 

Coach Weaver discussed the loss after the game.

"I've been around this game for a long time and the old saying is if you lose your legs before the district tournament, you're done, and I just hope and pray that's not the case right now," he said. "But it sure looks that way and we've got four games next week and three or four the next week so I'm really concerned about that."

Weaver said the focus now would be on Monday night's game at home against Butler County that will determine the top seed for the District 12 tournament. He said the plan was for the team to get some rest on Saturday and then prepare for the Lady Bears. He then discussed the three seniors on the team honored tonight for senior night, and began with Katie Lindsey.

"The ball is in her hand. Good or bad, it's in her hand. I've had a hard time in three years finding someone else to go get that ball and give her a break. I can never give her a break. She never comes out, God bless her. She's meant so much to this program over the last three years." 

He then discussed Macie McCombs.

"Macie's been our best three-point shooter, this is the third year and she's hit some really big shots in tournaments and the district," he said. "Katie's more of a quiet leader but Macie's a verbal one."

Finally, he talked about Shea VanMeter. 

"She didn't play much last year but she's provided some shooting for us and the thing about Shea that I'd never dreamt of, she's like our second or third leading rebounder at her size, and that's guts right there."

The Lady Cats are now 4-8 on the season and are scheduled to play Butler County at home Monday night in a JV/V game with JV tip set for 6PM, varsity will begin immediately after.

Alyssa Doyle, photos:
Three senior Lady Cats were honored with their families tonight at ECHS for 2021 senior night, just before the game against Larue County. 

Katie Lindsey, Shea VanMeter, and Macie McCombs were recognized at center court for their contributions to Lady Cat Basketball over their careers.

​

Darren Doyle, story:
After a solid first quarter, the Wildcats struggled to answer Logan County's hot shooting and was unable to dig themselves out of a hole on the road last night in a 59-45 loss.

Logan County's Blake Wood, (20 points), connected on 6 of 10 three-pointers, all in the first half, which allowed the Cougars to establish and keep a lead for this game. Logan's leading scorer, Anthony Woodward, (24ppg) put up 29 points against the Cats. The duo scored all but 10 of the Cougars points last night.

The highly charged game, which saw double technical fouls and multiple player separations from officials, was the second-lowest scoring total of the season for the Wildcats as they struggled on the offensive end early.

Trace Taylor led the Cats in scoring with 11 points while adding 4 rebounds. Chaz Wilson had 10 points and pulled 14 rebounds. Daniel Woosley added 6 points and 6 rebounds, and Lane Lindsey had 6 points and 4 rebounds. Isaiah Johnson had 4 points, Dylan Lindsey and Tyler Anderson added 3 points each, and Gavin Rose added 2 points.

​Edmonson County shot 35% from the field and only 42% from the free throw line. They were outrebounded by Logan County 36-34. The Wildcats are now 6-8 on the season and will travel to the Owensboro Sportscenter on Monday to take on Ohio County at 7:30PM.  

Darren Doyle, story:
It was a tough night for the Lady Cats as they took on Logan County on the road last night. 

The Lady Cats were looking to bounce back from a close loss to South Warren on the road earlier this week, but the Lady Cougars, with a 1-17 record, would prove to be hungry for their second win of the season on their senior night.

Edmonson County struggled in transition, which allowed several easy buckets for the Lady Cougars. Early hot three-point shooting allowed Logan County to take a 18-12 lead after one quarter. The Lady Cats were more efficient in their offense in the second and had cut their deficit to 26-23 at the half.

Logan was able to push back in the third quarter and they extended their lead to 8, which set up a very tight 4th quarter where the Lady Cats went on a 9-1 run to tie the score at 39. Paige Wolfe drove the baseline and hit a pull-up jumper to give the Lady Cats their first lead since early in the first quarter with 3:51 to go.  

Hallie Cassady hit two free throws with 3:32 left to give Edmonson a 43-39 lead, but they wouldn't score again after failing to capitalize on several opportunities during the final minutes, including two shots near and at the buzzer that would've given them the win. Logan County hit key free throws in the final 30 seconds of the game that allowed them to regain the lead.

The Lady Cats were led by Katie Lindsey's 15 points and 7 rebounds. Macie McCombs added 11 points and one rebound, Lily Jayne Vincent had 6 points and 10 rebounds, Paige Wolfe added 6 points and 3 rebounds, Hallie Cassady had 3 points and 4 rebounds, and Shea VanMeter added 2 points and 3 rebounds. 

Edmonson County shot 36% from the field and 63% from the free throw line. They are now 4-7 on the season and will play Larue County tonight at home for their senior night activities. The ceremony is scheduled to start at 6pm with tip off at 6:30pm. 

Darren Doyle, story: Cameron Whitfill, photos:
The Wildcats were defeated by Hart County last night at ECHS 72-67, but the boys were still able to celebrate their 2021 senior night with their families. During the ceremony, senior Chaz Wilson was recognized for scoring his 1000th career point, which occurred at Glasgow on February 8th. 

Wilson, who is averaging 18 points per game and is ranked 4th in the state at nearly 14 rebounds per game, was presented a special basketball commemorating the event. 

In addition to Wilson, six other seniors and their families were honored during the ceremony which included Isaiah Johnson, Dylan Lindsey, Lane Lindsey, Gavin Rose, Jon Smith, and Daniel Woosley.

The Wildcats were led by Chaz Wilson's 19 points and 15 rebounds, followed by Daniel Woosley's 18 points and 4 rebounds. Gavin Rose added 13 points, Jon Smith scored 6 and pulled 5 rebounds, Jon Smith and Trace Taylor added 6 points each, Isaiah Johnson had 5 points, and Lane Lindsey added one point.

The Wildcats are now 6-7 on the season and are scheduled to travel to Logan County on Thursday for a girl/boy doubleheader with the Lady Cats scheduled for a 6pm tip.

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
The Edmonson County High School girls basketball team will continue postponing games for now due to a positive COVID case on the team, according to ECHS Athletic Director Kyle Pierce.

"We've had a positive COVID case within our varsity girls basketball program," he said. "We will be in quarantine through all of next week. Our girls games with Caverna, Todd County, and Whitesville Trinity have been postponed."

Games for the boys varsity team has also been paused until February 2nd.

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County High School is postponing Friday night's girls varsity basketball game against Grayson County as a precautionary measure, due to possible sickness related to the program.

"Out of precaution, we're postponing our girls varsity game with Grayson County," said ECHS Athletic Director Kyle Pierce. "Our Saturday game with Warren Central was already cancelled."

He said the school is currently waiting on the results of a particular COVID-19 test to determine what will be the course of action over the next few days.

"Our girls will need to remain quarantined until the results have been returned," he said.

On Tuesday the boys varsity team postponed their games until February 2nd due to do at least one active case on the Wildcat team.

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County High School has announced that the ECHS boys Wildcat varsity basketball team will be pausing their season for now, due to a positive COVID-19 case within the team. The break will begin immediately.

"We've had a positive COVID case within our varsity basketball team," said ECHS Athletic Director Kyle Pierce. "Our last date of exposure was Friday, January 22nd."

Pierce said the team will be required to quarantine for 10 days, which will end on February 1st. That will allow the team to resume regular activities the day after. The boys freshmen and JV teams have been quarantining for several days already, but that action hasn't affected the varsity team.

"This will allow us to come back to practice and play on Tuesday, February 2nd," Pierce added. "Our freshman and JV players will resume practice and play starting Friday."

Games scheduled for tonight against Hart County through February 1st (Caverna) will be put on hold for now. No timetable for rescheduling has been confirmed as of now. 

Darren Doyle, story:
It was a thrilling win for the Wildcats on Friday night at ECHS where Edmonson County topped their District 12 foes, The Butler County Bears 65-59 in overtime.

With the Wildcats trailing 52-54, junior guard Trace Taylor tipped-in a missed three-point attempt from senior Jon Smith with 8 seconds to go in the 4th quarter. Butler County was forced to throw up a prayer at the buzzer that was an air ball, which led to overtime.

The Wildcats went into the game knowing that Butler County would be a well-balanced team that would be crashing the boards, would be defensively sound, and could shoot from the perimeter. They also knew effort from the Bears would be top-notch. Their plan was to out-do them in all of that, and their plan worked.

Edmonson County got off to a dandy start, forcing a Butler County timeout leading 12-3. The Bears connected on some early threes to try to work their way back in but the Cats led 17-10 after the first quarter. Jon Smith paced the Wildcats with 12 of his 19 team-high points coming in the first.

The start of the second quarter looked much like the first with the Cats forcing a second Bears timeout, leading 25-13 with 5:14 left in the half. Edmonson County led as much as 14 in the quarter before the Bears cut the Wildcat lead to 29-21 at halftime.

Some timely turnovers from the Wildcats and easy baskets missed allowed Butler County to build some momentum early in the third quarter and cut their deficit to only 2 with 5:47 left in the quarter. The Wildcats put together a 9-2 run to keep a 40-32 lead as the fourth quarter began, thanks to 7 points and an assist from senior Chaz Wilson during the final 2 and a half minutes of the third. 

Butler County then went on a 9-2 run of their own to cut Edmonson's lead to only 1 with just over 5 minutes to go in regulation. The Bears then tied it at 43 and the Wildcats turned it over on the next possession, giving Butler County an easy layup for the first Bears lead since the score was 3-2 in the first minute of the ballgame. Edmonson trailed 47-44 when senior Gavin Rose connected on a three with 2:47 to go to tie the score. 

It would be Rose again with a three, this time with 50 seconds left in the game and the Cats trailing by 2. His big basket would put Edmonson back on top, 52-51. Butler County scored on their next possession to regain the lead 53-52, and with three more fouls to give, the Wildcats put them to use to control the clock. They forced the Bears to the line where Solomon Flener with one out of two shots. The Bears led 54-52 with 17 seconds left, which would bring on the final offensive play for the Wildcats in regulation. Taylor's offensive tip tied the score, forcing the overtime.

Edmonson County never trailed during the overtime and outscored the Bears 9-5 during the period. Jon Smith's three point attempt rattled around and fell in with 1:30, which would prove to be huge. Butler County came within one point, but some key free throws by Rose and Taylor and a turnover in the final seconds from the Bears sealed the fate of Butler County.

"This is our district, this is us, Butler, Grayson, Trinity," said Coach Mike McClintic. "This is the way our games are going to be all year. The kids that got in the game did everything we wanted them to do. I thought we didn't rebound as good in the third and fourth quarters as we did in the first half, and that hurt us. And we had some costly turnovers in the fourth, but the kids battled back and I can't ask any more from them, I mean, good grief."

The Cats had four players in double figures as Jon Smith led the Cats with 19 points and 9 rebounds on (4 threes), Trace Taylor had 17 points, Chaz Wilson had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Gavin Rose had 10 points.

Also scoring for the Cats were Lane Lindsey with 2 points and 5 rebounds and Isaiah Johnson added 2 points. 

The Wildcats are now 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in district play. They are scheduled to travel to Hart County on Tuesday for a JV/V match and then a District 12 rematch against Grayson County as the Cougars travel to ECHS next Friday.

Darren Doyle, story:
After a second quarter deficit, the Wildcats struggled to play catch up the rest of the night as they took their first loss of the season against Grayson County last night on the road, 56-50. 

Both teams looked a bit ragged in the first with several turnovers and missed shots as the scored was tied 8-8 at the end of the quarter. Grayson County found success by pressuring the ball, hitting the boards, and knocking down shots in the second quarter. The Wildcats had 11 turnovers at the half as they trailed 25-18. 

While it wasn't a blowout, Edmonson County was never able to get over the hump as Grayson kept the momentum in their favor throughout the second half. The Wildcats almost got a fire started with a 7-1 run with 2 minutes to go to cut Grayson County's lead to 48-44, but as Edmonson County was forced to foul to try to control the clock and the Cougars were able to hit free throws down the stretch for the win.

Unofficial stats for the game were:

Chaz Wilson 14pts-10 rebounds, Gavin Rose 8pts-2 rebounds, Daniel Woosley 7pts-7rebounds, Trace Taylor 6 pts-8 rebounds, Lane Lindsey 5pts-7 rebounds, Jon Smith 5pts-2 rebounds, Dylan Lindsey 3pts, Cole Saling 1pt.

Edmonson County is now 3-1 on the season and is scheduled to take on Metcalfe County tonight at ECHS in a G/B doubleheader with the girls game beginning at 6pm. The WildcatsLive crew will bring you the live video and audio streams only on the Edmonson Voice. 

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
At times it wasn't the prettiest, but the Wildcats were able to execute their game plan last night in Whitesville as they defeated the Trinity Raiders 63-47. 

A dominating start set the tone for the rest of the physical game, which is always expected when playing the Raiders. Edmonson County jumped out to a 19-4 lead in the first quarter thanks to their defensive pressure that turned Raider turnovers into Wildcat points.

While the competition would be fairly equal for the remainder of the game, the Raiders couldn't overcome the deficit they saw in the first quarter.

Chaz Wilson scored 15 points and grabbed 15 boards on the night while Daniel Woosley and Gavin Rose added 12 points each for the Wildcats. 

Jon Smith added 9 points, Trace Taylor had 7, Dylan Lindsey and Braden Wall had 3 points each, and Tyler Anderson added 2 points. 

Edmonson County was able to control a 15-point-or-so cushion throughout the rest of the game with three Cats in double figures, while nearly everyone that saw game action got in the scoring book. Every Wildcat notched at least one rebound as well.

Coach Mac discussed the win after the game.

"We played in spurts tonight," he said. "We had good spurts and we had sloppy spurts."

He discussed the defensive effort from his team.

"We've been working on it and we want to continue to do that as much as possible. It was key tonight that we play that type of defense because this was their (Trinity) first game tonight and we knew that if we got after them a little bit, cause some pressure, then it might cause some problems, but it was a typical Trinity team because they didn't quit."

"Everybody knew that these first games in the district were going to be big, so a big win on the road and I'm pleased with that," added McClintic.

Edmonson County is 2-0 on the season and 1-0 in District 12 play. They are set to face Bethlehem High School at home today at 12 noon. There will be no game coverage on the Edmonson Voice today but live video streams will be available for Tuesday's games against Metcalfe County at home in a G/B doubleheader beginning at 6PM. 

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle photos:
It took three quarters to really get things moving, but once they did, the Lady Cats did it in a big way as they defeated the Trinity Lady Raiders in Whitesville Friday night 67-42.

Edmonson County outscored Trinity 34-11 in the final quarter to secure the district win, improving to 3-2 on the season and 2-0 in district play.

Led by Macie McCombs' 19 points and sophomore Lily Jayne Vincent's 16 points and 16 rebounds, Edmonson County scraped by for three quarters, as the score difference never reached above 6 points; however, the Lady Cats outlasted Trinity down the stretch and the rebounding became much more of a team effort, which snuffed out most all the Lady Raiders' second chance opportunities.

Coach Bart Weaver said it seems like this is a regular thing when coming to Trinity; fighting back-and-forth then getting it done at the end.

"I told them, you do this to me every time we come here. You let them in it, you let them hang around, then you finally take care of business," he said. "All I can say is that they did it again."

Edmonson County led 11-7 after the first and 21-17 at halftime. Trinity refused to go away after a couple of runs by Edmonson County and tied the score at 28 with just over a minute left in the third. Edmonson clung to a 33-31 lead going into the fourth but began to pull away about three minutes into the final quarter. Trinity began to foul towards the end of the contest but Edmonson County was efficient with their free throws to seal the deal. 

Katie Lindsey scored 17 for the Lady Cats while being held to only two points in the first half. She also added 6 assists and 3 rebounds. 

Also scoring for Edmonson County were Hallie Cassady, 7 points-6 rebounds, Paige Wolfe, 5 points, Kaylee Ann Sanders, 3 points. 

Edmonson County is scheduled to take on Monroe County today on the road at 3pm; however, no game coverage is available today on the Edmonson Voice. The next broadcast will be at home against Metcalfe County in a G/B doubleheader on Tuesday, January 19 at 6PM.

​Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Former Grayson County Coach Ed Smart was named Head Football Coach at Edmonson County High School earlier today.

Smart, who was head of the Cougar football program from 2004 to 2019, had a 84-94 career record at Grayson County. He also served as head coach at McLean County from 1997 to 2004. During his coaching career he was also named District Coach of the Year four different times, has 100 total career victories, was a two-time MAC Coach of the Year, and was the winningest coach at Grayson County where he also had the most playoff wins and most winning seasons for the school's football program.

"I'm excited to be here because I played against Edmonson all those years," said Coach Smart. "I know the kids here always played hard and were well disciplined, which are things that I like. I like having more similar teams here because anyone with a good team has a chance to win the district it and that's appealing. They like football here. The administration has been great to me here so far, everyone here has been friendly and I'm excited to get started."

Coach Smart said his duties begin immediately after all the proper documentation is filed and he's going to get guys into the weight room as soon as possible.

ECHS Athletic Director Kyle Pierce, who coached against Smart for years, discussed the high school's decision for the new hire.

"We are excited to hire Coach Smart as our head football coach," he said. "He's a great coach and person and had a great run at Grayson County for 16 years. I was fortunate enough to coach against him for my 12 years here. I always knew it was going to be a battle because he always had his teams well prepared."

Smart's coaching career dates back to 1990, where over the years he also served as assistant football coach at Greenwood, Warren East, Hart County, and at Morehead State, where he served as a grad assistant.

"He just seemed to have most of what we were looking for in a head coach," Pierce said. "He's not only had head coaching experience, but he's had very successful experience at a rural-type school. He's coached our type of kids his whole career, which is important to us.  He's experienced all the ups and down and knows how to handle both. His teams were always well conditioned, strong, disciplined, and they played hard. Plus, he's a great X-and-O type coach that knows how to teach his players."

Pierce said the school had 15-20 people interested in the coaching job, but Smart's name continued coming up in conversations.

"Sometimes in a situation like this, where a guy retires, then comes back to coaching, it's a big deal about the money. That's not been the case here. Not once did he ask about the money. He's asking us about when can he start and when can he work with the kids. That says a lot about him."

Coach Smart described a bit of what football fans will see from the next Wildcat football team.

"We're going to run the ball and we're going to play good defense," he said. "We're going to be physical and we're going to get after people. That's always been my philosophy. You can't control how fast we are or how tall we're going to be, but we can control how strong we're going to be and we're going to be very aggressive. I'm an old-school kind-of-guy where we want to physically beat our opponent." 

He replaces Nathan Smith, who served 5 seasons as Edmonson's head coach, where he had an overall record of 24-29 and won the Class 2A District 3 Championship in 2019. He was also named KFCA District 3 Coach of the Year for the 2020 season. 

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
The Cloverport Aces were several cards shy of a winning hand in the season opener for Edmonson County's boys in a lopsided 88-21 Wildcat blowout on Monday night in Cloverport. The 67-point win for the Wildcats was the team's largest margin of victory dating back to the beginning of statewide KHSAA digital stats, which was the 1997-98 season. It beats the 54-point victory over London Christian Academy from Canada in 2007 under former head coach Darryl Travis.

The Aces were outmatched in every way last night as the Wildcats forced an array of turnovers for easy buckets. Edmonson County swiped the boards clean with 42 team rebounds. Not only did all Wildcats on the roster get in the game, but all players also scored and pulled at least one rebound. 

Edmonson County established a 26-7 lead after the first quarter and they never looked back. They led 50-9 at the half and were able to keep players fresh, in-and-out of the contest.

The Wildcats were led (unofficially) by senior Chaz Wilson's 17 points and 10 rebounds. Also scoring in double figures were seniors Gavin Rose with 14 points (4 three-pointers), Lane Lindsey with 12 points, and Daniel Woosley with 10 points.

Also scoring for the Cats were: Tyler Anderson 9, Trace Taylor 8, Jon Smith 7, Cole Saling 5, and Dylan Lindsey and Braden Wall with 3 each.

Coach Mike McClintic said he was very pleased with the intense start and the effort throughout the contest.

"At the half we only had 5 turnovers," he said. "They played a zone, but I thought we handled it pretty well and moved the ball well. The best thing I thought about tonight was everyone was so unselfish."

Coach Mac was also pleased with the rebounding effort but said the schedule moving forward would be much more difficult, where rebounding and team play would continue to be essential.

"I'm really happy with the way we looked, but yes, we're going to have to step it up as the season goes on."

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
It was a good night for basketball in Grayson County last night for the Edmonson County Lady Cats, as they took down their District 12 rival for their first road game of the season, 62-38.

Led by Katie Lindsey's 20 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals, (who sat much of the first half in foul trouble) Edmonson County found success in pushing the ball and executing in transition; both on offense and defense. 

While the Lady Cats couldn't buy a three-point bucket (hitting only 1 out of 16) they were still very effective with their offense by driving the ball in the lane and crashing the boards for second-chance opportunities. Edmonson dominated the rebounding with 47 for the team total, led by sophomore Lily Jayne Vincent's 12 rebound night, in addition to her 8 points. 

While the team had committed 10 turnovers by the half, they were able to take better care of the ball in the second half, which allowed them to cut those turnovers for a game total of 14.

After somewhat of a cold start, Edmonson took the lead in the first quarter and never looked back. They led 29-23 at the half and 44-30 after three. They had amassed a large enough lead to pull their starters near the end of the contest; something that always pleases a coach when you're taking on a district opponent on the road. Coach Bart Weaver credited the win to rebounding and very effective defense.

"When we had all that foul trouble in the first half, we went to a 1-3-1 zone and made them really burn some clock in every possession, and I think that helped. We just stayed with the 1-3-1 during the whole second half," he said. "I thought we did well in the passing lanes. We did gamble some and get some steals, but overall I was proud of our defense."

Coach Weaver said he was also happy with the turnover situation after the first half and the performance of Lindsey in the second half. He also discussed the good rebounding effort from Edmonson County.

"I thought as a whole, we all just went to the glass and you know how proud I am of that," he said. "I've been worried about our rebounding, but that's great."

Senior Shea VanMeter finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds. Senior Macie McCombs added 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

The remaining box score was: Emma White 5, Paige Wolfe 2, Hallie Cassady 2 (8 rebounds), Karina Dennison 2.

Edmonson County is 2-1 on the season and 1-0 in District 12 play. They are scheduled to take on Taylor County on the road on Tuesday, January 12th. The Wildcat boys team is scheduled to start their season on Monday, January 11th at Cloverport after a delay due to COVID. The WildcatsLive broadcast team on the Edmonson Voice is scheduled to carry the live game video Monday night, beginning at approximately 5:45.

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
The Lady Cats struggled against the defensive pressure of the Owensboro Catholic Lady Aces last night at ECHS in the season basketball opener, which was part of the All "A" Classic. Edmonson County fell 71-41 against Catholic.

A much smaller and younger Edmonson County team than those in recent years past held their own in the rebounding category, although the Lady Aces held a slight advantage; however, turnovers from the Lady Cats (22) were turned into points for Catholic, which proved to be the difference in this game. The Lady Aces only committed 10 turnovers during the contest.

"There's a lot of inexperience on this team," said Head Coach Bart Weaver. "Girls are going to have to learn to step up. You know, it's not a good team to play you when they're going to press you all the time and you're trying to start the season with some new kids in, but we'll keep working and tomorrow's a better day."

While the scoring was mostly handled by three seniors, Katie Lindsey (14pts), Macie McCombs (12pts), and Shea VanMeter (8pts), several underclassmen are taking on roles they haven't faced before. 

Coach Weaver found some positives in the loss with the team effort, as well as VanMeter's 8 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. Weaver also was impressed with sophomore Emma White's performance with 2 points and 5 rebounds off the bench in her very first varsity contest.

"Listen, I love my team and I think by mid-season we'll be a lot better team and we'll execute better," he said. 

Also contributing for the Lady Cats were Lily Jayne Vincent (3pts, 5rbs, 3blk), and Hallie Cassady (2pts, 3rbs). 

Kinsley Goetz led the Lady Aces with 13 points; however, all 12 OC players scored in the contest.

Edmonson County shot 38% from the field, 36% from behind the arc, and 44% from the free throw line.

The Lady Cats are scheduled to take on Logan County Tuesday night in a JV/V match beginning at 6PM. The Lady Cougars lost all 5 starters from last year's team. Weaver is hoping to cut down on turnovers against Logan County and is looking for the team's first win of the season.

Darren Doyle, story:
Just moments after publishing our 2021 preview of Wildcat Basketball, we were informed of breaking news for the boys team. Due to a positive COVID test within the boys basketball program today, the season will be delayed one week for the Wildcats. 

Players will quarantine and be retested after one week and a decision will be made regarding future games at that time.

"This does not affect the girls team at this time," said Superintendent of Schools Brian Alexander. "We will plan on starting their season at the regular time on Monday of next week. We will follow all the proper protocols and do whatever we can for our students and their health and safety." 

**Update: 12/30/20, 11:30AM: Moments after publishing this story, we received word that the boys will delay their season one week due to a positive COVID test from someone within the team today. This does not affect the girls team at this time. 

Darren Doyle, story:
While the seasons will look like none others in the past, high school basketball is ready to begin in Edmonson County as well as all across Kentucky.

We stopped by practices held by both the Lady Cats and Wildcats this week and sat down with Lady Cat Head Coach Bart Weaver, who is looking to bring home a 4th consecutive district title, and Wildcat Head Coach Mike McClintic (Coach Mac) who is entering his 43rd year in his coaching career.

Here's a look at each team and what these coaches expect from each one going into what has already been a rollercoaster preseason. 

​ECHS Lady Cats, 2020-21
Girls basketball in Edmonson County is experiencing the most success it's ever seen; coming off a 20-11 season where they brought home the school's third consecutive district championship. Coach Bart Weaver will begin his third season as the head of the program that has already been up-and-down with the virus pandemic that hit shortly after the season ended last year. 

"The pandemic just put everyone in a bind," Weaver said. "We were just getting ready for our off-season where we start workouts and activities again during spring break; then all of that was just gone. It cost us some conditioning but I really feel like our girls bounced back and have worked really hard to make up for it."

With the bar being set very high for Edmonson County, Weaver said expectations for his team and continued success still compare to what they've been for years.

"We're going to see a deficiency in rebounding--that's just a fact," he said. The team lost three seniors from last year that had over 500 career rebounds each. "But we're getting better, and on the plus-side, we're more athletic. With that, you'll see more pressing because I think we have better conditioning, even after COVID delayed our season. We're only looking at about 14 kids on the roster, so with a reduced number, you've got more kids getting more action in practices."

Three seniors are returning for the Lady Cats: point guard Katie Lindsey, and guards Macie McCombs and Shea VanMeter.

"Katie is sort of our 'general' the way she leads our team," he said. "Personally, I think she's the best point guard in the district. She's just so competitive and a great leader. With Macie coming back, we've got the best percentage 3-point shooter around, and Shea is also a shooter that's really improved her defensive work."

Underclassmen expected to contribute for the varsity team are juniors Paige Wolfe, who is considered the team's top defender, Jaedlyn Simon, and Hallie Cassady, and sophomores Lily Jayne Vincent and Emma White.

"I think our district is wide open and all four teams match up pretty well," he said. "I think overall, we're all about pretty equal and it will be competitive. We're getting better every day and our goal is another district championship."

With the success over the last three years, losing scorers and rebounders from last year, and having a smaller roster, some might see as the bar set too high for continued success, but Weaver doesn't see it that way. 

"I don't see the bar too high at all. I've always had high expectations. If you want to have a winning program, the expectations have to be high."

​Attendance regulations are among the hot topics that have been discussed during the pandemic and fans at ECHS are going to see a much different gym setup this season, both at home and on the road. Home seating will be limited to up to four tickets per player (approximately 120-130 seats) and visiting teams can purchase up to two tickets per player (approx. 60-70 seats). Attendance is left up to the opposing teams when the Lady Cats are on the road. There will also be no cheer or band for the first two weeks of the season. That also means no student section, also known as Wildcat Alley, which will also affect the game experience.

Coaches are expected to wear masks during practices and games, and benches are required to practice social distancing, despite the fact players are making full body contact throughout the entire game.

"I obviously don't like all the regulations and all this we have to do, but we have to do it," he said. "The other teams all face the same thing. This year, we have to play for each other. We've always played as a team, but this year we MUST rely on each other and I may be wrong, but I really feel like we're ready to play."

ECHS Wildcat Basketball 2020-21
The boys basketball team is facing the same issues caused by the COVID pandemic as not only the girls team, but every other team in Kentucky, and it's also been a hurdle for the team to overcome. Coach Mac credited not only his players but also the parents for pulling together to help get the season started off right.

"We've had to cram a lot of stuff in a short period of time, but we've done it," he said. "We had no summer ball and that was a real setback, but our kids have been great and I can't say enough about our parents for their roles in helping us do what we need to do."

McClintic said in the midst of the issues caused by the pandemic, the chemistry in the locker room has been outstanding, and is the reason things have gotten off to a good start.

"These guys are good kids and they're great together," he said. "There's a great atmosphere in the locker room where you know everyone wants to be around each other. Our older kids have shown some great leadership and our younger guys have been great by following it."

The makeup of this year's varsity team will likely revolve around 8 to 10 players, Mac said, and will rely on the leadership of seven seniors. Five of those seniors have varsity experience, which include center Chaz Wilson, who led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding (14ppg, 10 rpg) as a sophomore. He was hindered much of the season last year with an injury but was still able to average 10ppg and nearly 7rpg. 

Other seniors expected to see a majority of playing time are Gavin Rose, a guard, and forwards Jon Smith and Isaiah Johnson, as well as returning forward/center Daniel Woosley. Dylan Lindsey and Lane Lindsey round out the seniors for the team. 

Coach Mac said to also expect action from junior Trace Taylor, and sophomores Braden Wall and Tyler Anderson. Other juniors and two freshmen might also see some varsity playing time.

"We lost some guys from last year but we have more depth than most people might think," he said. "Most all these guys are good at something and everyone will have a role to play."

Much like the girls, District 12 play looks much of the same, Mac said. 

"I feel good about our district. I don't see one particular team having a huge advantage over another. It's going to be competitive."

Coach Mac said this year's schedule is probably the toughest he's seen so far as head coach. 

"I'll probably get criticized for the toughness of our schedule this year, but I don't think you get better if you don't play tough teams. I'm hoping this will get us where we're playing our best when tournament time comes."

​Both Lady Cats and Wildcats will open their seasons on Monday, January 4th at home as ECHS hosts the All A Classic, where both teams will take on Owensboro Catholic. 

"Catholic is always a tough team and they're favored heavily in the All A," said McClintic. "They've got two of the top-rated players in the region. I think it's good for us to start off with a good team. If we win, we advance. If we don't, we'll still work on the next game." 

The Wildcats will focus on pushing the ball as much as possible on the offense while seeing more motion and movement. 

"We want to make it hard for teams to defend us. And on the defensive side, you'll see some different zones and what I call some 'junk' defenses,"  which are used to create confusion for opponents.

"As always, our assistants have been great, with Jodi Booth and Jackson Saase, returning, and new assistant Brad Johnson has been great to work with. He's a heckuva coach."

With the attendance issues, Mac said the bench will have to be the cheering section.

"I'm a little worried about the lack of noise, which is a huge part of basketball," he said. "Our bench guys will have to help cheer the other guys on when they're not in the game. It's going to be different, but we're going to give it out best. Our goal is to win the district championship and do some real damage in the region tournament. We plan on getting better as the season goes along and be ready when tournament time gets here."

The WildcatsLive crew will broadcast most games this season on the Edmonson Voice and will stream live video where available internet will allow. The girls will take on Owensboro Catholic Monday, January 4th at 6pm. The boys will play immediately following.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Edmonson County High School head football coach Nathan Smith has officially stepped down from the role as of today.

Coach Smith made the announcement first with players and school administration this afternoon. Smith said it was a family decision and it's now time for someone else to take over after his 5 years at the head of the program. 

"I entered the ECHS football program 17 years ago as a freshman and have never spent a season away from this program," he said. "It's been one of the biggest blessings in my life and some of my fondest memories have come from ECHS football; however, at this time I feel that it's in the best interest of me and my family that I step away from the program that I love. A lot of other things in my life have been neglected because of the time and passion that football requires. It's time to pass the reigns to some one else for a while."

Smith said he wanted to share his thanks with everyone that has contributed to his life of football over the years.

"All of the players that I have had the privilege of coaching have shaped the person that I have become and I can't express how much they have meant to me. The men who have coached with me have been great and are some of my best friends. We have a great and supportive community who have always helped us and a group of parents that have gone above and beyond to provide for our football program. I want to thank my family for supporting me for all these years and for the sacrifices they have made to help me and the football team. Lastly I want to thank Kyle Pierce who has been so influential to me over the past 17 years. He has been a true coach, friend, and mentor to me along the way."

Smith was named head coach on January 15, 2016. During his 5 seasons as head coach, Edmonson County had an overall record of 24-29 and won the Class 2A District 3 Championship in 2019. He was also named KFCA District 3 Coach of the Year for the 2020 season. 

​Athletic Director Kyle Pierce said Smith has been contributing to Edmonson County football every since he was a player.

"Coach Smith has been a tremendous asset to our football program since he walked into the fieldhouse in 2004 as a player," Pierce said. "He began working with our coaching staff immediately following his senior season and we've been extremely fortunate to have him working with our student-athletes for the past 13 years."

Pierce said the search for Smiths' replacement will begin immediately and that there is already a short list of candidates the school would like to consider.

"There are some quality people out there that have head coaching experience and a few solid assistant coaches that we would want to sit down and talk with," he said.

"At the end of it, you want a person who will be a good fit with our football team, our school system, and our community. If any of those are missing, it's usually an uphill battle." ​

Smith said while he's stepping down from the responsibilities of coach, there's no way he could ever fully walk away from Wildcat football.

"I plan on being at every football game in the future and will always support this program and our players in any way that I can. Once you get ECHS football in your blood it doesn't really ever leave. Go Cats!" he added.

Darren Doyle, story:
It was a scrappy, hard fought game by two similarly-matched teams, but one that would fall in favor of the Metcalfe County Hornets over the Wildcats 34-27 in the Class AA, District 3 finals on Friday, November 27, 2020 at ECHS.

Metcalfe County got their offense going first as they scored a touchdown on a reverse play. The extra point was no good for a Hornet 6-0 lead with 5:09 left in the first.

On the next Wildcat possession, quarterback Jon Smith connected with Clay Walden for a 43-yard catch and touchdown. Walden's extra point attempt was a little left with a score of 6-6 with 3:55 to go in the first.

Edmonson County scored again in the first, thanks to quick hands from Isaiah Johnson as he intercepted Hornet quarterback Peyton Dial's pass and ran it back for a 29-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt was good and the Cats took a 13-6 lead with 2:22 left in the first.

Metcalfe County scored early in the second quarter and took a 14-13 lead with their two-point conversion. They were able to return to the end zone again with 3:24 left in the half. Another 2-point conversion extended their lead to 22-13. 

The Wildcats answered on their next possession when Johnson caught a shovel pass from Smith for a 5-yard TD. The extra point cut the Hornets' lead to 22-20 with 1:39 in the half, which would be the score at halftime.

Edmonson County struggled in the third and the Hornets took advantage. Two more touchdowns from Metcalfe with no extra point kicks extended their lead once again to 34-20 with 4:24 left in the third quarter.

Time ticked away in the fourth and the Cats were in a tough spot on 4th and long when Smith connected with Walden on a big 30-yard catch for a first down in the red zone. Smith was able to score on a QB keeper with 4:32 left in the game, and the extra point cut the Cats' deficit to 34-27.

Metcalfe County was able to keep possession through the remainder of the game with a big first down with 3:35 to go on 3rd and 10. It first appeared to be short, but after measurement, the officials ruled the first down and the Hornets held on to win.

Edmonson County will lose 12 seniors from this year's squad, most all of which have played for Coach Nathan Smith, who was named KFCA District 3 Coach of the Year earlier this week, since they were 6th graders.

"We fought through a lot this year, it's been a crazy football season," said Coach Smith. "Just to have a chance the whole game, I never thought we were ever out of it, but they made some plays we didn't make. That's the difference when you got two evenly matched football teams. Us and Metcalfe, it's always been a battle."

Smith sincerely discussed this season's seniors.

"I'm proud of my boys. We just kept making plays and making plays," he said. "You know, it's tough. I love the group we've got right now. I've coached most of them since the sixth grade. A lot of them I have, and it's going to be tough. I don't even know how to coach football without some of them around here. Hats off to them. They played their butts off. I can't ask for any more from a group of football players than what I have right now."

Edmonson County finishes the season at 4-4 and district runner up. Metcalfe County advances to face Lexington Christian in the regional round of the playoffs.

Seniors from football, golf, cheer, cross country, and band were recognized. The following seniors were honored at midfield at Wildcat Stadium on Friday night, November 20th.

• Skylar Compton, Football, son of Fred Compton
• Jace Conder, Football, son of Chris and Amy Conder
• Arey Durbin, Football, son of Jenny Durbin
• Isaiah Johnson, Football, son of Mickey and Elysia Johnson
• Dalton Malone, Football, son of Devin Malone and Laurie Statton
• Preston Mills, Football, son of Carl and Kim Mills
• Daniel Pereira, Football, son of Kim Renfro, sister and brother-in-law to Joey and Whitney Moon
• Michael Shaw, Football, son of Carl and Kim Mills
• Jon Smith, Football, Football, son of Travis Smith
• Paxton Sowders, Football, son of Derek and Brittany Sowders
• Braxton Stearns, Football, son of Stacey Stice, brother to Mattie Stearns
• Clay Walden, Football, son of Jason and Tina Walden
• Brandon Cassady, Golf, son of Adam and Emily Cassady
• Jessica Butts, Cheer, daughter of Jennifer Neal and Jarred Butts
• Kaylee Cook, Cheer, daughter of Jason and Charlene Cook
• Heather Todd, Cheer, daughter of James Ray and Mable Todd
• Courtney Garrett, Cross Country, daughter of Andy and April Garrett
• Lane Lindsey, Cross Country, son of David and Brandie Lindsey
• Blake Skaggs, Cross Country, son of Brian and Lori Alexander and Kyle and Kelli Skaggs
• Skylyn Arms, Band, daughter of Wes Arms
• Elise Richmond, daughter of Terry and Liz Richmond

​