Edmonson Voice Sports:
Several Edmonson County Wildcat team members were named to the 2020 all-SKY Conference teams. The SKY Football Conference is made up of southcentral Kentucky schools ranging in size from 1A up to 5A teams.  Member schools include Allen County-Scottsville, Barren County, Bowling Green, Edmonson County, Franklin Simpson, Glasgow, Greenwood, Logan County, Metcalfe County, Monroe County, Russellville, South Warren, Todd County, Warren Central, Warren East.

​In the small school division (1A-3A), two Wildcats were named to the FIRST TEAM DEFENSE:
Defensive Line:  Preston Mills - Edmonson County
Defensive Back:  Isaiah Johnson - Edmonson County

Three team members were named to the FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback:  Jon Smith - Edmonson County
Offensive Line:  Jace Conder - Edmonson County
Kicker:  Clay Walden - Edmonson County

Two more were named to SECOND TEAM DEFENSE:
Defensive Line:  Daniel Pereira - Edmonson County
Linebacker:  Logan Davis - Edmonson County

Finally, one more Wildcat was named to the SECOND TEAM DEFENSE:
Offensive Line:  Michael Shaw - Edmonson County

Ten different Wildcats were named to the 2020 Class AA District 3 all-district teams:
First team:

• Jon Smith
• Isaiah Johnson
• Clay Walden
• Jace Conder
• Michael Shaw
• Preston Mills

Second Team:

• Daniel Pereira
• Octavio Trejo
• Logan Davis
• Zander Bass

​Edmonson County is scheduled to take on Clinton County at home on Friday, November 20th at 7pm in the first round of the Class AA District 3 playoffs.

Edmonson Voice Sports:
The ECHS Cross Country team traveled to Paris, KY to compete in the annual state meet on Saturday, October 31, 2020, where the girls team finished 11th in the state as a team. 

The girls team narrowly missed a top-ten finish in competition. Junior Caroline Parsley led the girls team with a top-half, 69th finish out of 225 Class 1A runners. Behind her were:

• Cariann Williams 74th
• Emma Grace Cena 91st
• Jenna Cook 111th
• Kenadi Swihart 113th
• Courtney Garrett 138th
• Abby Logsdon 194th

Senior Wildcat Lane Lindsey led the boys team with a 99th finish out of 253 Class 1A runners.
​
Head Coach Brad Meredith made the announcement on twitter.

"Proud of this group," he tweeted. "Goal was to qualify for state, but they came to compete! Boys team faster avg time than region. Girls shocked everyone to finish 11th as a team! Nothing like competing at the State Championships."

The girls team loses only one runner after this season, senior Courtney Garrett, who has been a team member since 8th grade.

Darren Doyle, story:
The 2020 volleyball season for the Lady Cats came to a close last night at the 12th District Tournament hosted in Butler County as Edmonson County fell to the Grayson County Lady Cougars in four sets, 3-1.

Grayson County sat some of their starters during the first set which helped the Lady Cats take an early 11-6 lead. Momentum was on the side of the Lady Cats and they never trailed during the first set, despite a 8-2 run from the Lady Cougars that brought them within 2 points, and Edmonson went on to take the set 25-20.

Grayson's starters were back into the game for set two which was the lineup Edmonson saw all season long; the district favorites that had already comfortably defeated the Lady Cats twice on the season. The momentum gained in set two stayed on the side of Edmonson and the score differential never rose above three points. 

The Lady Cats stretched the Lady Cougars to the limit, but Grayson was able to score the last two points of the set, winning 26-24, and tying the game 1-1.

The last two sets were much different and went the way of the Lady Cougars as Edmonson County struggled against Grayson's offense. Lack of communication and court awareness hindered the Lady Cats during both the final sets and Grayson County was able to obtain double-digit leads throughout. The Lady Cougars took set three 25-11 and set four 25-12 as Edmonson County fell 3-1.

Sophomore Kaylee Lindsey led Edmonson County in kills with 10 while adding 3 blocks while sophomore Alyssa Doyle added 8 kills and 2 blocks. Senior Emma Woodcock notched 12 digs, 10 assists, and 2 service aces while senior Abbie Slaughter had 16 digs. Sophomore Rylee Laster had 5 kills, 2 digs, 1 assist, and 1 service ace, and sophomore Halle Tedder had 1 kill and 8 digs. Sophomore Raven Cast had 12 assists and 2 digs. Freshman Alivia Mabery had 7 digs and 1 assist, sophomore Whitney Davis had 2 blocks and 1 dig, and freshman Laura Gibson had 4 digs.

Four Lady Cats received All-District honors at the conclusion of the game, which were:

• Sophomore Alyssa Doyle, All-Academic
• Sophomore Kaylee Lindsey, All-Season
• Senior Abbie Slaughter, All-Tournament
• Senior Emma Woodcock, All-Season

It was the final volleyball game for three Lady Cat seniors: Emma Woodcock, Abbie Slaughter, and Madalyn Condor, but the roster is young and still has promise for future seasons with three freshmen and seven sophomores on this year's varsity roster. The team also has a host of 7th and 8th grade players in the mix.

One bright spot for the Lady Cats this season, which was shortened due to the COVID pandemic, was their .500 record of 9-9 on the year, an improvement as part of the rebuilding from the 2017 season that saw the exit of 8 seniors that year. The Lady Cats finished 8-20 in 2018 and 9-18 last season. ​

Darren Doyle, story:
The Edmonson County Lady Cats finished their regular season on a huge come-from-behind win against Glasgow in a game that was on track to be a pretty good whipping for ECHS.

The Lady Scotties wasted no time in taking control in set one as they forced an early timeout for Edmonson with a 10-4 lead. Glasgow committed very few errors and were very efficient with their passing, sets, and ball placement. The Lady Cats were rushed, out of sorts, and weren't able to muster up much to celebrate as Glasgow took set one 25-16.

The second set looked about the same as Glasgow forced Edmonson into their first timeout with an 11-5 lead. Out of the timeout, the Lady Scotties rattled off 5 more points to cap off a 10-0 run as they extended their lead to 16-5. The Lady Cats began working on damage control and held their own for the next several points scored, but Glasgow's lead was still plenty comfortable at 20-9. 

The Lady Cats then mounted a comeback with a little different look in their rotation. They bounced back with 4 straight, which prompted Glasgow into a timeout at 20-13. Edmonson continued with another run of 5 more and cut the lead to 20-18.  The Lady Cats looked like a new team and forced Glasgow into their final timeout as they cut the Lady Scotties' lead to 22-21. 

Edmonson County then took their first lead of the game as a stunned Glasgow team got out of rotation, giving Edmonson a point and a 23-22 lead. Glasgow would squeeze out another point but that was it as the Lady Cats took set 2 and tied the game 1-1. 

The final set gave fans from both teams plenty to cheer about as the game would be neck-and-neck to the end. Glasgow was able to take an early lead at 7-3 but Edmonson County clawed back and the game would see 5 different ties (8 total for the set) before Edmonson County took their first lead and then forced Glasgow into a timeout at 14-12.

Digs, saves, good passes, communication, kills, and some errors on the part of the Lady Scotties all worked in favor of Edmonson County as they held on to win set three 25-21, and the game 2-1. 

The win guaranteed Edmonson County at least an even season on the year as their record improved to 9-8. They will play at least one more game in the first round of the district tournament against Grayson County, which will be hosted at Butler County on Monday evening. This will be the first season the Lady Cats have not had a losing record since 2017.

Darren Doyle, story:
The Edmonson County Wildcats were close to a comeback but couldn't overcome Russellville after trailing most of the game on the 2020 homecoming night.

The Cats were able to strike first as Clay Walden connected with a 28 yard field goal with 2:24 in the 1st quarter for a 3-0 lead. Edmonson County held the Panthers scoreless through the remainder of the first quarter.

Sophomore Daren Alexander intercepted a Russellville pass for a huge run, which set up quarterback Jon Smith for a 1 yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, but the Wildcats led 9-0 with 11:20 left to go in the 2nd quarter.

The Panthers showed some explosiveness on their next possession as Jovari Gamble broke free with an 80 yard touchdown run for Russellville. Their extra point was good, which cut the Wildcat lead to 9-7 with 11:05 left to go in the 2nd quarter.

​With 3:23 left in the half, the Panthers scored on a 13 yard touchdown pass. The extra point was good and Russellville took a 14-9 lead over the Cats.

Russellville's speed was again a problem for the Wildcats, and a couple big runs put them in position to score again. They put 6 more on the board with a 7 yard touchdown and an extra point which extended the Panthers' lead to 21-9 with :35 left in the 2nd quarter. The score would remain the same at the half.

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
The struggles against District 12 teams continued for the Lady Cats last night as they were swept by the Grayson County Lady Cougars (14-1) in three sets at Edmonson County High School (25-10, 25-13, 25-12).

The first set saw an even start, but only for the first few points until Grayson County put 6 straight points on the board for a 9-4 lead. The Lady Cats called a timeout for a quick reset but after another run from the Lady Cougars (7-2) and a 19-9 lead, Edmonson's second timeout of the set had to be used. The Lady Cougars went on to win set one 25-10.

Set two saw an abysmal start for Edmonson County as they fell behind 10-1, which prompted a timeout. The Lady Cats were able to gather themselves for a 9-6 run of their own, which caused the Lady Cougars into a timeout as Edmonson had cut their deficit to 16-10. That would be about all the dent the Lady Cats would make for the rest of the set as Grayson outscored Edmonson 9-3 from there on for a 25-13 win for set 2.

Grayson was able to do much of the same in the final set as they took the set and the sweep (25-12, 3-0) to win. Sophomores Kaylee Lindsey and Alyssa Doyle led the Lady Cats in kills with 4 each. Seniors Abbie Slaughter and Emma Woodcock led in digs with 33 and 23, respectively, and sophomore Hallie Tedder notched 16 digs.

The Lady Cougars had already secured the top seed for the upcoming district tournament that is scheduled to take place on October 19th. Edmonson County will face the Lady Cougars again in the first round as a four-seed. Edmonson County hasn't won against a District 12 team since the 2017 District Championship, where they swept Trinity 3-0.

Edmonson County is now 8-7 on the year and has the opportunity to have a winning record for the first time in three seasons. They have only two more games before the district tournament; both home games next week against Ohio County on Monday and Glasgow on Thursday.

Darren Doyle, story:
Kyrock Elementary Principal and local resident Shaun Stice scored a hole-in-one at Shady Hollow Golf Course on Friday, September 25th.

The once-in-a-lifetime feat for most golfers happened for Stice on hole number 6, which is a par 3 on the course. Stice says he hit a 182-yard shot from the blue tees using a 5-iron. He said the ball hit just three feet past the pin, rolled back and went in. Stice was playing with friend Kenny Tunks, also a local resident.

"We were practicing for the two-man scramble that we were playing in the next day," he said. "My shot came one day too soon," he joked.

​Stice said he and Tunks parred the hole the next day at the tournament.

When asked if he was going to save the ball, frame the scorecard, or commemorate the event another way, he said no.

"Nah, I'm hoping it's the first of many more," he said with a laugh.

The shot is considered more difficult than hitting a game-winning half-court basketball shot at the buzzer, or hitting a 9th inning grand slam to win a baseball game. According to the PGA, the odds of the average amateur golfer hitting the shot is 12,000 to 1. 

"Hopefully it's an omen for a good school year, right?" he said.

Stice is in his 4th year as Kyrock principal. In-person classes are scheduled to begin in Edmonson County schools tomorrow, September 28th.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Edmonson County traveled to the blue turf of Warren East tonight as they fell to the Raiders in a hard fought game, 28-18.

The Wildcats were able to get on the board first with a 25-yard field goal from Clay Walden with 6:49 left in the first quarter. They were able to hold the Raiders through the end of the quarter for a 3-0 lead after the first. 

They struck again before the half as Logan Davis scored on a 16-yard touchdown run. Walden's extra point was good for a 10-0 Wildcat lead with 3:33 left in the second quarter.

Warren East answered with a 47-yard touchdown from Isaiah Ghee with 1:51 left in the half. Their extra point was good and they cut the Wildcat lead to 10-7, which would be the score at halftime. 

The Raiders answered again in the third quarter with another big play as Ghee connected with DeSean Gilbert for a 71-yard touchdown with 7:32 left in the third. 

The Wildcats failed to score on their next possession but Clay Walden intercepted the Raider pass and got into the red zone with about 6 minutes left in the third. The next series was nothing but confusion when Edmonson's Isaiah Johnson was taken down on a short run when the ball came out of his hands. It appeared that Johnson was down but an official called it a fumble, which was recovered by East. One official called it Edmonson's ball, another called it East's ball, and the PA announcer said it was Edmonson's ball. It appeared that the Wildcat offense was still on the field when East took possession and the snap. The Raiders would score on a huge 92-yard touchdown on the next play. The extra point was good for a 21-10 Warren East lead with 1:45 left in the third.

The Raiders weren't finished and with 5:31 left in the game, it was East's Gilbert again with another big reception on a 55-yard touchdown. East's extra point was good for a 28-10 lead. 

Edmonson County got into the red zone with about 3:30 left in the game thanks to a couple of good runs and a Warren East penalty. Quarterback Jon Smith tried the keeper and pushed through the Raider line for another Wildcat touchdown with 1:03 left in the ballgame. Smith connected with Isaiah Johnson for a two-point conversion and the Cats cut the East lead to 28-18.

Edmonson's Preston Mills jumped on an onside kick from the Cats and Edmonson County took possession with one minute to go. Smith ran the ball to about the Raider 20 yard line, and then Isaiah Johnson ran the ball to the 4-yard line on the next play. Immediately following that play, it appeared that Johnson scored but they called him down just before the goal line with 32.8 seconds to go. The Wildcats were unable to score on the possession and the Raiders took over on downs with 5 seconds to go, sealing the deal for East.

Wildcat running back Matt Shaw was injured in the game and left play with an unknown knee injury.

Edmonson County fell to 1-2 on the season and is scheduled to take on Monroe County on the road next Friday. 

*We misidentified Logan Davis earlier in the captions but have corrected it. We apologize for the error.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
After winning the last two of three contests, the Edmonson County Lady Cats faced a solid Butler County volleyball team at home on Tuesday night where they went the distance but lost to the Lady Bears in five sets.

Butler County started with a 4-0 lead to begin set one but Edmonson bounced back and scored six straight points, which forced a Lady Bear timeout at 6-4. Edmonson County never trailed again, gaining as much as a 9-point lead as they took set one, 25-15.

Butler County responded with better play in set two as they cut down on errors and displayed better communication, taking set two 25-20 to tie the game at 1-1.

Set three was all Lady Cats as they took a 3-0 lead and never looked back again. Butler County made a couple of runs, cutting the lead to only one point two separate times, but Edmonson County held them off for a 25-19 set win and took the game lead 2-1. 

Once again, the Lady Bears responded and during set four it would be all Butler County as they jumped out to an 8-1 lead, prompting an Edmonson timeout. The Lady Bears continued their offense and force the Lady Cats to burn their last timeout at 14-4. While Edmonson County refused to go away quietly with a couple of runs, it wasn't enough as Butler won the set 25-15 and tied the game at 2-2, forcing a final set to 15.

The momentum gained by Butler County in set four remained with them in the final set as they had little problems keeping the lead as they went on to win the set 15-8, and the game 3-2.

Edmonson County sophomore Kaylee Lindsey had 10 kills, 5 blocks, 3 aces, and 3 digs, while seniors Emma Woodcock and Abbie Slaughter had 24 and 44 digs, respectively.

The Lady Cats fell to 5-4 on the season and 0-3 against District 12 teams. Edmonson County hasn't won a district volleyball game since 2017.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Edmonson County football faced their first district opponent tonight at Wildcat Stadium as they took on Metcalfe County for their first win of the season. Clay Walden's late-game 39-yard field goal helped seal the deal in a come-from-behind win.

The Wildcats put the first points on the board as Matt Shaw pushed through for a 6-yard touchdown carry. Clay Walden's extra point was good and the Cats led 7-0 with 2:21 left in the first quarter. The Hornets answered with a solid run that ran into the second quarter and Metcalfe's Gabe Zurmehly made it into the end zone on a 7-yard run. The extra point attempt was no good but the Hornets cut the Wildcats' lead 7-6 with 9:44 in the second.

Momentum would stay on Metcalfe's side as they held the Cats and then answered again on offense on an 18-yard touchdown reception. The Hornets also connected on their two-point conversion attempt and they took a 14-7 lead with 6:53 left in the first half. 

Edmonson County's Matt Shaw answered with a 24-yard carry into the end zone and once again, Clay Walden delivered on the kick and extra point, which tied the score 14-14 at halftime. 

It was a back-and-forth third quarter, but Metcalfe County found their way back into the end zone with 23 seconds left in the third as Zurmehly scored on a 1-yard push. Their extra point was good and the Hornets were back on top 21-14.

It would be Matt Shaw again for the Wildcats as he scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 6:27 left in the game. The Cats attempted a two-point conversion but it was stopped by the Hornets and Metcalfe clung to a 21-20 lead.

The Hornets turned the ball over on their next possession during a punt attempt when the kicker actually kicked the ball into one of his own players. The ball was recovered by the Wildcat freshman Noah Meredith on the Hornet's 22-yard line with about 4 minutes to go. Edmonson had little luck making any headway with short runs and an incomplete pass when Walden nailed a 39-yard field goal to put the Cats back on top, 23-21 with 2:46 to go.

The Wildcats held the Hornets on their next possession and were able to hold on in the final minute, going to victory formation for the big district win.

Head Coach Nathan Smith said he was proud of his guys on the night's big win.

"We've had teams before that when they're down in the second half, they just kind of give up, it just kind of goes away," he said. "I was just proud of the way we fought the whole game. Not everything went our way the whole game, but we fought, and I was proud of them."

Smith said in games against Metcalfe in the recent past, it seemed the winner was the team that played most aggressively and he said tonight it was the Wildcats who filled that role.

"It was a great win," he added. "What about Clay Walden?"

Smith joked that Walden's late game heroics should count for the WildcatsLive player of the game, but no one could forget about Michael Shaw's 150-yard rushing night.

"Can we give them co-players of the game?" he asked, as he laughed with broadcasters Scott Lindsey and Granville Meredith.

Not only did Coach Smith discuss Walden's kicking ability, but also the all-around positive results on the field because of his play.

"He's a super-aggressive player and sometimes it burns him a little bit," he said. "But you talk about someone that does a great job of stopping the short game, outside, stopping bubbles, things like that, he did an amazing job there."

The current school record for longest field goal in Edmonson County is currently held by Granville Meredith--46 yards--which has stood for about 35 years. Coach Smith said that Clay Walden has the record in his sights and Meredith said tonight that he'd be happy for Walden to set a new record.

The Wildcats are now 1-1 on the season and is scheduled to take on Warren East on the road next Friday at 7pm. The Edmonson Voice will carry the game live on WildcatsLive, presented by Alford's Pharmacy.

Darren Doyle, story: Madison Doyle, photos:
Edmonson County Volleyball improved to 2-2 on the season after defeating Hart County in their home opener last night. The squeaks of athletic shoes were a bit crisper as the contest was the first on the brand new gym floor surface; it was also senior night for three Lady Cat team members. The festivities were moved up in the season as a result of uncertainties around the 2020 sports season amid the virus pandemic.

Set one started slowly for each team; neither gaining much of a lead throughout the first half of the set. Hart County took a 13-11 lead but Edmonson County went on an impressive 12-0 run that put the set out of reach for the Lady Raiders. Hart County called a timeout, trailing 13-17 but Edmonson County poured it on and scored the next 6 points. The Lady Cats took set one, 25-15. 

Set two saw Edmonson continue their momentum from the previous set with an early lead, but Hart battled back and tied the score at 6-6. They went on a 5-1 run over the Lady Cats, which prompted an Edmonson timeout. The Lady Cats struggled with consistency but a 4-point run forced Hart into a timeout at 17-15. Edmonson cut the lead to 17-16 but Hart County finished the set on an 8-4 run to rally over the Lady Cats 25-20 for the set.

Set three was a game of that saw both teams shift momentum back and forth with Edmonson taking an early 6-2 lead. They kept a 4/5 point until Hart County fought back with an 8-1 run that gave Hart County a 13-12 lead. No timeout was called but the Lady Cats were able to hold the Lady Raiders back until a 16-16 tie. However, a solid 9-3 run down the stretch was enough to create some space over Hart County and hold them off for the 25-19 set win and the game, 2-1.

Other notes: Senior Emma Woodcock is starting her 8th season as part of Lady Cat Volleyball. Coaching staff said she began working out with the ECHS team as a 5th grader. Sophomore starter Alyssa Doyle is currently out of the lineup due to an ankle injury suffered at Grayson County last week where Edmonson lost 3-0. No timetable has been set for her return. She did not play in the All A tournament on Saturday at Trinity High School, where the Lady Cats fell to Trinity in two sets.

Edmonson County is scheduled to travel to Russellville on Thursday for a V/JV game with varsity beginning at 6pm.

Darren Doyle, story: Madison Doyle, photos:
Because of lingering uncertainties with the 2020 sports season, Edmonson County Lady Cat Volleyball moved up their annual Senior Night festivities to the season home opener, which was Monday, September 14th against Hart County. Senior night is normally held on the last home game of the season for most sports.

Three ECHS seniors and their respective families were honored last night, which included Emma Woodcock, Abbie Slaughter, and Madalyn Conder. 

Edmonson County defeated Hart County 2-1 to improve to 2-2 on the season. Their next game is this Thursday on the road against Russellville.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Edmonson County couldn't overcome of couple of big plays from the Hancock County Hornets Friday night in the 2020 football season opener at Wildcat Stadium as they fell 26-14.

The Hornets stung first only a minute and a half into the game when Hancock's Logan Willis was able to squeeze through on a one-yard touchdown after a big push on their first possession of the game; however, the Cats stopped their two-point conversion and Hancock led 6-0.

The Wildcats didn't get on the board until the second quarter as they clawed back for the lead after quarterback Jon Smith connected with Isiah Johnson on a 7-yard touchdown pass. Clay Walden nailed the extra point and the Cats were on top at 7-6 with 11:53 to go in the second.

It was Hancock again on their next possession as they broke through for a big 42-yard touchdown run. The Cats once again stopped their two-point conversion attempt and the Hornets led 12-7 with 11:10 left in the second. The score would remain the same at the half. 

Both teams battled in the third but as the quarter wound down, Hancock's Xander Early broke through with a huge 67-yard touchdown run with seconds left in the quarter. For the third straight time, Edmonson County stopped the two-point conversion attempt and Edmonson trailed 18-7.

Edmonson County answered in the fourth quarter with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Johnson again. Walden's extra point cut the Hornet lead to 18-14 with 7:40 to go in the game. That would be all the offense the Cats would generate and Hancock scored on a crazy 17-yard TD pass where quarterback Cole Dixon escaped a sack attempt, spun around and launched the ball, almost blindly to connect with a receiver in the end zone. Their 2-point conversion attempt was good with 3:59 to go for a 26-14 lead, which would be the final score of the game.

Head Coach Nathan Smith said he liked what he saw for the most part, but he felt some bad luck and big plays by the Hornets contributed to the first game loss.

​"We did some really good things, but had a little bit of bad luck on a couple plays," he said. "They big-played us, is what they did."

Smith said it's also been difficult preparing for football as normal, because there's been nothing normal about it.

"It hasn't been easy. You know, this has been a little bit different. We normally exchange films. They give us their film, we give them our film, but we didn't do that this year. There were no scrimmage games this year, so we sort of went into this blind. The stuff they ran, they did not run last year, so we had to adjust to that stuff on the fly. Offensively, I thought we moved the ball well all night. We had a couple penalties inside the 20 yard line, a couple bad plays, but offensively I felt like we could do about whatever we wanted to do. We had a good running game with Clay and Isaiah hitting it pretty good on the outside. One thing we gotta work on is hitting some of the deep balls. They were open--oh my goodness."

District play will begin next week as Metcalfe County travels to Wildcat Stadium on Friday.

"I told the boys that we'd love to win every game, but some of them count more than others," Smith said. "Metcalfe County is one of the toughest teams we play all year."

Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm on Friday, September 18th. The WildcatsLive crew will carry the live broadcast and video streams. Live audio can be heard on EdmonsonVoice.com and the live video stream can be watched on the Voice's site, mobile app, and our Facebook Page.  

​All content copyright 2020, Edmonson Voice, LLC.

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
​Edmonson County Wildcat Football is back this Friday night, September 11th as they host Hancock County at home at 7pm. While the fan experience will be different this year due to attendance and state regulations, Head Coach Nathan Smith is looking to build on last year's momentum of a district championship. We had a question and answer session with him yesterday.

​EV: We counted seven seniors gone from last year's team, which is significant, but you have a good number of seniors this year, correct?
NS: Yes that is correct. We lost 7 last season and currently have 12 seniors. 

EV: Who are the leaders of this team so far?
NS: Jon (Smith) has really been vocal so far. Both of the Shaw boys, Michael and Matt, have really increased their role on the team as well. 

EV: What can we expect on both the offensive and defensive side of things, respectively?
NS: We have a very experienced offensive and defensive line. Many have started since they were freshmen, so I'm looking to be able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. So probably a lot of running offense. 

EV: Are there any underclassmen that might be on the "watch list?"
NS: Definitely look at Matt Shaw to continue where he left off and we will see a lot of Logan Davis (replacing Brock Stethan at linebacker) and a pair of sophomores-- Daren Alexander and Zander Bass-- are also going to see significant minutes in the defensive and offensive backfields.
 
EV: How has the team/coaching staff responded to the regulations/social distancing/mask wearing, etc.?
NS: It's definitely different, but we have focused on staying positive and keeping our minds on just being able to play football--because a few months ago we didn't think that would even happen. 

EV: Compare what you've seen so far to last year, and what are your overall expectations for this year's team? 
NS: Our goals are similar to what we had last season. I expect us to contend for the district championship and make a deep push into the playoffs. We are returning several starters from that team last season who really got a taste of what it feels like, and I'm sure that they want that to continue. 

Edmonson County finished the 2019 season with a record of 6-7, and as Class 2A District 3 champions. The Edmonson Voice will once again provide audio and video streams of ECHS football games this season. This Friday's game will be video streamed on both the Voice's FB page and WildcatsLive page of Edmonson Voice.com. The audio stream will also be available. 

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Teamwork was key in last night's 2-0 sweep against Hart County as the Edmonson County Lady Cats opened up their season on the road.

Lady Cat players seemed to have little issue with the ball being wiped down with a cleaning cloth after every single dead ball...yes, that's right...every single one, or the fact that there was no typical "bench." Instead, there were chairs separated six feet apart on the sidelines, staggered, with all players not currently in the game wearing a mask as required. All attendees were required to wear masks upon entry, which also included staff, coaches, and officials. 

Edmonson was impressive as the game began, jumping out to an early 8-3 lead; however, the Lady Raiders answered with a 5-0 run to tie the score at 8. Both teams went at each other and the score was tied again at 11, but three straight from Edmonson prompted a Hart County timeout. 

Hart County put together a couple of four and five-point runs, but the Lady Cats were steady and committed few errors and took set one 25-22.

The score remained close for the first half of the set as there were three ties and neither team held more than a one-point lead until the Lady Cats put together a 7-1 run that allowed them to keep control of the game. Hart County got as close as 22-20, but three straight points from Edmonson County gave them the set (25-20), and the game, 2-0.

The Lady Cats have a core group of girls made up of both upper and underclassmen that have played together for several seasons. Senior Emma Woodcock is beginning her 6th season as a varsity player and much of the varsity team is made up of players that have played together since the 7th grade.

Edmonson County is looking to turn things around from the past two seasons, where they finished with a total record of 17-38 (.447) and have not won a district game since 2017 where they were district champions. They are 0-15 in district play since that time. This is the second season for Head Coach Bridget Simon.

Darren Doyle, story and video:
Edmonson County High School has a new surface on the gym floor for the first time in over 20 years. Superintendent Brian Alexander said the work took about 2 weeks to complete and the finish was sanded down to the bare wood.

“I’d really like to thank the Board for their eagerness to make this project happen," he said. "It gives the high school gym a rejuvenated look and I’m sure our students that use the gym as well as our student athletes will love the change.   I’m thankful to work with staff members across our district who are helping to make improvements in all our schools, but I’m very proud to be part of the end product on this particular project.”

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County High School sports are scheduled to begin this week and Wildcat fans will experience a different process than in years past, thanks to restrictions set due to COVID-19. ECHS Golf has been underway for over a month, but Wildcat and Lady Cat golf teams have seen very little restriction due to the virus.

Wildcat Football is scheduled to kickoff this Friday night, September 11, 2020 at 7pm at home against Hancock County and Lady Cat Volleyball begins this week on the road: tonight at Hart County at 5pm and Thursday night at Grayson County at 5pm. 

Home football tickets will not be available for purchase at the gate, at least for now, according to ECHS Athletic Director Kyle Pierce. He said that tickets are available for advanced purchase only at this time. Tickets are on sale this morning from 9-11am, then later from noon until 3pm. Both Tuesday & Wednesday's football ticket sales will be for football, cheer, & band families only, with a limit of four members per family. Exact change is required.

Each ticket recipient will also receive a contact tracing form to hand in at the gate with your purchased ticket. No one will be allowed to enter before 6pm and all attendees must enter through the main gate.

Volleyball fans will be allowed to purchase tickets at the gym door; however, exact change must be provided. Social distancing will be required for fans and all attendees must wear a mask upon entry. A contact tracing form is also required upon entry.

Road games will be a bit more uncertain and those regulations will be set by the visitor school.

"We are glad to see fall sports starting back up at Edmonson County," said Pierce. "We will be doing a few things to help increase our seating and allow for social distancing as well. Families are strongly encouraged to sit together to help allow us to maximize our attendance."

He also said there is a new phone number for athletics that can provide football ticket and other information.

"For people coming to buy tickets, when your arrive, please call our NEW Athletics phone line at 270-597-8939. I'll meet you out in front of the high school office with your tickets."

The Edmonson Voice is once again the exclusive broadcast provider for ECHS athletics. We will carry audio broadcasts of all football games with several live stream videos throughout the season. Scott Lindsey and Granville Meredith will return to the press box this Friday to bring you the game live, both on audio and video.

Edmonson Voice Sports:
The ECHS boys’ and girls’ golf teams have had a busy start to the season with practice beginning on July 15th and competition beginning just two weeks later.

"We have played in eight tournaments so far this season and we just finished our third week,” said Head Golf Coach Ed Nunnelee. He also said not only busy, but also with a purpose.

“We created a schedule this year knowing we would have a solid group of girls returning. So we put them in more tournaments to help build their confidence for the season.”

Nunnelee says it appears to be working.  After this weekend's competition at the Franklin Simpson Invitational, every girl posted their lowest round of the season, which are led by juniors Paige Wolfe, Hallie Cassady and Macy Cassady, freshmen Makayla Hogg and Beth Elmore, plus middle schoolers Lily Parsley and Abigail Hogg.

The boys team lost its top 3 players from last year's squad through graduation and transfer.

“It happens to every coach and team, but we have some experience returning” he said.

Junior Evan Stice and sophomore Andrew Talley return with plenty of tournament experience.

“These two will be counted on to lead, not only with their play, but also their attitude and course management.”

Brandon Cassady, Jarrett Prunty, Cameron Whitfill, and Levi Meredith fill out the playing roster.

“It’s just good to have kids back playing sports and trying to find a sense of normalcy and routine," Nunnelee said. "We are lucky to compete in a sport where social distancing is somewhat of a norm and is easily monitored. Covid has had an effect on how tournaments are run, but we are still able to compete.”

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
Edmonson County Softball named a new head coach tonight; a familiar face that has been part of past successful teams in Edmonson County. Alex Jane Massey (formerly Clemmons) has accepted the role and discussed her plans for Lady Cat Softball.

"I'm very excited for the opportunity to be a part of Edmonson County softball again," she said. "Softball helped me become the person I am today and I want the same for our girls here in Edmonson County."

Coach Massey is a 2007 graduate of ECHS where she was part of the 2006 District Championship team as a player. She also served as an assistant under her father, Kevin Clemmons, in 2012 - 2014.

She played at the collegiate level at two different schools: WKU for one year and Campbellsville for three years.

"The opportunity came available and I feel like it's a great time for both me and my family and our players," she said.

Edmonson County has struggled over the past three seasons, going 33-50 after winning the 12th District Championship in 2016. Coach Massey talked about the opportunity to rebuild.

"The good part is, we can start with a clean slate," she said. "Yes, it's a rebuild, but we'll start with the basics. Fundamentals and team basics is where success begins, so we'll start there. Our girls have to have confidence and we'll start working on that. We plan to show pride in our county and team--on and off the field. We'll win as a team and lose as a team. We'll have respect for the county and respect for the game."

ECHS Athletic Director Kyle Pierce said the school's decision to bring back Massey was based on several things.

"We're excited to have her back," he said. She saw success years ago as both a player and assistant coach. We felt like she was coming into her own as an assistant a few years ago. As a school, we always look for opportunities to bring our own back to our programs and we wouldn't have asked her if we didn't feel like she'd be successful."

While huge question marks currently loom over fall sports, schools across the nation are hoping for normalcy of some sort by the spring.

"Of course, there are lots of things that are up in the air right now," said Pierce, "but we're glad to have Alex Jane back in Lady Cat Softball and we're looking forward to the spring."

​

Edmonson Voice Sports: photos, @CoachToddWebb, via Twitter:
An Edmonson County High School graduate and former athlete has led a Georgia girls basketball team to a state championship.

Todd Webb, a 2004 ECHS grad, is the head coach at Brookwood Academy, a private class AAA school in Thomasville, Georgia. Brookwood won the AAA Girls' State Championship on February 29, 2020 over Deerfield-Windsor 53-48.

Todd is a former basketball, football, and track athlete from Edmonson County. This is his second year as coach for the Lady Warriors of Brookwood, where he also serves as assistant athletic director.

​He is the son of Todd and Michelle Webb of the Otter Gap community.

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
A poor shooting first half put the Lady Cats in an uphill climb that was too much to overcome in the second half as Breckinridge put an end to an otherwise successful season for Edmonson County last night at the Owensboro Sportscenter at the Region 3 Tournament.

It seemed as though the basket had lid fastened down during the first quarter for Edmonson County as the girls managed only two field goals and one free throw. Breckinridge suffered some of the same, but managed to take a 9-5 lead after one; however, Edmonson's offensive troubles continued in the second while the Lady Tigers capitalized on some Lady Cat turnovers and were also able to connect on some three-point shots.

Edmonson trailed 26-16 at the half. While the Lady Cats had a much better showing in the second half, they simply traded baskets with Breckinridge, which wasn't enough to overcome the early deficit.

Coach Bart Weaver said there were a few things that didn't go their way and it resulted in the end of their season. 

"I was really disappointed in the first half," he said. "There are times when we don't shoot well and we make up for it with defense and rebounding, but it just seemed like we weren't going for loose balls in the first half. We weren't going for rebounds. This may sound crazy, but we were worried about blocking out and the ball was coming down and we just weren't grabbing it. It's just little things like that. We played them even in the second half, and Chad (Moorman, coach) had a good game plan, but our Achilles heel the whole entire has been shooting, and he went zone on us and made us shoot. We were able to get it inside some, but I had my wings and they wouldn't shoot. That's why people play you zone."

The Lady Cats were led offensively by Emma Rose Vincent with 10 points and 6 rebounds. She became the third member of the team to accumulate 500 career rebounds, joining Madison Harrison and Lauren Ballance.

Lily Jayne Vincent had 9 points and 6 rebounds, Macie McCombs had 8 points, Ballance added 6 points and 9 rebounds, Katie Lindsey had 4 points, and Harrison had 3 points and 5 rebounds. The Lady Cats shot 41% from the field, 50% from the free throw line, and only 18% from three-point range.

It was the final game for four seniors: Madison Harrison, Lauren Ballance, Emma Rose Vincent, and Mia Goad, who missed the majority of the season with an ankle injury.

The first round loss was obviously not the result the Lady Cats wanted last night; however, the team's success speaks for itself over the last few years, specifically the past two.

The Lady Cats lost two of their all-time leading scorers at the end of the 2017-18 season in Caitlin Simon (#1--2,564 points) and Peyton Martin (#4--1,740 points) and their head coach Kevin Jackson, which left doubts for the following season; however, the addition of coach Bart Weaver yielded positive results last year as Edmonson County continued winning with a 24-8 record and repeated as District 12 Champions for the first time since 1995. 

This team won it's third consecutive district title this year, which is the first time in school history a Lady Cat basketball team has done so. 
​
"I've always said I'm truly blessed," Weaver said. "I'm blessed to be in Edmonson County and I'm blessed to have these girls for two years. "You know, these seniors--I'll tell you what--they've had four appearances in the region and back-to-back-to-back district champs."

​Weaver also went on to note that this year's seniors have had a combined number of 96 team wins, going back to their freshman seasons.

"I just can't say enough about them and their character. I told them I'd have never left my buddy Mac if it weren't for the character of these girls. I knew they could be good when a lot of people doubted them and they're unbelievable students. It's just been a blessing for me and it's going to be hard to say goodbye to these four girls."

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
For the first time in school history, the Edmonson County Lady Cats are back-to-back-to-back District 12 Champions after defeating the Lady Cougars of Grayson County 55-41 on their own home court.

Led by junior guard Katie Lindsey's 27 points, Edmonson County fought a back-and-forth match during the first half, while overcoming a first quarter deficit. The Lady Cougars got the tip and nailed a three-pointer and Edmonson fans wondered if it would be a repeat of the boys' game on Tuesday night; however, that wouldn't be the case.

Edmonson County scratched back on top just before halftime, capped off by junior Macie McCombs huge three with two seconds left. The Lady Cats led 23-19 at the break. 

Edmonson County would not lose the lead again, despite a run by Grayson County to start the fourth quarter. A three-pointer from the Lady Cougars cut the Lady Cat lead to 39-33 with 6:52 to go but both teams went on a drought for the next minute and a half. With about five minutes left in the game, Edmonson began to pull away, which forced Grayson County to foul.

Edmonson County shot 67% from the free throw line, a number much better than they've shown as of late, which included 11/13 attempts from senior Lauren Ballance, who finished with 15 points. She hit 8 consecutive free throws down the stretch and also pulled 7 rebounds.

Lindsey described what it was like to be part of the third consecutive district championship team.

"This is unreal, this is the first time we've ever done this in history," she said. "I mean, it's just unreal. I can't believe we've managed to do that."

After last week's 31-point blowout over the Lady Cougars at ECHS, both Lindsey and Ballance said they weren't looking for the same result, but they were prepared for tonight's championship game.

"We weren't overconfident," said Lindsey. "We didn't overlook them by thinking we were just going to come in here and win but we were ready to play."

"They're in their home gym, we knew they would make runs," Ballance added. "Madison (Harrison) was on the bench (with foul trouble) but we knew we'd have to weather the storm and that was our game plan."

The Lady Cats were uncharacteristically out-rebounded by the Lady Cougars, 20-25, but Edmonson's defense caused problems for Grayson County all night and they were able to turn Grayson County turnovers into points in the second half. Edmonson County only committed 5 turnovers as a team.

Coach Bart Weaver talked about how proud he was of his entire team and credited a team effort for the win. 

"This is something we've been talking about all year and it's been our ultimate goal," he said. "It just feels so good and I'm so proud of these senior girls that have put their heart and soul into this. Some of them have been playing six years. And the rest of the team, it was just a total team effort tonight and it makes a little more special to cut the nets here, too."

In addition to Lindsey and Ballance, McCombs had 7 points, Paige Wolfe had 3, Emma Rose Vincent had 2, and Madison Harrison had one point. 

"We were sitting in class today and someone said 'do you realize you have a chance to make history?' and we were like 'yeah, we're gonna do it,' and it's just the best feeling in the world," said Ballance. 

Lindsey said the team decided in the third quarter that it was time to get more aggressive. They outscored the Lady Cougars 14-10 in the quarter.

"We knew in the third that it was the most important time of the game, and we knew that was the time to put it away, in the beginning of the third."

While it wasn't the blowout like last week, it was enough for a third consecutive district championship. 

The Lady Cats will draw on Saturday to find out who they will face in next week's Region 3 Tournament at the Owensboro Sportscenter. Because they are a district champion, they will face off against a district runner-up. As of now, it looks as though they will play either Monday or Tuesday night. 

​Edmonson County improves to 20-10 on the season.

Click here for video interviews of players and Coach Weaver:

Season Ends With 73-62 Loss 

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
Edmonson County had trouble with offensive rhythm early while they struggled to keep the Cougars' dribble penetration under control in a first-round district tournament 73-62 loss last night at Grayson County High School. 

While the Wildcats kept their turnovers down (11) and out-rebounded Grayson County 21-19, the Cougars found success driving the lane for paint points as well as in perimeter shooting. Edmonson County also shot poorly against a tough man-to-man defense from Grayson County. 

Grayson County's Keegan Sharp started the contest with a 28-foot three-pointer and the Cougars kept control of the game from then on. The low-scoring contest saw Grayson County take an early 13-10 lead after the first quarter and a 30-23 lead at halftime.

Edmonson County increased their defensive pressure at the start of the second half, which resulted in some Cougar turnovers and points for the Wildcats in transition, but every time Edmonson started to put some offense together, the Cougars would seemingly respond with either a three pointer or would get the benefit of a call on an and-one. 

Edmonson County's Dalton Decker finished with a game-high 28 points, and two other Wildcats finished in double figures (Chaz Wilson 12, Mason Pierce 14) but Edmonson County never found their rhythm as the Cougars went on to win.

Head Coach Mike McClintic discussed the game, his seniors, and the entire season afterwards.

"Grayson County took us out of what we wanted to do early, both offensively and defensively," he said. "They penetrated, got in the lane, and either scored or kicked it out for an open shot, or we fouled--and we got into foul trouble early."

Coach Mac said his guys likely forced some shots early and that Grayson wanted it more, early in the game.

"But our kids fought back, they didn't just give up, and the effort in the second half and especially toward the end of the game was great, but it was just a little too late."

It was the final high school basketball game for seven seniors: Dalton Decker, Nick Clemmons, Eli Booker, Mason Pierce, Trent Taylor, Luke Meredith, and Houston Vincent. Coach Mac credited those seniors for their character on and off the court.

"I'm proud of our kids. I'm proud of the way we bounced back from the beginning of the season. I hate to go out this way, especially for our seniors, because they're a great group of kids," he said. "They're going to be fine people out in the community after they graduate. I told them all not to change. I love them all like my sons. They're going to be successful in life as long as they continue on the same paths they're on now."

In addition to Decker, Pierce, and Wilson, Eli Booker scored 3 points, Nick Clemmons and Daniel Woosley each had 2, and Trent Taylor scored one point. 

The Wildcats finish with a record of 12-15 on the season. Edmonson County's girls will take on Grayson County in the District 12 Championship game on Thursday night with a scheduled tip of 7PM. The Lady Cats will attempt to become the first girls team in school history to achieve three consecutive district titles for ECHS basketball. 

**update: The original article mistakenly left out senior Luke Meredith from the list. We apologize for the error and have added Luke's name to the list.

Darren Doyle, story: Alyssa Doyle, photos:
It wasn't the prettiest win of the season, but the Lady Cats of Edmonson County overcame poor shooting and sloppy play at times to defeat Whitesville-Trinity 38-27.

Edmonson County took down the Lady Raiders for the third time this season tonight, something that's difficult for any team to do. The win also guarantees that the Lady Cats' season will continue, win or lose at Thursday night's district finals, in the Region 3 tournament next week in Owensboro.

No stats from the Lady Cats were outstanding, but Edmonson County was able to figure out a way to keep it together defensively, out-rebound the Lady Raiders, and show composure and poise in the final quarter as Trinity tried to mount a comeback. 

Edmonson County's defense held Trinity's leading scorer Cassidy Morris to only 12 points. Morris is ranked 15th in the state in scoring at 22 points per game.  

Lindsey led the Lady Cats in scoring with 16 points. While no other Edmonson player hit double figures, it was enough to help secure the win. Coach Bart Weaver said he was actually glad the game wasn't as smooth or as easy as some might have wanted it.

"Some people may think I'm crazy but I'm glad we just didn't come in here and things go really easy," he said. "This was a tough contest for us. We survived. That's about all you can say, but I think it puts us in a good position to play for the championship on Thursday night. We've got our eyes on the prize." 

Weaver's plan was to out rebound Trinity, which they did, and contain Morris, which they did as well. Edmonson County held Trinity to a season-low point total of only 27.

"That was huge," said Weaver. "We were counting on our defense and to hold her to only 12 points, that was key in this game."