Wildcats Earn First Win On The Road

Joseph Barkoff, story and photos:

Edmonson County junior linebacker Carter Swihart (25) makes an interception against host Caverna High School in a KHSAA football game Friday September 8 in Horse Cave.

​It almost started like Edmonson County High School football squad hadn’t shown up after a first series of three and out against the host Caverna High School Colonels Friday September 8th in Horse Cave.
 
The Wildcats received the ball first and despite some cool looks in their offensive formations, they punted on 4th down and the Colonels picked up on their own 20-yard line.
 
One pass--if you can call a wobbling lobbed projectile a pass--from Caverna connected for a 20-yard warble with a 15-yard gain after. Into the flats and Caverna advanced another 10 yards.
 
Momentum.
 
On the third play for Caverna, junior quarterback Russell Williams lobbed the ball almost directly in the waiting hands of Edmonson junior linebacker Carter Swihart. 
 
Swihart, running out on coverage, came back in to make a two-handed, palms-up bucket catch on the 20-yard line and sprinted for his life to the sideline. He was able to make it 79 and-a-half yards before he was knocked out of bounds.

Edmonson County junior linebacker Carter Swihart (25) runs an interception back to the 1-yard line against host Caverna High School in a KHSAA football game Friday September 8 in Horse Cave.

​Senior quarterback Noah Meredith handed off to senior running back Michael Mills for the half-yard punch-in off right tackle. The two-point conversion following, was completed, more or less, in the same fashion to Mills and Wildcats lead for the first time from the get-go, and on the road.
 
Momentum builds confidence and the Wildcats led 8-0 with 8:21 left in the first quarter.

Edmonson County senior running back Michael Mills (24) breaks a tackle against host Caverna High School in a KHSAA football game Friday September 8 in Horse Cave.

​“Some big runs, some big plays on the outside,” Meredith said. “Some outside contain issues, but that’s fixable. Other than that I think we played a really good game. I have to give it all to the line tonight. Michael (Mills) ran hard, and people ran hard, but, the line, that’s the reason they ever got to the end zone.”
 
Asked about his favorite moment of the evening, Meredith had only one thing to say.
 
“Definitely as soon as that buzzer ended and I realized we just won, that’s pretty awesome,” he said. “That’s pretty awesome.”
 
From out of the backfield, Mills shared Meredith’s sentiment.

“It feels amazing,” Mills said. “Our line come out on fire and was knocking them in the teeth. When your line is good you're good.”
 
Mills noted he wouldn’t have had any of his rushing, and Meredith wouldn’t have had any passing lanes if it wasn’t for the line’s effort on the evening, he said.
 
“Caverna had a lot of talent,” Mills said. “They had some fast kids and you just have to play with them. Sometimes you can outscore them.”
 
Outscore them indeed.

Edmonson County sophomore kicker Colton White (8) kicks an onside kickoff to host Caverna High School in a KHSAA football game Friday September 8 in Horse Cave.

Edmonson County senior quarterback Noah Meredith (10) passes down field against host Caverna High School in a KHSAA football game Friday September 8 in Horse Cave.

​It was 30-12 in favor of the visiting Wildcats at half time, and they really never looked back. 
 
“I think with us beating them it gives us really good momentum and really good energy to go into the next game,” Mills said.
 
The beginning of the fourth quarter Edmonson was ahead 36-20.
 
“I love the win,” head coach Zach Vincent said. The first win’s always great. We’ve talked for weeks about ‘this close’ and that just proves it.”
 
They were hard to contain, they have four really tough players, and those twins are good, he said about Caverna.
 
“I think it’s a great win and it shows you how far the boys have come,” Vincent said. “They keep getting better every day and every week.”

Edmonson County senior running back Michael Mills (24) breaks through host Caverna High School's defense in a KHSAA football game Friday September 8 in Horse Cave.

Edmonson County junior running back Carter Swihart (25) looks for room to run against host Caverna High School in a KHSAA football game Friday September 8 in Horse Cave.

​Vincent wanted to note the extra effort of his assistant coaches during the week, he said.
 
“I want to give credit to my coaches this week,” Vincent said. “They put in extra time to help prepare these kids.”
 
Vincent thinks their confidence in these kids has helped build the confidence of the kids up, he said.
 
The score was 43-28 in favor of the Wildcats, and with 18 tics left on the tock, Meredith took a knee to run out the clock for the first win of the 2023 season.
 
Edmonson County is host next week, Friday at 7 p.m. against Ohio County for homecoming.