Wildcats Fall To Metcalfe County

Cats Show Life At The End But Hornets Come Out On Top 39-22

Daren Alexander (14) runs the ball against the Hornets.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Edmonson County fell to the Metcalfe County Hornets 39-22 tonight at Wildcat Field.

The Hornets struck first as speedy running back Michael Bennett scored on a 50-yard touchdown with 8:53 in the first quarter. The extra point was good and Metcalfe led 7-0.

Michael Mills (24) looks to pass over Metcalfe County's Luke Meadows.

It would be Metcalfe's Bennett once more just as the second quarter began with an 11-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt was blocked as the Hornets led 13-0 with 11:42 on the clock.

Metcalfe scored again on Wyatt Blythe's 15-yard catch and the extra point was good for a 20-0 Hornet lead with 6:15 left in the half.

Blythe scored again with a tough catch in the end zone on a 19-yard pass. The extra point was no good and the Cats trailed 33-0 at halftime.

Metcalfe County's Wyatt Ray Blythe (5) catches a pass in the end zone over ECHS' Tyler Anderson (1).

Metcalfe scored again with 8:46 in the third quarter for a 39-0 lead.

With the third quarter winding down, it appeared as though the Wildcats had finally got on the board as Michael Mills made his way into the end zone, but it was called back as a result of a penalty on Edmonson County.

However, as the fourth began, the Wildcats were able to finally get across the goal line as Peyton Keith connected with Michael Mills for a 25-yard touchdown with 11:50 left in the game. The two-point conversion was good and the Cats cut the lead to 39-8.

Mills picked off a 25-yard pass from Metcalfe County with 9:30 left in the game. The Hornets were called for two different pass interference penalties during the Cats' possession and with 3:01 left in the game, Mills scored again on a 12-yard run. The two-point conversion attempt was no good as Edmonson County cut the lead to 39-14.

Edmonson County was able to regain possession with an onside kick on the next play. Noah Meredith caught a 36-yard pass from Keith for a first down with about 1:45 left. The Cats took it down to 23 seconds on the clock when Daren Alexander scored on an 18-yard pass from Mills. The two-point conversion was good and the Cats cut the lead to 39-22.

Edmonson County showed plenty of life in the fourth quarter, but it wouldn't be enough as the Hornets held on to win with a running clock.

Head Coach Zach Vincent said while the result wasn't what the team had hoped for, he was happy with how the Wildcats hung in there until the end.

"Our boys finally showed up at the half and I'm proud of them tonight," he said. "We got a special group of kids this year. You take most kids that have lost since last year, then you pick up win last week, then you come out (tonight) and your down--most kids would give in, but when we went in at the half, you can fuss and yell as much as you want, but we just had a good heart-to-heart."

Coach Vincent said the team came out way too flat in the first half to compete.

"I said boys, you gotta show me something. I need eleven guys that want it. I don't care if it's JV, or a freshman, whoever it is, I gotta have eleven. And they stepped up, every single one, even the sideline."

The Wildcats will remain at home again next week as they host Clinton County (0-5).

Edmonson County falls to 1-5 on the season as Metcalfe County improved to 6-0.