[AtlPirateFan]

Due to limits on posts I have had to cut Ms into two posts. I will resume the series on Monday, hope everyone has a great thanksgiving!

Evarts Wildcats (1921-2008) – Evarts traces it’s roots to 1892 when the first Evarts school was opened. In 1933 Evarts formed a PTA and Athletic Department and football began. Like all of the Harlan County schools, Evarts fielded fierce, hard-nosed football teams. While they only captured one Region Title in the playoff era, an 8-7 win over a Pikeville team that had won State Titles in ’87, ’88 and ’89. The Wildcats would win 4 district titles from 1964 until they closed in 2007, they were always in contention however finishing 3rd or better 24 out of 45 years. With the consolidation of Evarts, Cumberland and Cawood in 2008. You can see info on Evarts Athletic hall of fame here: https://www.evartsalumni.com/sport and here is a really cool photo of Harlan County High Schools Hall of Memories that honors the great tradition http://www.harlan.k12.ky.us/hchs/images/slide2.jpg

Lynch Colored/West Main Pirates (??-1963) – KHSAA lists Lynch West as the Pirates on the all-time school list, and this was the schools mascot. Some sources call them the Trojans, but the Kentucky Trojan were not the high school but rather a semi-pro basketball team from Lynch. The schools name was changed in the late 50s or early 60s from Lynch Colored Public School to Lynch West Main. They appear in KHSAA standings form 1960-1962 with a record of 4-13-2. In 1963 Lynch West was consolidated into Lynch East Main.

M.C Napier Navajos (1952-1995) – While M.C. Napier may be most remembered for their basketball and an amazing 14th region triple-OT title game in their final year as a school, the Navajos also waged war on the gridiron with their best season and only district title coming in 1983 when the team went 10-1. Napier would lose their first playoff game to Phillip Haywood in his final year as the Head Coach as Prestonsburg. In 1995 M.C. Napier and Dilce Combs would combine to become Perry County Central. The Napier building still stands, many of its rooms with decorations and supplies rotting away, old books still line shelves. It’s really a heartbreaking sight to see these old schools this way.

Madison Royal Purples (1923-1989) – Richmond Madison High originated in Richmond in the late 1800s as a private academy and later as Caldwell High School. When Caldwell burned in 1921 the board order a new building be constructed and in 1923. Football, like a lot of other activities at Madison are tangled up with Madison-Model. From 1921-1935 Madison appears to have had football but those records have not been located by me yet, they did win a CKC title in 1925 (first year as the ‘Royal Purples’) and had a combined record of 15-4 in ’24 and ’25, beating Highlands in a Thanksgiving Day matchup both years. From 1936-1961 Richmond Madison and Eastern Kentucky State Colleges (later EKU) Model Lab School had a unique relationship in which the two school combined all activities, their campuses were separate but athletics, graduations and other organizational activities were shared. For that sake of that agreement I will treat the two separately. In 1961 their first year after their partnership with Madison dissolved legendary head coach Roy Kidd led the Royal Purps’ into the state playoffs where they faced Highlands. At the time of the game Highlands led had a 23-game win streak and Madison had a 27-game win streak. In his final game as a high school head coach Roy Kidd would see his Madison High team fall to Hazard. His record at Madison and Madison-Model was 54-11-1, in 1962 he left to become an assistant at Morehead and by 64 he would be back in the area coaching EKU. Madison didn’t take too much step back after Kidd left in 1964 the team was back in the state title game, again losing to Highlands. They would finish as runners up one more time in 1979. From 1961-1988 Madison would win 6 district titles, 5 region championships and play for three state titles, with undefeated regular seasons in 1961 and 1972

Madison-Model Royal Purples (1936-1960) – While not technically its own school and the records for Madison-Model are considered part of Madison’s history from what I can tell I include it as a separate entry because it was a pretty interesting arrangement. Madison-Model was the result of a partnership between what is now EKU and the above Madison High. One of the shared extra curriculars between the two was Football. While the history from 1935-1946 is spotty Madison-Model seemed to field a competitive but not dangerous team most years. From 1947 to 1955 the Royal Purples went just 23–36–12, that all changed in 1956 when Madison-Model hired away Madison Central basketball and baseball coach Roy Kidd to coach the Royal Purples. Under Kidd Madison-Model would go 41-10-1 (his final 13-1 season came after the partnership dissolved). During Madison-Model/Madisons 27 game win streak from 1959-1961 Kidd’s defenses had a 15 game streak where they were not even scored on. They would win CKC titles in 56,60 and 61 (as Madison) and Recreation Bowl Champs in 57 and 61 (as Madison). In 1960 Madison was undefeated but due to the controversial Dickinson System was not selected to the state playoffs. In 1961 new EKU president dissolved the partnership and the Royal Purples would return to Madison High alone for the first time since 1936.

Madisonville Huskies/Maroons (18??-1968) – The first mention of Madisonville High School I can find comes from an 1893 Earlington Bee newspaper. The first mention of Football I can find is from a 1907 issue of the Hopkinsville Kentuckian. The article is humorous today as it talks about a 27-0 loss to Hopkinsville being a “Virtual Victory” for the Madisonville squad, because they were outweighed by 30-35 pounds. They expected to lose 75-0. Madisonville High football was covered heavily in the early 1900s. One early newspaper from 1909 referred to the team as the Huskies (the name appears to have changed to Maroons in the 1920s), by the time the school was converted to a junior high in 1968 and a new school opened (Madisonville-North Hopkins) they were known as the Maroons, while technically Madisonville-North Hopkins is a direct continuation of Madisonville they are included in the list because of the name change along with the new building. The Maroons final years before adding the NH would be lean registering only 39 points in 1966. Those tides would turn with the new school.

Marion Blue Terrors (-1959?) – I can’t find a lot about Marion High Schools origin it appears the first mention of Marion Blue Terrors Football is from 1928 in the Paducah Sun. While I can find official yearly records Marion appears to have had a rich and storied football tradition before the school closed.

Maysville Bulldogs (1865-1991) – Maysville dropped football in 1981 after going 3 – 29 from 1978-1090 due to a lack of interest. In 1967 Maysville returned to the gridiron for the first time since 1941 and it is the 1967-1980 iteration of the squad we will focus on. In 67 and 68 Maysville struggled to find games to play a complete scheduled but posted a 9-5 record over those two years, by 1969 they would be playing a full schedule. Their best season came in 1974 when the Bulldogs posted an 8-2 record outscoring opponents 345-96. Maysville was always a basketball school however and by the end of the decade lack of interest in the football program would see it shut down. The school would merge into Mason County after the 1991 school year.

McKell Bulldogs (1931- 1973) McKell , located in South Shore, KY in Greenup Co is a place I know well. Having spent the first part of my childhood in Fire Brick (Lewis County). I heard a lot about McKell and even played some Grade School football and basketball games for Garrison Elementary at McKell and other Greenup Co locations, so I heard a lot about McKell High. The first 30 years of McKell football was like many others, lots of up and down seasons, going 8-2 in 1940 was the bright spot. Then in 1962 Tom Simms led the team to a 10-0 record, while they had been competitive in 60 and 61 under Chester Bruce, Simms took them to a whole new level. From 1962-1967 Simms would lead McKell to a 51-10 record and two 10 seasons. McKell produced several pro athletes Elbie Nickel played 11 years for Pittsburgh Steelers and Don Gullet who went on to pitch for the Reds and Yankees, Gullet I believe played on those Simms football squads, in 1973 the school closed and consolidated to form Greenup County High School.

Mercer County Scotties (1912?-2006) – The original Mercer County High is first mentioned in newspaper articles in 1912, when it is mentioned that school was dismissed due to defects in the new building. While they may have played football prior to 1961, it is the earliest I can find data for them until 1985 Mercer County was a yearly bottom feeder, from 1963-1972 the Scotties only finished higher than 10th in their district once, they were 9th that year. In 63 they were 17th in the district and in 1970 they were 15th. That all changed in 1985 when the Scotties went 8-2, they would post the same record a year later and make the playoffs winning a region title, they would compete for the next 10 years making the playoffs several times. The early 2000s would see the school begin to find similar success to the mid-80s and in its final year they posted a 9-1 regular season record. The following year after consolidating into the new Mercer County High School the new school would win the 2006 2A State Title.

Millersburg Military Institute Cadets (1893-2014) – The Cadets played KHSAA football yearly until 1976. They attempted to return to play from 1987-1991 and again in 1999. Like many of the Military Institutes their competitive heydays took place in the 40s and 50s. While Millersburg was competitive throughout the 1960s posting their best seasons in 1965 and 1966 they never really challenged for a title, except for 1966 when the would win a district title. In 2014 MMI closed when the US Army Cadet Corps began a reorganization.

[Hatz]

Mercer County Notables:

David Buchanan, Current Coach of the Titans, is a Mercer County Graduate.
His Father, John Buchanan, left Boyle County and coached the Scotties from 1974 to 1978.

Larry French was the coach at Mercer from 1979 to 1987 or 1988 if memory serves. Chuck Smith was an Assistant there under Larry before becoming Head Coach at Campbellsville and then later Boyle County.

They made the Class A Semi-Finals in 1986 only to lose to eventual Champion Heath.

[Jarons]

A little off topic, my grandfather lived in Firebrick until he passed away in 1984. Visited there many times in my childhood. Don Gullett still holds the record for the most points in a single game, I believe 72 points. I never knew about Elbie Nickel. When did he play at McKell? I had always heard that McKell had some really good football teams throughout the years.
Love these threads. Where do you find all of your information? If you don't mind me asking.

[AtlPirateFan]

A little off topic, my grandfather lived in Firebrick until he passed away in 1984. Visited there many times in my childhood. Don Gullett still holds the record for the most points in a single game, I believe 72 points. I never knew about Elbie Nickel. When did he play at McKell? I had always heard that McKell had some really good football teams throughout the years.
Love these threads. Where do you find all of your information? If you don't mind me asking.

Elbie was class of 1936 or 1938 I think.

I get the info from various locations, old newspapers, old videos, alumni sites, old memorial sites, old issues of the Athlete published by KHSAA have found some on Facebook and Twitter. I’m hoping by this time next year I’ve got a good start on a website I have in the works to truly compile and commemorate the history of high school football in the bluegrass

[Rip/Spin]

I love the history you are sharing, but it makes me feel really old when I see teams I played or that I remember on the list. 😁

[AtlPirateFan]

Lol Maysville ended in 1980 not 1090, :-p

[CowboyDad]

I remember how good Scott Russell was from Evarts. So fast, great field vision. Remains one of the very best players I’ve ever seen.

[Tica]

I was fortunate enough to be able to beat Gullett and McKell at their place. Gullett was coming off an injury. Honestly it was the toughest high school game I can remember playing. Just a war every play.

[doubledown]

Don't forget the Wheelwright Trojans

[AtlPirateFan]

Don't forget the Wheelwright Trojans

Yep they are in the list for a later post