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Martin County Wrestling takes crown at Agie Skeens Memorial Tournament
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN GRUNDY, Va. — By the time the final mats cleared Saturday, it was unmistakable: something historic had happened. The Martin County Cardinals had climbed to the top at the 2026 Agie Skeens Memorial Tournament in Grundy, Virginia. Martin County claimed the team championship for the first time, doing it with…
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Tug Valley edges Tucker County in thriller rematch on the road
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PARSONS, W.Va. — Tug Valley squeezed by home-standing Tucker County 66-65 to pull out a big road victory Saturday afternoon. The game was a rivalry and rematch of the last two Class A state championship games, each won by the Panthers. Tug Valley was 4-1 and ranked No. 1 in…
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Martin County Youth Wrestling claims third at Hatfield-McCoy
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PIKEVILLE — Martin County Youth Wrestling continued its tradition of strong showings on the regional stage, closing out 2025 with a strong performance at the Hatfield-McCoy Youth Wrestling Tournament. The team finished third overall and produced multiple champions, podium finishes and special awards Dec. 28 at Appalachian Wireless Arena in…
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Martin County takes second at Bobby Bates Youth Classic
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN WISE, Va. — Martin County Middle School wrestling delivered a strong team performance at the Bobby Bates Youth Classic. The team finished second overall, narrowly falling to Warhawk Wrestling 217-214, while producing multiple champions and podium finishes across every class. The event took place Dec. 21 at the University of Virginia`s College at Wise David…
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Tug Valley Panthers win pair in holiday tourney
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — The Tug Valley High School Panthers, ranked No. 1 in Class A in West Virginia, won two games in the third annual Kaydence Maynard Memorial Classic tournament held at the TVHS gym in Naugatuck, Dec. 29 and 30. The event featured games all day long, including grade…
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Lady Panthers flex defense, depth in trio of wins
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN The Tug Valley Lady Panthers put together a dominant three-game run over the holidays, locking down opponents on defense and spreading the scoring in wins over Lewis County, Man and Phelps, including a pair of 66-point performances and a gritty road victory in a low-scoring battle. These three convincing victories…
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Martin County drops three over break
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN Martin County dropped three games in a weeklong stretch, falling to South Oldham, Hamilton Heights Christian Academy and Charlotte, including an overtime loss in the finale at the Bristol Christmas Tournament. The Cardinals fell 72-63 to South Oldham on Dec. 22. Braxton Keathley led Martin County with 22 points on four…
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Lady Cards drop two
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN CORBIN — Martin County spent the weekend before Christmas searching for consistency on offense and came up short in a pair of neutral-site losses at the Corbin Arena. The Lady Cards fell to Whitley County 53-41 on Dec. 19 and Garrard County 50-42 on Dec. 20 in the Redhound Christmas Bash.…
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Kirk & Crum Law Firm Player of the Week: Braxton Keathley
BY BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County High School’s Braxton Keathley is the Kirk & Crum Law Firm Player of the Week. Keathley battled through a rugged three-game stretch at the Bristol Christmas Tournament on the road. The junior guard poured in 93 points in three games (31.0 ppg) and added 26 rebounds.…
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After the Whistle: Stein back in his Old Kentucky Home
Another Christmas has come and gone. With record highs, we had sandal weather instead of sweater weather. Is this what it feels like to live in Florida during the winter? Sports teams are away for tournaments during the two-week break. As a teenager, I loved playing in the holiday tournaments. As an adult, I believe…
