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Martin County to open baseball season with new coach, new energy
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County baseball enters the 2026 season with a new head coach, a mix of veteran leadership and young talent, and a team mindset centered on effort and improvement. Ethan Osborne, previously an assistant in the program, takes over the Cardinals after Martin County finished 10-16 overall last season,
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Cardinals open 2-0, Lady Cards split opening tennis matches
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN SALYERSVILLE — Martin County High School tennis teams opened the 2026 season March 12 with the boys earning back-to-back team wins while the Lady Cardinals battled to a tie in their opener before dropping their second match. Martin County opened the season at Magoffin County. The Cardinals posted a dominant 6-0
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Cardinals end successful season in 15th Region
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PIKEVILLE — Martin County’s season came to a close Saturday night as Pikeville pulled away in the second half to defeat the Cardinals 70-61 in the 15th Region Tournament semifinals. The loss ended the high school careers of five Martin County seniors. Seniors Devan Maynard, Eli Mills, Alan Moore, Braxton Maynard
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Jewell named Region 8 Most Outstanding Wrestler; Cards earn multiple All-Region honors
BY BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County wrestling placed a strong contingent on the Region 8 All-Region Team, with several Cardinals earning postseason honors for their performances during the 2025-26 season. Leading the way, eighth-grader Brody Jewell earned First Team All-Region honors and the Region 8 Most Outstanding Wrestler award, as voted by
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Martin County Cardinals sink Pirates’ ship in 15th Region tournament
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PIKEVILLE — The Road to Rupp continued for the Cardinals after Martin County made the Pirates walk the plank Thursday night. Martin County defeated Belfry 78-60 in the quarterfinals of the 15th Region Tournament at Appalachian Wireless Arena behind a 34-point, 11-rebound double-double from Braxton Keathley. The Cardinals came out firing
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Martin County Cards advance in 15th Region Tournament
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Braxton Keathley and Bryson Dials combined for 65 points to lead Martin County past Betsy Layne 90-69 Feb. 28 in Inez and advance in the 15th Region Tournament. Keathley led the Cardinals with 35 points on 15-of-25 shooting, burying five 3-pointers on 11 attempts. The junior added six rebounds,
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Martin County Cardinals finish as 57th District runner-up
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — Martin County, making its fifth straight appearance in the district title game and seeking its fifth consecutive championship, finished as 57th District runner-up for the 2025-26 season. The Cards entered the tournament as the top seed after securing the regular-season title, but fell to Johnson Central 93-79 in the
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Martin County wrestling finishes 1A runner-up; Muncy named Coach of the Year
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LEXINGTON — Martin County arrived at the 2026 KHSAA State Wrestling Tournament with purpose and left with pride. The Cardinals claimed 1A State Runner-Up honors, placed three wrestlers on the podium, finished among the top 10 teams overall and saw coach Josh Muncy named the Coach of the Year at
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Martin County Cardinals find rhythm
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — By February, Martin County was no longer searching for its identity. It had one. The No. 1 seed in the 57th District Tournament, the Cardinals finished the regular season 19-8. They scored 2,154 points in 27 games — nearly 80 per night — while shooting 50.7% from the field and
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West, Mays claim state wrestling titles
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LOUISVILLE — Martin County Youth Wrestling crowned two state champions Feb. 22 in the 2026 Youth State Tournament at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Jason West and Lukas Mays each climbed to the top of the podium in their respective age groups, delivering another strong statement from Martin County’s
