Todd County Central’s football team is 4-0 for the first time since 1974 and for only the second time since the program began in 1970. The 1974 Rebels were led by first-year coach Jim Jackson and began the season 7-0 and reaching a number one ranking in the Associated Press Class 1A Poll. Their only loss came to Christian County 24-12 in the eighth week of the season. The Rebels tied Owensboro Catholic, the ninth ranked team in Class 2A, 14-14 in the final week of the regular season. The KHSAA later awarded Todd County the win because Owensboro Catholic used an ineligible player.
Despite finishing the season with a 9-1 record and a 5-0 district mark, the Rebels did not make the playoffs. At that time, districts were larger and teams were not required to play each team in their district. The KHSAA used the Dickinson Points System that awarded points based on the record of the teams the Rebels beat. Murray had more points through the system and received the playoff bid despite being ranked sixth in the final AP Poll of the season, three spots behind Todd County Central.
Todd County Central’s last winning season came in 1995 when the Rebels were 8-3 under Gwynn Gaddie – the second straight eight-win season with Gaddie as head coach.
Harold Wallace took over in 1996 and led the Rebels to a 2-8 record in the regular season. However, Todd County beat Murray 14-0 in the Class 1A playoff opener and upset Crittenden County 32-26 in the second round. Mayfield ended their season with a 26-0 win in the region title game.
The Rebel football program also enjoyed some success in the mid-1980s. Current Hopkinsville head coach Craig Clayton got his first head coaching job in Elkton in 1984. Clayton took over for Bill Haslett, who took the Greenville head coaching job less than a month before the start of the season. Ironically, Clayton’s first game as head coach was against Haslett’s Greenville squad with the Rebels getting the win. That 1984 team finished 9-3. The next season, Todd County opened the season with a loss to Clarksville Northeast and then ran off eight straight wins – the longest winning streak in school history. Todd County lost the regular season finale to Fort Knox and lost their playoff opener to Mayfield 38-6 to finish at 8-3.
Off to a 4-0 start in 2017, Rebel Head Coach Les Broady says he doesn’t want to temper the excitement of the players and community in the coming weeks. Todd County Central plays at Hancock County Friday, winning their last visit there 10-7 two years ago.
