Category: TOMCAT TALES THE PODCAST

1970 Tomcats get their wish(bone) in last game of season

ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland’s 1970 football season became a turning point in coach Herb Conley’s career.

The Tomcats finished only 3-7 but it was a 7-3 victory over Ironton at Tanks Stadium in the last game that provided enough to keep Coach Conley around. He introduced the wishbone for the first time in that one and controlled the ball enough to pull off the upset.

ADI sports editor Mike Reliford had written a column about Conley, saying people needed to give him a chance, on the day of the game. Radio voice Dick Martin (Dicky’s father) did the same on the broadcast. Those strong voices and Ashland’s strong play on that fateful night set the stage for what was to come – a 56-16 record over the next six years.

In episode 3 of TOMCAT TALES podcast, Coach Conley talks about that 1970 season. Click here to listen.

Great start, tough finish for 1969 Tomcats

ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland coach Herb Conley and journalist Mark Maynard delve into the 1969 Tomcat football season in the second episode of TOMCAT TALES the podcast.

Ashland opened the 1969 season with one-sided wins over Catlettsburg 75-0 and Middlesboro 42-0, stoking a fan base hungry for more. But it didn’t happen. The Tomcats fell to Stonewall Jackson, 14-8, and were 4-4 heading into a gauntlet of a stretch run: Fort Thomas Highlands, Covington Catholic and Ironton.

Ashland lost all three games to finish 4-7. That fan base, who was giddy after week two, was starting to look wonder if hiring young Herb Conley was the right move after winning the 1967 state title.

Click HERE to listen to the podcast.

TOMCAT TALES podcast launched

ASHLAND, Ky. – A new podcast that will explore the history of Ashland Tomcat sports launched Thursday afternoon.

Mark Maynard is producing and hosting the podcast which will feature some of the all-time greats in Tomcat football, basketball and baseball.

The first 10 episodes will center around Herb Conley, the legendary football coach. The first nine shows will go through Conley’s nine seasons as head coach from 1968 to 1976.

The first episode rehashes the 1968 Tomcats that finished 7-3-1 with four shutouts but may be best remembered by a 61-0 loss to Fort Thomas Highlands near the end of the season at Putnam Stadium.

Besides that game, though, an Ashland program coming off a senior-dominated state championship team in 1967 played extremely well.

Conley talks about how he became the head coach and what happened during the season, including the infamous game with Highlands.

Click HERE to watch the first episode!