Pendleton County Varsity Wildcats are pictured above with Miss Kentucky Jessica Casebolt. Pictured, from left: Mason Monroe, Austin Pyles, Mackenzie Colvin, Andrew Antrobus, Miss Kentucky Jessica Casebolt, Garrett Appleman, Aaron Gibson, and Ethan Moore. Photo by Monica Antrobus.

By Sam McClanahan, Reporter

Garrett Appleman is used to handling tough situations. He's been apart of many intense, nerve-racking district and regional playoff games over his career as a varsity basketball player for the Pendleton County Wildcats.

But over the last several weeks Appleman has been faced with an opponent unlike any he has ever known, an obstacle that couldn't be prepared for by watching game film or reviewing a playbook: his own personal well-being.