Sports

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County junior Lleyton Phillips celebrates after his win on No. 1 singles versus Model on May 8 at Rabun County High School. Phllips and the Wildcats will play for the state championship on Wednesday in Rome.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County junior Lleyton Phillips celebrates after his win on No. 1 singles versus Model on May 8 at Rabun County High School. Phllips and the Wildcats will play for the state championship on Wednesday in Rome.

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RCHS boys tennis defeats Model to advance to state title match

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 14, 2026
TIGER – The Rabun County boys tennis team is headed to the state championship for the first time in program history, following its 3-1 semifinal win over Model on May 8. The No. 6 seeded Wildcats was scheduled to take on No. 1 seed Brantley County on Wednesday, May 13, at 12:30 p.m.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County freshman Kinley Jones smiles after receiving her medal for finishing seventh place in the 3200 meter race at the GHSA state championship meet on May 12 in Athens.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County freshman Kinley Jones smiles after receiving her medal for finishing seventh place in the 3200 meter race at the GHSA state championship meet on May 12 in Athens.

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RCHS track and field excels at state championship meet

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 14, 2026
ATHENS – The Rabun County track and field team wrapped up its 2026 season on May 12 with an impressive showing at the GHSA Class A Division I state championship meet at Spec Towns Track at the University of Georgia.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Huey Blalock skies for a layup in Rabun County’s 52-43 state championship victory over Southwest on March 13. Blalock scored 29 points and earned MVP honors in the win. On April 22, he was named MaxPreps “Small Town All-Americans” third-team.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Huey Blalock skies for a layup in Rabun County’s 52-43 state championship victory over Southwest on March 13. Blalock scored 29 points and earned MVP honors in the win. On April 22, he was named MaxPreps “Small Town All-Americans” third-team.

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Blalock named to MaxPreps ‘Small Town All-American’ team

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Although basketball season and Rabun County’s state championship celebrations are in the rearview, senior point guard and Navy signee Huey Blalock is still raking in awards.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. RGNS head girls basketball coach Dale Earnhardt directs his team during a timeout against Buford.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. RGNS head girls basketball coach Dale Earnhardt directs his team during a timeout against Buford.

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Rabun Gap AD Earnhardt to be inducted into Athletic HOF

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Long-tenured Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School athletic director Dale Earnhardt will be inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame, Rabun Gap announced on social media on May 11.Earnhardt will be a 2026 inductee and will be honored on Oct. 24 during the school’s fall homecoming weekend.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap class of 2027 defensive lineman Marcellus Young Casario talks with Georgia defensive line coach Tray Scott during the Rabun Gap spring college coaches social on Rabun Gap’s campus May 7. Casario has scholarship offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Michigan State and others.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap class of 2027 defensive lineman Marcellus Young Casario talks with Georgia defensive line coach Tray Scott during the Rabun Gap spring college coaches social on Rabun Gap’s campus May 7. Casario has scholarship offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Michigan State and others.

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RGNS football hosts spring ‘College Coaches Social’

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 14, 2026
RABUN GAP – Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and head football coach Derek White hosted its spring college coaches social with over 70 high school prospects and a plethora of college football coaches in attendance on May 7.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap Class of 2028 linebacker Jay Schell warms up for Rabun Gap’s May 7 college coaches social. Schell has 36 Division I offers, with LSU most recently offering him a scholarship.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap Class of 2028 linebacker Jay Schell warms up for Rabun Gap’s May 7 college coaches social. Schell has 36 Division I offers, with LSU most recently offering him a scholarship.

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Rabun Gap’s Schell, Alexander talk recruitment, 4-star rating

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 14, 2026
The majority of the Class of 2026 has signed letters of intent in the college football recruiting world.The Class of 2027 is nearing the summer period where those student-athletes will make decisions on their next chapter.And the 2028 class is heating up.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County Lady Cat players, coaches and campers wrap up day one of Lady Cats basketball camp on May 11 at the Rabun County Recreation Department. Over 100 campers were in attendance during the week.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County Lady Cat players, coaches and campers wrap up day one of Lady Cats basketball camp on May 11 at the Rabun County Recreation Department. Over 100 campers were in attendance during the week.

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Rabun County girls basketball hosts Lady Cats basketball camp

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 14, 2026
The Rabun County girls basketball program hosted its annual Lady Cats basketball camp this week at the Rabun County Recreation Department for girls aged pre-K through seventh grade. Over 100 potential future LadyCats were in attendance during the three-day camp.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Brady Darnell celebrates after a point during he and Landan Bedingfield’s doubles match versus Model on May 8 at Rabun County High School. Darnell and Bedingfield secured the match-clinching point.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Brady Darnell celebrates after a point during he and Landan Bedingfield’s doubles match versus Model on May 8 at Rabun County High School. Darnell and Bedingfield secured the match-clinching point.

RCHS Boys tennis defeats Model to advance to state title match

Wesley Branch
Friday, May 8, 2026
TIGER – The Rabun County boys tennis team is headed to the state championship for the first time in program history, following its 3-1 win over Model on May 8. The No. 6 seeded Wildcats will take on No. 1 seed Brantley County on Wednesday, May 13 at 12:30 p.m., in Rome at the Rome Tennis Center.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County boys tennis team poses for a photo after its 4-0 win over Swainsboro in the Elite Eight at Rabun County High School on May 4. The win for the Wildcats secured their first Final Four appearance in program history for the boys. RCHS will host Model Friday afternoon in the semifinals.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County boys tennis team poses for a photo after its 4-0 win over Swainsboro in the Elite Eight at Rabun County High School on May 4. The win for the Wildcats secured their first Final Four appearance in program history for the boys. RCHS will host Model Friday afternoon in the semifinals.

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Rabun County boys tennis defeats Swainsboro as Wildcats advance to first-ever state semifinal

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 7, 2026
TIGER – The Rabun County High School boys tennis team defeated Swainsboro 4-0 on May 4 in the Elite Eight of the Class A Division I state playoffs. The victory for the Wildcats clinched the first-ever Final Four appearance in program history, where they will take on No.
Photo by Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun senior JP Lopez competes in the discus at the Bo James invitational at Rabun County High School on April 2. Lopez qualified for the state championship meet for the discus and shot put following his performance at the sectional meet at Bremen High School on May 4.

Photo by Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun senior JP Lopez competes in the discus at the Bo James invitational at Rabun County High School on April 2. Lopez qualified for the state championship meet for the discus and shot put following his performance at the sectional meet at Bremen High School on May 4.

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RCHS track qualifies 8 for championship state meet

Wesley Branch
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Eight Rabun County track and field student-athletes have qualified for the GHSA state championship meet following the sectional meet on May 4 at Bremen High School.