Sports

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade rises for a jumper in Rabun Gap’s 61-56 win over Buford on Jan. 30. Lacossade, who earned All-State honors this season, is Rabun Gap’s first All-State selection since Theo Antinori in 2022-23.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade rises for a jumper in Rabun Gap’s 61-56 win over Buford on Jan. 30. Lacossade, who earned All-State honors this season, is Rabun Gap’s first All-State selection since Theo Antinori in 2022-23.

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RGNS basketball earns All-State, All-Conference honors

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Four Rabun Gap basketball players across both the girls and boys basketball teams have earned All-Conference honors, while one was named to the All-State team for the AAAA class of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA).
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore Maci Dixon consoles Rabun County senior Loren Mazarky after the Lady Cats’ 46-44 loss to Thomasville in the Elite Eight on March 3 at Thomasville High School. Mazarky is one of five senior players for the Lady Cats.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore Maci Dixon consoles Rabun County senior Loren Mazarky after the Lady Cats’ 46-44 loss to Thomasville in the Elite Eight on March 3 at Thomasville High School. Mazarky is one of five senior players for the Lady Cats.

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Lady Cats fall in Elite 8 to Thomasville, 46-44

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 5, 2026
THOMASVILLE – The No. 7-seeded Rabun County girls basketball team had its season come to an end on Tuesday night on the road in the Elite Eight at the hands of No. 2 Thomasville, 46-44.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Hayes Free throws down a powerful dunk in the Wildcats’ 84-52 win over Heard County Feb. 28 in the GHSA state playoffs. Free and the Wildcats have set a school season record with 27 wins.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Hayes Free throws down a powerful dunk in the Wildcats’ 84-52 win over Heard County Feb. 28 in the GHSA state playoffs. Free and the Wildcats have set a school season record with 27 wins.

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Wildcat basketball dominates Heard

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 5, 2026
TIGER – The Rabun County boys basketball team secured its first-ever Sweet 16 home victory on Feb. 28, convincingly defeating Heard County 84-52 to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since the 2020-21 season. The No.
Tribune staff photo. Michael Davis reacts to a play on the field during Rabun County’s 2024 football season when Davis was the head coach. Davis has been hired at region rival Commerce as offensive coordinator.

Tribune staff photo. Michael Davis reacts to a play on the field during Rabun County’s 2024 football season when Davis was the head coach. Davis has been hired at region rival Commerce as offensive coordinator.

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Former RCHS Coach Davis hired as Commerce offensive coordinator

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Former Rabun County head football coach and Hebron Christian offensive coordinator Michael Davis has been hired by Commerce to be the football program’s next offensive coordinator, the team announced on its recruiting account on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday.
Submitted. Luke Coleman, pictured here, has been hired as Rabun County’s new defensive coordinator after Bill Stewart accepted the head coaching job at Rome High School in January.

Submitted. Luke Coleman, pictured here, has been hired as Rabun County’s new defensive coordinator after Bill Stewart accepted the head coaching job at Rome High School in January.

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Rabun football hires Coleman as new defensive coordinator

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Rabun County’s football program has hired Luke Coleman to be its next defensive coordinator and head strength & conditioning coach, Rabun County head football coach Rance Gillespie confirmed to The Clayton Tribune Monday.
Submitted Photo. Jake Boldin stands with his wife Abby. Boldin has been hired as Rabun County’s new tight ends coach, special teams coordinator and director of football operations for the 2026-2027 school year.

Submitted Photo. Jake Boldin stands with his wife Abby. Boldin has been hired as Rabun County’s new tight ends coach, special teams coordinator and director of football operations for the 2026-2027 school year.

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Rabun hires Boldin to lead special teams, tight ends and Wildcat football operations

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Rabun County football has hired Jake Boldin to be the program’s next special teams coordinator, tight ends coach and director of football operations, Rabun County head football coach Rance Gillespie confirmed to The Clayton Tribune on Monday.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County girls basketball team chases after head coach DeeDee Dillard with water bottles after Dillard sprinted out of the locker room back onto the court, following Rabun County’s 56-43 win over Model at home in the Sweet 16 on Feb. 27 to advance to the Elite Eight against Thomasville.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County girls basketball team chases after head coach DeeDee Dillard with water bottles after Dillard sprinted out of the locker room back onto the court, following Rabun County’s 56-43 win over Model at home in the Sweet 16 on Feb. 27 to advance to the Elite Eight against Thomasville.

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Rabun girls hoops defeats Model to advance to Elite Eight

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 5, 2026
TIGER – The Rabun County girls basketball team kept its postseason run alive last Friday, Feb. 27, with a 56-43 win over visiting Model, advancing the Lady Cats to the Elite Eight for the second straight year.

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Former RGNS’ Klein takes stage at NFL Combine

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 5, 2026
As the NFL Draft continues to creep closer, the next step of the pre-draft process began last week in Indianapolis when draft prospects – including one with local ties – and teams gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium for the annual NFL Scouting Combine.
Video image/Fox5 Atlanta. Rabun County standout and current Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is greeted at the podium in Rome, Ga., on Feb. 19 by President Donald Trump. Standing with Stockton and Trump is Herschel Walker, Bulldog great and current ambassador to The Bahamas.

Video image/Fox5 Atlanta. Rabun County standout and current Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is greeted at the podium in Rome, Ga., on Feb. 19 by President Donald Trump. Standing with Stockton and Trump is Herschel Walker, Bulldog great and current ambassador to The Bahamas.

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Stockton takes stage with President Trump at Rome rally

Wesley Branch
Thursday, February 26, 2026
President Donald Trump made a trip to Rome, Ga., on Feb. 19 for an event on the state of the economy, where he was joined by Romans and several notable figures in politics and sports including those from Rabun County.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County freshman Cord Burrell sets up senior Hayes Free with a backdoor pass in Rabun County’s 80-47 first round playoff win over Chattooga on Feb. 24.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County freshman Cord Burrell sets up senior Hayes Free with a backdoor pass in Rabun County’s 80-47 first round playoff win over Chattooga on Feb. 24.

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Wildcat basketball advances to Sweet 16

Wesley Branch
Thursday, February 26, 2026
TIGER – The No. 2-seeded Rabun County’s boys basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive year in a row with its 80-47 first-round home win over No. 31 Chattooga on Tuesday night.