Sports

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore running back Reid Giles sprints to the end zone in last Friday’s region loss to Commerce. Should the Wildcats had won, they would have won their 10th-straight region championship.

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore running back Reid Giles sprints to the end zone in last Friday’s region loss to Commerce. Should the Wildcats had won, they would have won their 10th-straight region championship.

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Wildcats fall in overtime to Commerce in ‘battle of Cats’

Wade Cheek
Thursday, November 2, 2023
The Rabun County High School football team lost its final regular season game against rival foe Commerce last Friday, Oct. 27, and now prepare for the Class A Division I state playoffs as a road team in the first round.
Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. For the first time in the program's history, the RGNS football team finished 11-0 in the 2023 regular season.

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. For the first time in the program's history, the RGNS football team finished 11-0 in the 2023 regular season.

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RGNS makes school history with first-ever undefeated regular season

Wade Cheek
Thursday, November 2, 2023
The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School football team made history last Friday night after defeating Cannon School 55-17 as the Eagles went 11-0 to end their regular season undefeated for the first time in the program’s history.  With the victory, RGNS continued its run as the No.
Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. THRICE IS SO NICE: Rabun Gap players and coaches hold up three fingers and the state soccer title trophy after winning the championship again.

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. THRICE IS SO NICE: Rabun Gap players and coaches hold up three fingers and the state soccer title trophy after winning the championship again.

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Nothing as sweet as a 3-peat

Wade Cheek
Thursday, November 2, 2023
The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School boys soccer team brought home their third-straight NCISAA state title after defeating No. 1 Wesleyan Christian Academy in last Saturday’s state championship game.
Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. Eagle senior Winfred Sarpong and his RGNS soccer teammates are set to defend their title on Saturday against the No. 1 team in the NCISAA, Wesleyan Christian Academy.

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. Eagle senior Winfred Sarpong and his RGNS soccer teammates are set to defend their title on Saturday against the No. 1 team in the NCISAA, Wesleyan Christian Academy.

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RGNS soccer seeks 3-peat

Wade Cheek
Thursday, October 26, 2023
The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School soccer team is, once again, returning to the NCISAA state championship game. This is the Eagles third-straight title appearance in three years and their chance to win a third in as many years. On Tuesday, Oct.24, RGNS defeated Durham Academy, the No.
Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. Athens Christian QB Matt Wiggins tries to avoid the Wildcats’ rush on Oct. 20 in a region contest won by RCHS 38-0. The Wildcats, who play Commerce this week, held the Eagles to negative 7 yards total offense.

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. Athens Christian QB Matt Wiggins tries to avoid the Wildcats’ rush on Oct. 20 in a region contest won by RCHS 38-0. The Wildcats, who play Commerce this week, held the Eagles to negative 7 yards total offense.

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Clash of Cats Friday as RCHS, Commerce tangle

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, October 26, 2023
An overmatched Athens Christian Eagles team did not pose much of an obstacle for visiting Rabun County on Oct. 20, but this Friday’s region foe Commerce certainly presents a stiffer challenge with region title implications at stake. Athens Christian’s season has been a struggle for the Eagles.
Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. Eagle volleyball senior Sophia McNabb serves to Charlotte Latin School last Thursday in the second round of the NCISAA state playoffs. McNabb was named to this year’s CAA All-Conference list.

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. Eagle volleyball senior Sophia McNabb serves to Charlotte Latin School last Thursday in the second round of the NCISAA state playoffs. McNabb was named to this year’s CAA All-Conference list.

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Eagles fall short in NCISAA playoffs; three returning players earn All-Conference honors

Wade Cheek
Thursday, October 26, 2023
The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School volleyball team took a hard loss in the second round of the NCISAA tournament last Thursday against Charlotte Latin as the Eagles’ season ended. Unfortunately, the No.
Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. After defeating Providence Day on Oct. 20, the Eagles are now the unanimous No. 1 team in North Carolina and No. 45 in the country.

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. After defeating Providence Day on Oct. 20, the Eagles are now the unanimous No. 1 team in North Carolina and No. 45 in the country.

Eagles crowned in Queen City

Wade Cheek
Thursday, October 26, 2023
The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School football team made its case for being one of the top programs in the nation in Charlotte on Oct. 20 as the Eagles pulled the plug on the Chargers of Providence Day 42-27 in a matchup on a national stage. With the No. 1-ranked Eagles’ defeat of No.
RGNS Athletics. After earning a guaranteed spot in the quarter-finals of the NCISAA state playoffs, RGNS soccer is set to play this Saturday. The Eagles still await word of who they will play.

RGNS Athletics. After earning a guaranteed spot in the quarter-finals of the NCISAA state playoffs, RGNS soccer is set to play this Saturday. The Eagles still await word of who they will play.

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RGNS soccer heads into playoffs as 3-seed; hold 15-game win streak

Wade Cheek
Thursday, October 19, 2023
The two-time reigning state champion Eagle soccer team finished its 2023 regular season with a victory over non-region opponent Carmel Christian and capped off a 15-game winning streak that started back on Aug. 24.  With the win and their 16-1-1 record, the Eagles earned the No.
Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. RGNS’s Ezra Burress (10) celebrates one of the team’s total 11 sacks of Greenville Christian’s QB Jaylen Bester with teammates Terry Nwabuisi-ezeala, Tank Carrington and Hector Gonzaleza.

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. RGNS’s Ezra Burress (10) celebrates one of the team’s total 11 sacks of Greenville Christian’s QB Jaylen Bester with teammates Terry Nwabuisi-ezeala, Tank Carrington and Hector Gonzaleza.

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Eagles’ Homecoming win sets up mega Providence Day battle

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Rabun Gap head football coach Derek White – despite the efforts of other media outlets – would not discuss the mega-showdown earlier in the season between his dominate undefeated Eagles and the powerful Providence Day Chargers.