Sports

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. With Wildcat Yiar Avila catching a football in front of them, Rabun County head coach Rance Gillespie (left) talks with former RCHS head coach and current Metter head coach Lee Shaw prior to the Aug. 28 matchup between the two teams in Tiger. RCHS won the back-and-forth contest 27-23 to begin 1-0.

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. With Wildcat Yiar Avila catching a football in front of them, Rabun County head coach Rance Gillespie (left) talks with former RCHS head coach and current Metter head coach Lee Shaw prior to the Aug. 28 matchup between the two teams in Tiger. RCHS won the back-and-forth contest 27-23 to begin 1-0.

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In battle of former teammates, RCHS edges Metter

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, September 3, 2026
A bookend kind of night had Rabun County starting off its football season with a hard-earned 27-23 win against a Metter team coached by a former Wildcat head coach.At the beginning of the evening, the RCHS boys basketball team received its championship rings and the athletic programs’ spiritual...
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap quarterback Grayson Clary looks for tight end Cash Washburn on a 2-point conversion during Rabun Gap’s 31-15 loss to Brownsburg on Aug. 28. Clary completed 18-of-29 passes for 206 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss. RGNS will be at home on Friday, Sept. 4, against Baylor.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap quarterback Grayson Clary looks for tight end Cash Washburn on a 2-point conversion during Rabun Gap’s 31-15 loss to Brownsburg on Aug. 28. Clary completed 18-of-29 passes for 206 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss. RGNS will be at home on Friday, Sept. 4, against Baylor.

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Rabun Gap falls to No. 17 Brownsburg on Indiana road trip

Wesley Branch
Thursday, September 3, 2026
BROWNSBURG, Ind. – No. 97 nationally ranked Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s football team was soundly defeated on the road 31-15 by No. 17 Brownsburg High School in Brownsburg, Ind., on Aug. 28. The Eagles now sit at 0-2, dropping their first two games for the second consecutive season.
Photo courtesy Christian Stahl. Tallulah Falls’ Maddie Phillips had an RBI and a run scored against Gainesville on Aug. 31.

Photo courtesy Christian Stahl. Tallulah Falls’ Maddie Phillips had an RBI and a run scored against Gainesville on Aug. 31.

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6-run third inning propels Lady Indians to victory

News Staff
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Tallulah Falls used a six-run third frame to pull ahead of Gainesville for good in a 12-5 final at home Monday, Aug. 31.After a scoreless first couple of innings, the Lady Indians gave up one in the top of the third before rebounding with half a dozen in the home half.Gainesville would respond with...
Photo via Christian Proscia, NewEraPrep. Current North Carolina and former Rabun Gap defensive back Coleman Bryson (No. 16, center) makes a tackle on TCU wide receiver Jacobe Hayes during the Tar Heels’ 15-10 win over TCU on Aug. 29 in Ireland. Bryson finished the win with two tackles and a pass breakup.

Photo via Christian Proscia, NewEraPrep. Current North Carolina and former Rabun Gap defensive back Coleman Bryson (No. 16, center) makes a tackle on TCU wide receiver Jacobe Hayes during the Tar Heels’ 15-10 win over TCU on Aug. 29 in Ireland. Bryson finished the win with two tackles and a pass breakup.

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How local alumni fared this week in College Football

Wesley Branch
Thursday, September 3, 2026
As college football kicked off last weekend with “Week Zero,” only a handful of teams – and players from local prep schools – began their new seasons.

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Eight is great: TFS takes two matches to keep win streak alive

News Staff
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Make it eight straight victories for No. 5-ranked Tallulah Falls. The Lady Indians swept both sides of their Tuesday tri-match with straight-set wins over Lumpkin County and Stephens County.Against No. 9-ranked Lumpkin, TFS won 25-17, 25-16. In the first set, Tallulah took an early 5-0 lead.

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Henderson crosses line first as TFS wins Short Course Challenge

Thursday, August 27, 2026
Tallulah Falls dominated the varsity girls race on Aug. 20 as the school hosted the Short Course Challenge which was an early in the season 3K instead of the traditional 5K.Six of the top seven runners were Lady Indians, led by senior Olivia Henderson’s win in 11:38 in the 3,000-meter run.Ida...
Submitted photo. Beatriz Araujo of Tallulah Falls prepares to strike the volleyball.

Submitted photo. Beatriz Araujo of Tallulah Falls prepares to strike the volleyball.

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TFS sweeps past Lakeview, Clarke Central

Thursday, August 27, 2026
Despite a key player going down to injury, Tallulah Falls dominated in a tri-match at Lakeview on Tuesday, Aug. 25, winning both matches to stretch the current win streak to five.The Lady Indians (9-8) beat Lakeview for a key region win, 25-13, 25-16.

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One More: Eagles now head to Indiana to face No. 17 Brownsburg

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Last Friday, Rabun Gap fell to No. 77 nationally ranked Venice on the final play of the game, a failed 2-point conversion that would have sent the contest into a second overtime. The Eagles, who had been on campus 18 total days as of their opening game, came up one play short.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap linebacker Praise Chane (center) celebrates after making a tackle for a loss on third down during Rabun Gap’s 42-40 overtime loss on Aug. 21. Chane, a senior, is committed to the Naval Academy.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap linebacker Praise Chane (center) celebrates after making a tackle for a loss on third down during Rabun Gap’s 42-40 overtime loss on Aug. 21. Chane, a senior, is committed to the Naval Academy.

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RGNS falls in OT to Venice in season lidlifter

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 27, 2026
RABUN GAP – In a battle of two nationally ranked football teams, No. 77 Venice (Fla.) defeated No. 115 Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, 42-40 in overtime on the final play of the game.