Sports

Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. With a jubilant Oglethorpe crowd behind them, Rabun County head coach DeeDee Dillard and the Lady Cat bench react to a last second travel call on Friday, Feb. 24. The Lady Cats lost to Oglethorpe County 51-50, ending their season in the Sweet Sixteen.

Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. With a jubilant Oglethorpe crowd behind them, Rabun County head coach DeeDee Dillard and the Lady Cat bench react to a last second travel call on Friday, Feb. 24. The Lady Cats lost to Oglethorpe County 51-50, ending their season in the Sweet Sixteen.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Lady Cats fall in heartbreaker

Luke Morey
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
The Rabun County High School girls basketball team’s season came to a heartbreaking end in the Sweet Sixteen of the GHSA state playoffs with a 51-50 loss to host Oglethorpe County.
Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. Junior Cooper Welch goes up for a shot early in the third quarter against King’s Ridge. Welch was the sole returning starter from last year’s team that also made it to the Sweet Sixteen. Welch led the team in scoring this year, but rolled his ankle in the middle of the third quarter against King’s Ridge, finishing with six points in the final game of his junior season.

Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. Junior Cooper Welch goes up for a shot early in the third quarter against King’s Ridge. Welch was the sole returning starter from last year’s team that also made it to the Sweet Sixteen. Welch led the team in scoring this year, but rolled his ankle in the middle of the third quarter against King’s Ridge, finishing with six points in the final game of his junior season.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Wildcat hoops season ends in Sweet Sixteen

Luke Morey
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
The Rabun County boys basketball team saw their season come to a close with a 65-30 loss to King’s Ridge Christian on Saturday, Feb. 25. The state Sweet Sixteen game was out of reach at halftime, with King’s Ridge up 36-13 seeming to hit every shot they took.
Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. TFS senior Anfernee Hanna finished off his TFS career third in school history in points with 1,204.

Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. TFS senior Anfernee Hanna finished off his TFS career third in school history in points with 1,204.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

TFS Indians’ basketball season ends in first round

News Staff
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
The Indians held a slim lead at times at Chattooga on Feb. 22’s GHSA state tournament opening round game, but ultimately came up just short in a 60-57 final. TFS was up 38-37 in the third with about two minutes to go, and continued to hang in there.
Kerry Gordon/Rome News-Tribune. Darlington's Jy Johnson attacks the paint against Tallulah Falls School defenders Breelyn Wood (2) and Tanisha Seymour in the first round of the GHSA state playoffs in Rome on Feb. 22. Darlington won 57-36 as the visiting Lady Indians saw their season come to a close, finishing with a 7-17 record, led by Region Player of the Year Denika Lightbourne.

Kerry Gordon/Rome News-Tribune. Darlington's Jy Johnson attacks the paint against Tallulah Falls School defenders Breelyn Wood (2) and Tanisha Seymour in the first round of the GHSA state playoffs in Rome on Feb. 22. Darlington won 57-36 as the visiting Lady Indians saw their season come to a close, finishing with a 7-17 record, led by Region Player of the Year Denika Lightbourne.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Darlington Lady Tigers trample Tallulah Falls in GHSA state opener

News Staff
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
ROME — The Tallulah Falls Lady Indians were prepared for Darlington’s potent inside tandem of Jy Johnson and Georgeanna Dempsey. However, the Lady Indians were not prepared for sophomore guard Emma Hunt to light up Van Es Arena like it was the Fourth of July.
Submitted photo. The 14u team for RIPS Volleyball Club, a new volleyball club in Clayton, took first place in the gold division at the Peachstate Tour Stop.

Submitted photo. The 14u team for RIPS Volleyball Club, a new volleyball club in Clayton, took first place in the gold division at the Peachstate Tour Stop.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Clayton welcomes new youth volleyball club

News Staff
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
RIPS Volleyball Club, a new youth volleyball program in Clayton, has announced its highly successful inaugural season. The program, which launched in September, has insofar exceeded all expectations in terms of both participation and performance.
Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun Pickleball Club will host four pickleball professionals on Sunday, March 5, for the first exhibition ever in North Georgia. Professionals attending the event include Mark Price, David Spearman, Shea Underwood and Drew Hebert. After the exhibition, Price will host a three-day pickleball camp held at Rabun County Recreation Department in Tiger.

Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun Pickleball Club will host four pickleball professionals on Sunday, March 5, for the first exhibition ever in North Georgia. Professionals attending the event include Mark Price, David Spearman, Shea Underwood and Drew Hebert. After the exhibition, Price will host a three-day pickleball camp held at Rabun County Recreation Department in Tiger.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Rabun Pickleball Club hosts the first pickleball exhibition in North Georgia

Luke Morey
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
The Rabun County Recreation Center will host the first professional pickleball exhibition in North Georgia on Sunday, March 5. The exhibition matches will include professionals Mark Price, David Spearman, Shea Underwood and Drew Hebert.
Courtesy of Austin Poffenberger. Frankie Moree has led Tallulah Falls School to a 3-2 record with a .455 batting average, including four hits and a home run on Wednesday, Feb. 22, against East Jackson.

Courtesy of Austin Poffenberger. Frankie Moree has led Tallulah Falls School to a 3-2 record with a .455 batting average, including four hits and a home run on Wednesday, Feb. 22, against East Jackson.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

TFS baseball off to 3-2 start

News Staff
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
The Indians lost 9-3 on Feb. 21 at home against Lumpkin County, as the visitors used a four-run fifth frame to put the game out of reach. TFS committed a season-high eight errors in the loss.
Courtesy of Austin Poffenberger. Tallulah Falls School captain Austin Ball has tied the school record for most goals scored in a career with 33, including 20 in this short season. Ball has helped lead the Indians to a 7-0 record.

Courtesy of Austin Poffenberger. Tallulah Falls School captain Austin Ball has tied the school record for most goals scored in a career with 33, including 20 in this short season. Ball has helped lead the Indians to a 7-0 record.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Tallulah Falls boys soccer sets records with 7-0 start

News Staff
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
The Tallulah Falls boys soccer team has gotten off to a scorching start to the season with a 7-0 record. The defense has stifled all their opponents, still not having given up a goal.
Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. RCHS junior Willie Goodwyn collects a rebound and puts the shot back in on Tuesday, Feb. 21 against Trion in the first round of the GHSA State Playoffs. Goodwyn helped stave off a late comeback, with 25 points to propel the Wildcats into the Sweet Sixteen.

Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. RCHS junior Willie Goodwyn collects a rebound and puts the shot back in on Tuesday, Feb. 21 against Trion in the first round of the GHSA State Playoffs. Goodwyn helped stave off a late comeback, with 25 points to propel the Wildcats into the Sweet Sixteen.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Rabun County boys hoops earn victory over Trion

Luke Morey
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
The Rabun County Wildcat basketball team escaped with a 54-42 victory over Trion at home in the first round of the GHSA state playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. RCHS junior Luc y Hood gets surrounded by her teammates after hitting two free throws to reach 1,000 career points. Hood ended with 25 points and was awarded a game ball for her 1,000 points.

Luke Morey/The Clayton Tribune. RCHS junior Luc y Hood gets surrounded by her teammates after hitting two free throws to reach 1,000 career points. Hood ended with 25 points and was awarded a game ball for her 1,000 points.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Lady Cats extinguish Pepperell Dragons

Luke Morey
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
The Rabun County Lady Cats won the first round of the GHSA state playoffs at home on Tuesday, Feb. 21, with a 74-37 victory over Pepperell. On top of the victory, the Lady Cats were able to celebrate junior Lucy Hood as she hit 1,000 career points on two free throws in the fourth quarter.