Sports

Photo courtesy Rabun County High School. The Wildcat tennis team has kept its winning ways in 2026. Back Row: Head Coach Bryan Getty, Noel Vasquez, Braylon Kelly, Assistant Coach Jenn Ramey and Assistant Coach Lara Quinn. Middle Row: Lleyton Phillips, Ashden Denning, Jack Getty, Travis Keener, Brady Darnell and Andrew Conner. Front Row: Rhett Walker, Gunner McCracken, Walker Dixon, Maxwel Cox and Kobe Smith.

Photo courtesy Rabun County High School. The Wildcat tennis team has kept its winning ways in 2026. Back Row: Head Coach Bryan Getty, Noel Vasquez, Braylon Kelly, Assistant Coach Jenn Ramey and Assistant Coach Lara Quinn. Middle Row: Lleyton Phillips, Ashden Denning, Jack Getty, Travis Keener, Brady Darnell and Andrew Conner. Front Row: Rhett Walker, Gunner McCracken, Walker Dixon, Maxwel Cox and Kobe Smith.

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Wildcat tennis teams off to hot start in new season

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Wildcat tennis teams off to hot start in new season The Rabun County boys and girls tennis teams are off to a firing start in the 2026 campaign, following an Elite Eight appearance a season ago for both squads. That Elite Eight run for the Wildcat boys was its first in program history.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head coach David Adcock implores his team from the sideline in the Wildcats’ 70-59 win over Fitzgerald in the Final Four March 7. The Wildcats now face Southwest March 13 for the state title.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head coach David Adcock implores his team from the sideline in the Wildcats’ 70-59 win over Fitzgerald in the Final Four March 7. The Wildcats now face Southwest March 13 for the state title.

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RCHS boys hoops set for state title clash

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 12, 2026
History awaits the Rabun County boys basketball team at the Macon Coliseum on March 13.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County crowd celebrates after a made 3-pointer by Wildcat freshman Trace Adcock late in the fourth quarter of their 70-59 win over Fitzgerald in the Final Four on March 7 at Fort Valley State University. Adcock ranks No. 21 in the country in made 3-pointers this season according to MaxPreps.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County crowd celebrates after a made 3-pointer by Wildcat freshman Trace Adcock late in the fourth quarter of their 70-59 win over Fitzgerald in the Final Four on March 7 at Fort Valley State University. Adcock ranks No. 21 in the country in made 3-pointers this season according to MaxPreps.

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Cats overcome Purple Hurricane

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 12, 2026
FORT VALLEY – The Rabun County boys basketball team has advanced to the state championship game for the first time in program history as a result of its 70-59 win over Fitzgerald on March 7 at Fort Valley State University.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head coach David Adcock celebrates as the clock winds down in Rabun County’s 70-59 Final Four victory over Fitzgerald at Fort Valley State University on March 7. The Wildcats are headed to the state championship for the first time in program history.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head coach David Adcock celebrates as the clock winds down in Rabun County’s 70-59 Final Four victory over Fitzgerald at Fort Valley State University on March 7. The Wildcats are headed to the state championship for the first time in program history.

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Team, coaches represent community ‘with class throughout entire season’

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, March 12, 2026
The support for the Rabun County boys basketball program is evident throughout the community and within the school system as the RCHS Wildcats tangle with the Patriots of Southwest-Macon for the Class A Division I state title on Friday in the Macon Coliseum.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head boys soccer coach Cameron Heyen watches his team from the sideline in its 7-3 March 6 win at home over Elbert County. The victory marked Heyen’s first win as the boys head coach.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head boys soccer coach Cameron Heyen watches his team from the sideline in its 7-3 March 6 win at home over Elbert County. The victory marked Heyen’s first win as the boys head coach.

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Heyen, Wildcats capture 7-3 triumph vs. Elbert County

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 12, 2026
TIGER – Rabun County first-year boys soccer head coach Cameron Heyen picked up his first win as the head coach of the Wildcats with a 7-3 victory over Elbert County at home on March 6. Heyen joined the RCHS soccer programs a season ago after eight years at Tucker High School in Tucker, Ga.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County freshman Millie Southards fights off Elbert County defenders in Rabun County’s 9-1 win over Elbert County on March 6 at home. Southards scored three goals in the win.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County freshman Millie Southards fights off Elbert County defenders in Rabun County’s 9-1 win over Elbert County on March 6 at home. Southards scored three goals in the win.

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Lady Cats claim 9-1 victory over Lady Blue Devils

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 12, 2026
TIGER – The Rabun County girls soccer team picked up its first win of the season on Friday, March 6, in a 9-1 thumping of region foe Elbert County. The win for the Lady Cats also marks their first win in region-play.
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.
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.