Sports

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.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Madison Houck drives to the basket in Rabun County’s 63-42 first round playoff win over Armuchee on Feb. 24. Houck finished the win with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Lady Cats ‘Sweet’ roll past Armuchee

Wesley Branch

Thursday, February 26, 2026

TIGER – The No. 7-seeded Rabun County girls basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 on Tuesday night in dominant fashion, defeating visiting No. 26 Armuchee, 63-42. In the Feb. 24 victory, the Lady Cats got off to a fast start, overwhelming the Indians on both ends of the floor and on the glass.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County Wildcat head coach David Adcock yells in celebration as the buzzer sounds in Rabun County's 58-53 overtime win over Commerce on Feb. 20 at Piedmont University to claim the region tournament championship. The win gave Rabun County back-to-back region titles for the first time in program history. RCHS also defeated Chattooga in the first round of the state tourney on Tuesday.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

RCHS boys repeat as region champions

Wesley Branch

Thursday, February 26, 2026

DEMOREST – For the first time in school history, the Rabun County boys basketball team has won consecutive region championships, following its wild 58-53 overtime victory over Commerce on Feb. 20 at Piedmont University.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County freshman Millie Southards surveys the court in Rabun County’s 50-38 loss to Athens Academy in the region title game on Feb. 20 at Piedmont University. Southards and the Lady Cats are the No. 7 seed in the state playoffs, which started on Tuesday. RCHS would defeat Armuchee 63-42 in the playoffs opening round.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Lady Cats fall in region title game

Wesley Branch

Thursday, February 26, 2026

DEMOREST – The Rabun County girls basketball team fell in the region championship game to No. 2 seed Athens Academy, 50-38 on Feb. 20 at Piedmont University. The loss dropped the Lady Cats to 22-5 on the season and was their first loss to the Spartans after sweeping the regular season series.

Submitted. Tallulah Falls’ Waldon McIntosh readies for his race.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Young swimmers progressed, veteran leaders made sure there was no drop-off

Thursday, February 26, 2026

The old adage ‘it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish’ is only partially true. For Tallulah Falls, the swim teams literally opened and closed the GIAA state championship meet with first-place finishes in relay races.