Sports

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County Wildcats run out onto the field to begin their 2026 campaign. RCHS would defeat visiting Metter 27-23 as former coach Lee Shaw brought his Tigers to Tiger.

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun County Wildcats run out onto the field to begin their 2026 campaign. RCHS would defeat visiting Metter 27-23 as former coach Lee Shaw brought his Tigers to Tiger.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Wildcats head on road for Game Two to take on team of a second Shaw

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Coming off of its season-opening win versus Metter, the Rabun County High School football team will be on the road on Friday, Sept. 4, versus Dawson County High School.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap linebacker Jay Schell brings down Brownsburg’s Brady Lewis during Rabun Gap’s 31-15 loss versus Brownsburg on Aug. 28. The Eagles will host No. 6 Baylor this Friday, Sept. 4.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap linebacker Jay Schell brings down Brownsburg’s Brady Lewis during Rabun Gap’s 31-15 loss versus Brownsburg on Aug. 28. The Eagles will host No. 6 Baylor this Friday, Sept. 4.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Rabun Gap looking to ‘get out of the valley’ versus No. 6 Baylor

Wesley Branch
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Sitting with an 0-2 start to begin the season for the second consecutive year, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s football team is far from where it wants to be. The Eagles currently sit in the valley, with work to be done to climb to the mountaintop.
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.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

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.
Photo courtesy Von Watts. From left, Braxton Hicks, Hoff Windham, Gunner Stockton and Mason Sprinkle pose for a photo during an episode of the “Fifth Quarter Show” at Mama G’s Italian Restaurant. The show was first held at Mama G’s before being moved to Wildcat Grill years later.

Photo courtesy Von Watts. From left, Braxton Hicks, Hoff Windham, Gunner Stockton and Mason Sprinkle pose for a photo during an episode of the “Fifth Quarter Show” at Mama G’s Italian Restaurant. The show was first held at Mama G’s before being moved to Wildcat Grill years later.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

‘Fifth Quarter Show’ unites Wildcat Nation

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 20, 2026
During his 20-plus years as a high school head football coach, Rabun County head coach Rance Gillespie had learned a lot in the coaching business. Potentially the most significant learned aspect though, is that a football program has to be important to its community, and be supported.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap head football coach Derek White directs his team on the sideline during Rabun Gap’s Aug. 14 scrimmage versus Westside (S.C.). RGNS will face Venice (Fla.) on Aug. 21 at home to open the season.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap head football coach Derek White directs his team on the sideline during Rabun Gap’s Aug. 14 scrimmage versus Westside (S.C.). RGNS will face Venice (Fla.) on Aug. 21 at home to open the season.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

Rabun Gap football taking ‘belief’ into opening game versus Venice

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Ahead of Rabun Gap-Nachoochee School’s opening home football game on Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. versus No. 77 nationally ranked Venice (Fla.), the No. 115 nationally ranked Eagles are leaning into what they believe.But the Eagles do not “believe” they can win, they know they can.
Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore running back Amir Thompson goes up the middle in the second half of the scrimmage against Franklin for a touchdown. The score was set up by multiple runs by senior running back JK Fruster. The Wildcats open their regular season on Aug. 28 at home against Metter.

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore running back Amir Thompson goes up the middle in the second half of the scrimmage against Franklin for a touchdown. The score was set up by multiple runs by senior running back JK Fruster. The Wildcats open their regular season on Aug. 28 at home against Metter.

 Exclusive Subscriber Content

‘We will be a better team the next time we play’

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Scrimmage football is intended to give players an in-game opportunity to line up against opposing teams to play offense, defense and special teams to get ready for what real regular-season contests would be like.While teams do not open up the playbook in scrimmages, coaches, fans and the players...