Rabun County football

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.

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‘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.
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.

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‘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.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County’s JK Fruster (left) and Mack Williams celebrate after a sack by Fruster during the Wildcats’ second-round home playoff win over Berrien on Nov. 21, 2025. Fruster and Williams will headline the Wildcat defense this season. RCHS’s season opener is Aug. 28 at home.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County’s JK Fruster (left) and Mack Williams celebrate after a sack by Fruster during the Wildcats’ second-round home playoff win over Berrien on Nov. 21, 2025. Fruster and Williams will headline the Wildcat defense this season. RCHS’s season opener is Aug. 28 at home.

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Rabun football ‘doubling down’

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 13, 2026
According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, the phrase “double down” has two meanings. The first is to double the original bid in blackjack in exchange for only one more card.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore quarterback Cooper Kowalsky looks downfield for an open receiver in the Wildcats’ spring game versus White County on May 15. Kowalsky will be Rabun County’s starting quarterback this season.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore quarterback Cooper Kowalsky looks downfield for an open receiver in the Wildcats’ spring game versus White County on May 15. Kowalsky will be Rabun County’s starting quarterback this season.

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‘Bear’ of a schedule: Tough opponents, plus three former coaches on this season’s football slate for Rabun County

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Residing in the Northeast Georgia mountains, it might seem fitting the Rabun County head football coach would refer to the Wildcats’ 2026 schedule as a woodland creature prevelant to region of the Peach State -- a bear.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County’s Cooper Kowalsky looks downfield for an open receiver during the Wildcats’ spring game versus White County on May 15. Kowalsky is entering his first season as RCHS’s starting QB.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County’s Cooper Kowalsky looks downfield for an open receiver during the Wildcats’ spring game versus White County on May 15. Kowalsky is entering his first season as RCHS’s starting QB.

New era of quarterback play on horizon in Rabun County

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 13, 2026
The quarterback position is often regarded as the most important and most difficult position in all of sports. On the field, quarterbacks touch the football every play, having to make decisions in split seconds and perform at their best physically and mentally under intense pressure.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County High School’s football team runs onto the field before its second-round playoff game versus Berrien last season. The Wildcats enter 2026 following a 10-3 record and run to the state quarterfinals a season ago.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County High School’s football team runs onto the field before its second-round playoff game versus Berrien last season. The Wildcats enter 2026 following a 10-3 record and run to the state quarterfinals a season ago.

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RCHS, RGNS schedule football scrimmages

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Both Rabun County High School and Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s football teams will compete in preseason scrimmages on Friday, Aug. 14, as the new season nears. The Wildcats and Eagles will both be on the road on Friday in the mentioned scrimmages.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head football coach Rance Gillespie celebrates with his team after the Wildcats’ 35-0 second-round playoff win over Berrien on Nov. 21, 2025. Gillespie and the Wildcats have celebrated each win at home with the song “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” since former head coach Lee Shaw started the tradition in 2013. Standing in the background are Manager Josh Justus, Pastor Lance Courtney and current Rabun County Athletics Booster Club President Joey Haban.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head football coach Rance Gillespie celebrates with his team after the Wildcats’ 35-0 second-round playoff win over Berrien on Nov. 21, 2025. Gillespie and the Wildcats have celebrated each win at home with the song “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” since former head coach Lee Shaw started the tradition in 2013. Standing in the background are Manager Josh Justus, Pastor Lance Courtney and current Rabun County Athletics Booster Club President Joey Haban.

It’s a Great Day to Be a Wildcat

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 6, 2026
As Rabun County High School’s football team put the finishing touches and the final seconds waned in its 56-21 November 2025 first-round playoff win at home versus Dodge County, Rabun County head coach Rance Gillespie had one final question for his coaching staff.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head football coach Rance Gillespie (left) hugs his mother Glenda Rogers after Rabun County’s “Midnight Madness” practice. Gillespie is heading into his second year as Rabun County’s head football coach.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head football coach Rance Gillespie (left) hugs his mother Glenda Rogers after Rabun County’s “Midnight Madness” practice. Gillespie is heading into his second year as Rabun County’s head football coach.

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Rabun County football hosts annual ‘Midnight Madness’

Wesley Branch
Thursday, July 30, 2026
TIGER – The Rabun County football team hosted its annual tradition “Midnight Madness” in the early morning hours of July 27 at Frank Snyder Memorial Stadium, beginning its first fully padded practice as the 2026 season nears.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Former Rabun County and current UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton celebrates with teammate Nate Frazier after scoring a rushing touchdown during Georgia’s 43-35 win over Ole Miss at Sanford Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025. Stockton said at SEC Media Days on July 21 that his goal for his final season of college football is to “make memories.” Stockton and the Bulldogs will open the new season on Sept. 5 at home versus Tennessee State.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Former Rabun County and current UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton celebrates with teammate Nate Frazier after scoring a rushing touchdown during Georgia’s 43-35 win over Ole Miss at Sanford Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025. Stockton said at SEC Media Days on July 21 that his goal for his final season of college football is to “make memories.” Stockton and the Bulldogs will open the new season on Sept. 5 at home versus Tennessee State.

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Gunner seeks to ‘make memories’ in final season as UGA quarterback

Wesley Branch
Thursday, July 23, 2026
The Georgia football team has several goals for itself as the 2026 season nears, although the Bulldogs will claim the “one day at a time” mentality.
Wesley Branch/ The Clayton Tribune. Current UGA and former Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton evades defenders during Georgia’s 35-3 win over Charlotte on Nov. 22, 2025. Stockton is entering year two as Georgia’s starting quarterback.

Wesley Branch/ The Clayton Tribune. Current UGA and former Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton evades defenders during Georgia’s 35-3 win over Charlotte on Nov. 22, 2025. Stockton is entering year two as Georgia’s starting quarterback.

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Smart: Stockton ‘embodies everything our program is about’

Wesley Branch
Thursday, July 23, 2026
As the back-to-back defending Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion Georgia Bulldogs made its scheduled appearance at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Fla., on July 21, Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart had high praise for starting quarterback Gunner Stockton, a Rabun County standout.