Photo by Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun senior JP Lopez competes in the discus at the Bo James invitational at Rabun County High School on April 2. Lopez qualified for the state championship meet for the discus and shot put following his performance at the sectional meet at Bremen High School on May 4.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County High School head football coach Rance Gillespie smiles while chatting with rising senior linebacker JK Fruster during the Wildcats’ spring football practice on May 5. Gillespie is entering his second season as the head coach of RCHS, where he played in the 1980s.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Huey Blalock (center, right) poses with his family and the RCHS boys basketball team after signing his letter of intent to Navy on April 30 at the Rabun County High School Fine Arts Building. Blalock led the Wildcats to their first ever state title this season.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore Bella Hulsey watches as her putt rolls towards the hole during Rabun County’s area golf tournament at Chimney Oaks on April 27. Hulsey and the Lady Cats qualified for the state championship match for the first time since 2019.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County freshman Andrew Wall competes during the pole vault at the Bo James invitational at Rabun County high school on April 2. Wall is one of 25 total qualifications for the Wildcats for the sectional meet on May 2 at Bremen High School.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Caroline Marshall awaits a serve during her match versus Commerce on April 2 in Rabun County’s senior night win. Marshall is the lone senior on the RCHS girls tennis team.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County’s Mia Potts loads up to strike the ball in her singles match against Dodge County on April 21 at Rabun County High School. Potts secured the match-clinching victory by winning her singles match on No. 2 singles.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Current UGA and former Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton evades defensive pressure from the Black Team in Georgia’s ‘G-Day’ scrimmage. Stockton finished the afternoon 7-of-12 passing for 76 yards and a touchdown for the red team in a 27-17 victory.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore Alan Lozada sits on the bench in disbelief after the Wildcats’ loss in PKs to Athens Academy on April 15. Next to Lozada is the region runner-up trophy, which the Wildcats claimed for the second straight year.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County senior Ty Truelove holds his follow through as he watches his shot during Rabun County’s golf match versus Union County on April 16 at Kingwood Resort. Truelove shot a season best 38 on the afternoon.