Wildcats hope to finally capture state crown

TIGER — In a year that was anything but normal, 2020 proved to be another normal season for Rabun County football.

The Wildcats were once again one of the top teams in the state in Class 2A. They won 12 games for the third time in four years, marking their sixth straight season with at least 10 wins. They won the Region 8-2A championship for the seventh season in a row and made the state semifinals, continuing a streak of reaching the quarterfinals or better every year since 2015.

It has been far and away the best era in the football program’s history, which dates back to 1949. However, there is one goal the ‘Cats are still looking to achieve: the team’s first-ever state championship.

With plenty of talent and experience returning to this year’s roster, Rabun County once again looks poised to make a run to Atlanta. Third-year head coach Jaybo Shaw says the key to reaching the prize this year will be taking a game-by-game approach.

“I think it’s enjoying the process and not necessarily looking at December in August,” Shaw said. “We’ll see where the chips fall come December, but we’ve got the leadership, we’ve got the experience that’s going to put us on the right path and we just have to take it one day at a time.”

That talent and experience is highlighted by one of the best quarterbacks in the nation in Georgia-commit Gunner Stockton, who enters his senior season as already one of the best statistical signal-callers in the history of the state.

Stockton holds school records for career passing yards and touchdowns and is in the top eight in Georgia high school history in both categories.

“Everybody knows he’s a special talent and can do special things with the football in his hand,” Shaw said. “The awesome thing with Gunner is he always wants to get better. He’s setting his own ceiling.”

Stockton will be looking for a new top target in the passing game, however, as Rabun County looks to replace Adriel Clark, who graduated after setting a state record with 28 touchdown catches in the 2020 season. They will have help filling the role with the transfer of former Flowery Branch tight end Baxley O’Brien and former Dawson County receiver Jaden Gibson.

“With the additions of Baxley and Jaden, this is probably the deepest we’ve ever been going into a season at the receiver spot,” Shaw said.

O’Brien and Gibson will bolster a unit that will also feature returning seniors Tate Ramey, Ethan Clark and Hunter Moore to give Stockton plenty of options downfield.

In the backfield, the Wildcats return junior Lang Windham, who had a breakout sophomore campaign, rushing for over 1,000 yards. With Stockton also being a potent threat on the ground, the team looks to have a true two-headed rushing attack to compliment the passing game. Senior Bryson Addis will spell Windham at running back.

Paving the way for that running game will be one of the most experienced offensive lines in Georgia, starting five seniors across the front who all started last year, with two having started every game since their freshman year.

Headlining the unit will be right guard Bear Old, who enters the season with a number of Division I offers. He’ll be joined by Will McCraw, Clayton Dixon, Chris Thompson and Nolan Crane.

The only thing new for Rabun County’s offense this year will be offensive coordinator Michael Davis, who comes to Tiger from Calhoun. Shaw said while there may be some small tweaks Davis brings to the system, the basics of the offense will not change.

“It’s been a pretty easy transition. Obviously, there’s some new wrinkles that he’s bringing and then it’s meshing Rabun County stuff,” Shaw said.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Wildcats will have to replace some key starters from last year, but will return 2020’s Region 8-2A defensive player of the year in senior linebacker Will Turpin. Parker Greenwood joins the team, transferring from Rabun Gap to help solidify the linebacking corps along with senior Hogan Woodard, who will move from outside linebacker to inside.

On the defensive line, Knox McKinney will return to the starting lineup after suffering an injury early in the 2020 season. Chris Thompson and Cesar Cruz will also return as starters from last year.

At corner, Willie Goodwyn will also return from an injury last year and will be joined by Hunter Moore and Jarrett Giles. Jaden Gibson will also rotate in at defensive back and senior Cory Keller will anchor the secondary from the safety spot.

Shaw knows the defense may very well be the key to a championship run and he believes last year’s experience will pay dividends in 2021.

“We played Prince Avenue Christian and Jefferson. We threw a bunch of stuff on our defense from going to a no-huddle spread to a triple option and having to adjust,” Shaw said. “Coach (Rob) Stockton and our defensive staff do such a great job of getting our guys ready and I expect no different this year.”

They’ll have plenty to adjust to early in the season as well, with a stacked non-region slate including another showdown with Jefferson, as well as a trip to defending Class 3A champion Pierce County and a nationally televised game with Pace Academy.

Despite the tough schedule, Shaw says the standards will not change this year.

“Our goal here is to win a state championship and those goals never change,” Shaw said. “Doing it our way. We always talk about with our program, if you fall in love with the process, you’ll love what the process creates.”

This Fall, that process could create some truly special things in Rabun County.