SPORTSThe Clayton TribuneB March 15, 2018

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2017

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BOYS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARTAHJ MOSS

BOYS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARGRAYSON LANE

GIRLS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARGEORGIA STOCKTON

GIRLS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARLAKEN STILES

BEST OF THE BEST

2018 All-County Basketball Teams

STOCKTON STILES EARNHARDT LEWIS WILLIAMS

MOSS BUTKUS DIXON MCFALL WEIDNER

BOYS ALL-COUNTY TEAM

GIRLS ALL-COUNTY TEAM

Staff ReportsThe hardwood was once again a set-

ting for success in Rabun County in the 2017-18 season.

The Rabun County Lady Cats reached the Georgia High School AA quarterfinals for the xth straight year, while the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School Lady Eagles reached their eighth con-secutive North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association 3A Final Four and advanced to their third cham-pionship game in the last six seasons.

On the boys side, RGNS qualified for the NCISAA 3A playoffs and the Tal-lulah Falls School Indians reached the GHSA A-Private playoffs.

But the 2017-18 season was just as much individual success as team suc-cess — maybe even more so.

Numerous players on each area team excelled throughout their respective seasons, but a select few stood out as

the best players in Rabun County.Here are the selections for the 2017-18

The Clayton Tribune All-County team, along with the boys and girls offensive and defensive players of the year.

BoysOffensive Player of the Year — TFS Senior F Tahj Moss

The senior leader of the Indians from Nassau, Bahamas, Moss led the coun-ty in scoring and rebounding for the season, averaging 17.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Moss also averaged 1.7 steals and 2.6 assists per contest, helping to lead the Indians to the first round of the GHSA A-Private playoffs.

Moss, a All-Region 8-A First Team

honoree, was prolific as a shooter all season, making 52.2 percent of his shots from the floor, and was the man Indians Coach Jim Van Hooser wanted to have the ball in the clutch.

Moss was strong in all aspects of the offensive game — in transition, on the perimeter, and driving inside — and thus is the Offensive Player of the Year.

Defensive Player of the Year — RCHS Senior F Grayson Lane

The inside presence for the Rabun County Wildcats, Lane led the county with 2.0 blocks per game — over twice as many as any other player — and was second with 7.8 rebounds per game.

Lane also recorded 0.7 steals per game, which is relatively strong for his position.

Lane was also effective on offense, shooting 53.8 percent from the field to average 8.3 points per game, while also averaging 1.6 assists per game, which also is strong for a post player.

But Lane was most valuable for the the Wildcats defensively, creating extra possessions and serving as the stopper inside, earning him Defensive Player of the Year honors.

RGNS Senior G Tomas ButkusButkus didn’t necessarily have as

strong a career as teammates Jona-than McFall and Abba Wague, but the Kaunas, Lithuania native had as strong a season as anyone on the Eagles in his final campaign.

Butkus was as much of a threat to

2017-18 County Stat LeadersBoys

POINTS PER GAME

Jonathan McFall (RGNS) 17.1

Tahj Moss (TFS) 17.1

Matthew Weidner (TFS) 16.2

Tomas Butkus (RGNS) 14.8

Tevan Dixon (RCHS) 14.5

REBOUNDS PER GAME

Tahj Moss (TFS) 8.6

Grayson Lane (RCHS) 7.8

Matthew Weidner (TFS) 7.0

Firat Ceylan (RGNS) 5.6

Jonathan McFall (RGNS) 5.5

ASSISTS PER GAME

Tomas Butkus (RGNS) 6.2

Tevan Dixon (RCHS) 4.0

Jake Carver (TFS) 3.6

Braxton Hicks (RCHS) 3.2

Reeves Cody (TFS) 2.9

STEALS PER GAME

Tevan Dixon (RCHS) 2.2

Tomas Butkus (RGNS) 1.8

Reeves Cody (TFS) 1.7

Jonathan McFall (RGNS) 1.7

Tahj Moss (TFS) 1.7

Girls

POINTS PER GAME

Georgia Stockton (RCHS) 21.1

Please see STATS, B3

Please see BEST, B3

Wildcats soccer sweeps Social Circle, Banks CountyBy Chris Stiles

Staff Writer

TIGER — Both the boys and girls soccer teams from Rabun County High School picked up a pair of region wins this week, as both teams defeated Social Circle on Friday on the road and Banks Coun-ty on Friday at home.

Boys vs. Banks CountyThe Wildcat boys (3-2,

2-0 Region 8-AA) jumped out to a quick lead over Banks County, and held the Leopards scoreless over the entire game as they gradually increased the lead, eventually win-ning 5-0.

Andrew Barnes scored for the Cats just three minutes in, then Ima-nol Diaz scored with 27 minutes left in the half for a 2-0 lead the Cats main-

tained until halftime.“(It was) just main-

taining possession, and following up on shots and finishing when we had the chance,” Wildcats Head Soccer Coach Andy Mahaffey said. “I thought we came out with a good start, and I think that’s obvious as to why we jumped on them 2-0 like that.”

In the second half, Diaz added two more goals, and Lazaro Dominguez also scored. The three goals came within three min-utes of each other, giving the ‘Cats a 5-0 lead with 23 minutes remaining.

Mahaffey was proud of his team for the win, but took more of a big-picture approach as the team looks ahead to more diffi-cult region games.

“Anytime you get a re-gion win it’s huge, and it’s just a checkmark off, and

we’re not satisfied, we’re not content right now,” Mahaffey said. “This time last year we were 3-0 in the region, and we lost two that we shouldn’t have right after that, so right now, we’re going to enjoy it tonight, but we’re going back to work in the morning.”

Girls vs. Banks CountyIt was a tale of two

halves for the Lady Cats (2-3, 2-0) against Banks County, trailing 2-0 at half but responding in the second half for a 5-2 win.

“It shows that they can battle through some adversity,” Mahaffey said. “When it’s not pretty in the first half, and then you come back out and you explode with five second-half goals, I think

Please see SOCCER, B3

Chris Stiles/The Clayton TribuneRabun County Wildcat Andrew Barnes kicks the ball past a diving Banks County defender during the match between the two teams on Tuesday in Tiger.