Sports

Habersham Central's Kyia Barrett (right) looks to drive past a North Forsyth defender on Friday night. LANG STOREY/Staff

Habersham Central's Kyia Barrett (right) looks to drive past a North Forsyth defender on Friday night. LANG STOREY/Staff

Lady Raiders battle South Paulding in state playoffs

   Habersham Central's girls basketball team saw its season end in the first round of the state playoffs Tuesday night, falling 58-29 to South Paulding.    The loss ended the high school career of Lady Raider seniors Kyia Barrett and Sophie Bramlett.
Habersham Central's Karah Dean fires a 3-pointer. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Habersham Central's Karah Dean fires a 3-pointer. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Raiders battle in boys, girls basketball region semifinals

   Habersham Central's girls basketball team stunned Lanier 32-31 on Thursday night to reach the Region 8-6A championship game.    The Lady Raiders (11-14) will play North Forsyth (26-0) Friday night for the championship. The Lady Raiders will host a state playoff game in the first round.
Habersham Central coaches Morris Brooks and Len King instruct McKenzie Spradley at the state sectional meet Friday. LANG STOREY/Staff

Habersham Central coaches Morris Brooks and Len King instruct McKenzie Spradley at the state sectional meet Friday. LANG STOREY/Staff

Raiders send two wrestlers to Macon

   You would have been hard-pressed to find a parking spot anywhere near Raider Gymnasium’s main entrance Friday. Habersham Central hosted a GHSA Girls State Sectional meet, where more than 300 athletes representing nearly 90 schools descended upon Mt.
Habersham Central’s Justus Gober fires from deep earlier this season against North Forsyth. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Habersham Central’s Justus Gober fires from deep earlier this season against North Forsyth. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Raider boys lock up playoffs

   With a victory over Jackson County Friday – and a little help from a region foe – Habersham hoops locked up a spot in the 2024 state tournament.    The Raiders beat Jackson County, 67-48. It was a strong night offensively for Enzo Combs, who scored 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting.
Raider distance runners Connor Gebora and Audrey Hotard will be among the region’s best in their events. FILE

Raider distance runners Connor Gebora and Audrey Hotard will be among the region’s best in their events. FILE

Raiders’ track & field aims for high goals

   It’s finally showtime for Habersham Central Track & Field, and the Raiders are looking to generate even more waves than they did in a successful 2023 campaign that saw eight Raider athletes end up at the state meet.
Habersham Central’s Brody Tyree lands the header for a Raiders goal during  Tuesday night’s season opener. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Habersham Central’s Brody Tyree lands the header for a Raiders goal during Tuesday night’s season opener. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Raiders tilt the pitch in openers

   The Habersham Central soccer teams welcomed Flowery Branch to Mt. Airy Tuesday where it was a dominant evening all around for the Raiders. The girls opened their 2024 campaign with an 8-0 bashing while the boys squad followed suit with a 7-0 win of its own.
Tallulah Falls’ Madison Dampier now has three state championships to her name. TFS ATHLETICS/Submitted

Tallulah Falls’ Madison Dampier now has three state championships to her name. TFS ATHLETICS/Submitted

Dampier does it again, wins 2 more state titles

   Tallulah Falls swimmers competed in GHSA State Championships on Wednesday, and the meet was marked with unprecedented success as TFS rewrote its history books.
Habersham Central’s Brannon Gaines goes to the hoop against North Forsyth last week. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Habersham Central’s Brannon Gaines goes to the hoop against North Forsyth last week. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Raider boys close in on playoff berth

   The Habersham Central girls basketball team was already locked into the region’s No. 3 seed for the tournament, but Tuesday night at No. 2 Lanier served as a measuring stick and potential postseason preview.
Kerri Davis runs multiple businesses as well as being a fixture in local recreation sports and a new member of Baldwin City Council.

Kerri Davis runs multiple businesses as well as being a fixture in local recreation sports and a new member of Baldwin City Council.

‘Enjoy every minute’

   Kerri Davis became Baldwin’s first black council member in January, but the lifelong resident of Habersham County has been leading change in the community for decades.
Lady Raiders senior Sophie Bramlett gets set on defense against North Forsyth on Friday night. More Senior Night pics, pages 4-5B. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Lady Raiders senior Sophie Bramlett gets set on defense against North Forsyth on Friday night. More Senior Night pics, pages 4-5B. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

North Forsyth causes speedbump for Raiders

   Habersham Hoops hosted senior night Friday. Unfortunately for the Lady Raiders, the final home opponent of the regular season was North Forsyth.    North Forsyth’s girls boast a perfect, 24-0 record and have dismantled everyone they’ve played in the region.