One game away from being crowned State Champions! Rabun County is as good as ever, especially under the direction of legendary coach DeeDee Dillard. The Lady Wildcats fell to region foes Elbert County despite beating the Lady Blue Devils in the region championship game. While a handful of the standouts have moved on, Dillard always raises up the next crop of stars, and still several standouts remain from last year’s historic run.

HEAD COACH: DeeDee Dillard (17th Season)
2021-22 RECORD: 24-6, Region 8-AA Champions, 2A State Runner-Up, #1 State Ranking
RETURNING STARTERS: JR PG Lucy Hood
KEY DEPARTURES: SG Loren Stiles, PG Sophie Woodard, W Gracie Deetz, SG Carley Haban, SG Sarah Kate Roberson
KEY PLAYERS: JR PG Lucy Hood, JR W Ellie Southards, JR G Mili Watts, SR SG Trea Blalock, SR SF Mary Lovell, SO G Jacie McCall
OFFENSE: Uptempo and look to create opportunities in the half court with dribble penetration
STRENGTHS: “This group plays really hard and with lots of energy,” exclaims Dillard. “They also share the ball well and want everyone to find success!”
BIGGEST CHALLENGES: “We lost a great deal of experience and talent last year, and while we have some good young players, they lack experience at the varsity level,” says Dillard. “Having our older kids really invest in those underclassmen will be key to developing both depth and success.”

Point blank, the Lady Wildcats are primed and ready for another historic season. Elbert County remains the biggest obstacle, as the 2 once again share a region despite moving down a classification. It’s a new-look region, but the same expectations for the Lady Cats!

“Right now, we are just focused on a growth mindset,” says Dillard. “We are challenging our players to get better every day so that by the time region play begins, we are in a position to compete and win those all so important games.”