Several football, softball, volleyball, cross country, and cheer teams had stellar seasons. Some stood above the rest. Here are the Fall Sports Teams of the Year for 2023.

FOOTBALL

JEFFERSON DRAGONS

Coach: Travis Noland
Record: 13-1
Accomplishments: 5A Semifinals, Region 8-AAAAA Champions, #1 State Ranking

The Dragons were electric. All season long, Jefferson was the BLITZ #1 team in the Power Rankings, and never wavered. In total, Travis Noland’s team went 13-1 all the way to the Class 5A Semifinals, carrying a #1 state ranking and an offense and defense that were some of the best units in the state, ranking inside the top-10 all season in both. Sammy Brown (2,289 rush yds, 36 TD) led an offense that went for 532 points (38/game), and his 153 tackles led a defense that gave up just 11.93 per contest (167 overall). The 2023 Dragons were only the 5th team in school history to score more than 500 points, and only the 3rd to also allow less than 200 in the same season. The average margin of win going into the Semis was 28.92 points, and only one game aside from the loss was within 10 points. In a word, it was domination. Jefferson had a perfect regular season that resulted in a second straight Region 8-AAAAA title, and also rolled through the playoffs until the contest against Creekside. The Dragons took down ranked teams Hiram and Harris County during that run. Noland collected his 200th career win early in the year, and Brown took home BLITZ Player of the Year honors, was named an All-American, and won the prestigious Butkus Award given to the nation’s top linebacker.

LUMPKIN COUNTY INDIANS

Coach: Heath Webb
Record: 12-1
Accomplishments: 3A Quarterfinals, Region 7-AAA Champions, #5 State Ranking

It was a magical run in Gold City. Heath Webb’s persona and his ‘Hard Work Pays Off’ motto rubbed off on his program, and Lumpkin County reaped the benefits for a second straight year. This 2023 season though was something to behold. A perfect regular season of 10-0 came with the school’s first state ranking since 1967, and a first-ever Region Championship. The offense and defense were special, both ranking inside the top-10 in the state all season long. The offense, behind Mason Sullens (2,281 rush yds, 33 TD) and Cal Faulkner (1,706 pass yds, 19 TD, 1 INT; 929 rush yds, 17 TD) racked up 546 points (42/game), and the defense (19.7/game) was among the best in the state until the final couple of games inflated the numbers a bit. The Indians thrilled the fans several times, with a 4 OT win at home against White County in a 61-55 doozy, a 34-23 revenge win over rivals Dawson County to clinch the region title, and a 45-42 OT win over Oconee County in the second round of the playoffs to avenge the first round loss from the year before while also sending Lumpkin to its first-ever Quarterfinals game. The Indians played all 3 playoff games at the Burial Grounds, stomping Gordon Lee in the first round for what was the school’s first-ever playoff win. Despite a tough battle, they fell to Savannah Christian in the Quarterfinals, but the legend of this team will live on forever.

Honorable Mentions: Commerce (Region Champs; Quarterfinals); Rabun County (Quarterfinals); Stephens County (Region Champs; Rnd 2); Union County (Region RU; Rnd 2); White County (Rnd 1); Habersham Central (Rnd 1)

SOFTBALL

BANKS COUNTY LADY LEOPARDS

Coach: Rhett Carroll
Record: 24-7
Accomplishments: 2A 3rd Place (Final 4), Region 8-AA Champions, #3 State Ranking

Banks County went 24-7 with a well-balanced team. The Lady Leopards were the undisputed Region Champions, marking the 7th in a 10-year span. Rhett Carroll took them in his first season to 24 wins, the most since the 32-win State Championship year in 2019. After going 8-1 in region play and winning the region title, the Lady Leopards hosted their regional round while holding a #3 state ranking. In the Banks County Regional, the Lady Leopards opened with wins over Haralson County and Redan, the latter a 17-1 blowout. A 2-1 win against Haralson again clinched the regional and sent Banks County to Columbus. Once there, a 4-2 opening win over Toombs County was followed by an 8-0 victory against Vidalia. Banks then fell to both Appling County and Jeff Davis to finish 3rd in the state tournament. The lineup, anchored by Mary Faulkner (.494-3-25) notched 204 runs, averaging 6.6 per game, while Payton Gaylor (20 wins, 2.00 ERA, 176 K) led the pitching efforts as the Lady Leopards allowed just 3.3 per contest.

Honorable Mentions: Jefferson (Region RU; Regionals); Dawson County (Region RU; Regionals); Union County (Region RU; Regionals); Commerce (Region RU; Regionals); Rabun County (Regionals); White County (Regionals); Stephens County (Regionals); Towns County (Regionals)

VOLLEYBALL

JEFFERSON LADY DRAGONS

Coach: Brittani Lawrence
Record: 33-6
Accomplishments: 5A Quarterfinals, Region 8-AAAAA Champions, #3 State Ranking

The Lady Dragons continued their region dominance with a FIFTH consecutive Region Championship. It wasn’t particularly close, as Jefferson went 33-6 overall with a #3 state ranking. The girls went 5-1 in region play under coach Brittani Lawrence, then won the region tournament to have great seeding in the state tourney. Once there, JHS marched on to the Elite 8 (Quarterfinals), falling to McIntosh, the eventual State Champions, by a 3-2 final at home. This group hardly ever suffered a loss, winning 78 of their 99 sets overall, while going 21-2 away from their home court. After going 10-1 to start the season, the Lady Dragons later had a 13-match win streak then 7 in a row before the Quarterfinals loss. Kaytlin Johnson was fantastic with 296 kills and 39 aces, and so too has Helena Kelley (435 assists, 174 kills, 103 aces) and Gertie Nazaroff (305 digs, 82 assists, 70 aces).

Honorable Mentions: Tallulah Falls (Region Champs; Sweet 16); White County (Region RU; Sweet 16); Banks County (Region RU; Sweet 16); Dawson County (Rnd 1); Lumpkin County (Rnd 1); Rabun County (Rnd 1)

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

DAWSON COUNTY LADY TIGERS

Coach: Jonathan Tinsley
Accomplishments: 3A 5th Place, Region 7-AAA Runner-Up, #5 State Ranking

The Lady Tigers finished as the Runner-Up from a tough Region 7-AAA, and had a #5 state ranking in the season as well. Dawson County made good on that with a 5th-place run at the GHSA State Championships under coach Jonathan Tinsley. The group had a great balance of young standout runners (Hayden Hand – Region 10th/State 6th; Addison Smith – Region 13th/State 22nd) and veterans (Anna LeCave – Region 11th/State 38th). This continues to be one of the best girls XC programs in North Georgia.

Honorable Mentions: Jefferson (Region Champs; State 10th); Union County (4th); Tallulah Falls (7th); Lumpkin County (8th); White County (9th); Rabun County (14th); Towns County (14th); Habersham Central (17th)

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

LUMPKIN COUNTY INDIANS

Coach: Logan Turner
Accomplishments: 3A State Runner-Up, Region 7-AAA Champions, #2 State Ranking

With a talented 1-2 punch the likes of Wyatt Windham and Ben Sherrill, it was no surprise to see Lumpkin County have so much success. Windham (Region RU; State 4th) and Sherrill (Region 3rd; State 7th) guided the Indians to a Region Championship in 7-AAA and a Runner-Up finish at the GHSA State Championships, finishing as the #2-ranked program. Logan Turner’s team dominated nearly every course they ran on in 2023.

Honorable Mentions: Jefferson (Region Champs; State 4th); Dawson County (6th); Towns County (8th); White County (10th); Tallulah Falls (13th)

CHEERLEADING

JEFFERSON LADY DRAGONS

Coach: Christy Potts
Accomplishments: 5A 4th Place, Region 8-AAAAA Champions, #4 State Ranking

Christy Potts’ Lady Dragons once again earn Team of the Year honors for Competition Cheer. Jefferson, just 2 years removed from a State Championship, placed 4th at the GHSA State Championships this time, earning a #4 state ranking. That came after being the Region/Area Champions as well.

Honorable Mentions: Commerce (Area Champs; State 6th); Dawson County (Area Champs; State 8th); Stephens County (Area Champs; State 10th)