Sports

Members of the Oglethorpe County girls wrestling team include (from left): Mary Jane Miller, Victoria Miller, Akira Owens and Lannah Scarborough; (front, from left): McKinley Grimes, Emily Wisham, Lexi Bruce, Emily Gregory and Brooklyn Myers; (back, from left): Alondra Varges, Liz Campbell, Armonie Gresham, Alyson Woods and coach Josh Austin. (Submitted Photo)

Members of the Oglethorpe County girls wrestling team include (from left): Mary Jane Miller, Victoria Miller, Akira Owens and Lannah Scarborough; (front, from left): McKinley Grimes, Emily Wisham, Lexi Bruce, Emily Gregory and Brooklyn Myers; (back, from left): Alondra Varges, Liz Campbell, Armonie Gresham, Alyson Woods and coach Josh Austin. (Submitted Photo)

OCHS girls wrestlers shine at area duals

News Staff
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Emily Gregory, Akira Owens and Alyson Woods each went 2-0 to lead the Oglethorpe County girls wrestling team to second place at the Area 3 Division II duals. The Patriots advanced to the state duals preliminary at Lumpkin County on Wednesday, after The Echo’s deadline this week.
The 8u cheer squad brought home multiple first-place victories in their competitions. (Submitted Photo)

The 8u cheer squad brought home multiple first-place victories in their competitions. (Submitted Photo)

Sports overlap, never end for rec department

Andy Mathis
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
The Oglethorpe County Recreation Department concluded a busy fall sports season and is transitioning to winter programming as registration begins for spring sports. White said approximately 600 children participated in fall sports, a total consistent with recent years.
Jeff Roberts, a personal trainer at Cronic Fitness in Lexington and Hull and owner of Fit Evolution Training, cut his weight from 311 to 183 pounds in a year. He has about 20 clients at the two locations. (Submitted Photo)

Jeff Roberts, a personal trainer at Cronic Fitness in Lexington and Hull and owner of Fit Evolution Training, cut his weight from 311 to 183 pounds in a year. He has about 20 clients at the two locations. (Submitted Photo)

Personal trainer inspires others through his fitness journey

Ansley Gavlak and Cooper Huau
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Full-time personal trainer Jeff Roberts is using his own health journey to change the lives of others.
Berry’s Jake Turner runs for part of his career-high 120 yards against Rhodes College on Oct. 4. He finished his second season with 237 yards rushing and one touchdown. (Submitted Photo)

Berry’s Jake Turner runs for part of his career-high 120 yards against Rhodes College on Oct. 4. He finished his second season with 237 yards rushing and one touchdown. (Submitted Photo)

Former OCHS star finds role at Berry

Andy Mathis
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Jake Turner understood early that college football would demand a reset. A productive running back at Oglethorpe County High School, Turner graduated after piling up 1,318 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior in 2023.
Runners start the Winterville Snowflake 10K in 2023. This year’s race is the first of six in the Firefly Trail Race Series, which includes two races in Oglethorpe County. (Photo/Olivia Shapiro)

Runners start the Winterville Snowflake 10K in 2023. This year’s race is the first of six in the Firefly Trail Race Series, which includes two races in Oglethorpe County. (Photo/Olivia Shapiro)

Winterville Snowflake 10K first in six-race Firefly series

Ansley Gavlak
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Runners and walkers across Oglethorpe County will ring in the new year with the return of the seventh annual Firefly Trail Race Series, a six-race lineup designed to bring the community together and raise awareness of the Firefly Trail.
Zion Pass and Oglethorpe County upset state-ranked Rabun County in a Region 8-A Division I game in October. The schools will remain region foes in 8-AA the next two years. (Photo/Ashleigh Johnston)

Zion Pass and Oglethorpe County upset state-ranked Rabun County in a Region 8-A Division I game in October. The schools will remain region foes in 8-AA the next two years. (Photo/Ashleigh Johnston)

OCHS will face familiar foes in jump to 8-AA

Andy Mathis
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Oglethorpe County High School athletics will enter the 2026-27 school year under a new Georgia High School Association region alignment and playoff structure, a shift that looks significant on paper but will feel familiar in practice for many of the school’s programs.
Lili Holt (from left), Abby Hormeku and Kensie Brown, Oglethorpe County’s first FCA Cheer All-Americans, smile on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium sidelines during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl festivities last year. Holt and Brown will return to the Peach Bowl as All-Americans next month. (Photo/Submitted)

Lili Holt (from left), Abby Hormeku and Kensie Brown, Oglethorpe County’s first FCA Cheer All-Americans, smile on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium sidelines during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl festivities last year. Holt and Brown will return to the Peach Bowl as All-Americans next month. (Photo/Submitted)

All-Americans again: Brown, Holt earn second trip to Peach Bowl

Grace Burnett
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Oglethorpe County’s Kensie Brown, a senior cheerleading captain, and Lili Holt, a junior, will make their second appearance as Fellowship of Christian Athletes Cheer All-Americans at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Friday, Jan. 9.
Members of the OCHS basketball cheer squad, including (from left) Shyanne Spade, Za’Nijha Carter, Zariah Johnson (partially hidden back row), Ambreia Kelley, Tori Clark, Kyra Edwards (partially hidden back row), Shayla Richardson and Krysten Jones encourage the Patriots during a game last week. Clark comes up with the cheers and helps teach the routines. (Photo/Ty Johnston)

Members of the OCHS basketball cheer squad, including (from left) Shyanne Spade, Za’Nijha Carter, Zariah Johnson (partially hidden back row), Ambreia Kelley, Tori Clark, Kyra Edwards (partially hidden back row), Shayla Richardson and Krysten Jones encourage the Patriots during a game last week. Clark comes up with the cheers and helps teach the routines. (Photo/Ty Johnston)

Clark shows leadership as coach on the court

Ansley Gavlak
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
While coaches typically take charge of their teams, the Oglethorpe County basketball cheerleading squad operates differently, with leadership coming from the athletes themselves.  “I'm really more of an administrator,” coach Ruth Wilson said.