OCHS

The track at Oglethorpe County High School, which had bubbled and ripped in places, has been removed and will be replaced. The track was under warranty, which means the replacement track won’t cost the school system. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

The track at Oglethorpe County High School, which had bubbled and ripped in places, has been removed and will be replaced. The track was under warranty, which means the replacement track won’t cost the school system. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Track replacement underway at OCHS

Owen Warden
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
The Oglethorpe County High School track is getting a facelift.   Repairs have started on the track, which had cracked, formed holes and had bubbled up in places, making it impossible to use several lanes for practice and meets.
Oglethorpe County baseball players move and place the sod during work at the OCHS baseball field on July 12. The infield was leveled and the pitching mound was raised to regulation height. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Oglethorpe County baseball players move and place the sod during work at the OCHS baseball field on July 12. The infield was leveled and the pitching mound was raised to regulation height. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

OCHS baseball infield leveled, mound raised

Owen Warden
Thursday, July 20, 2023
The Oglethorpe County High School baseball field just received a makeover.    The field was leveled to raise the pitching mound to its proper height and new sod was placed on July 12.
The OCHS boys soccer team played a 7-on-7 scrimmage at Chestatee High School last month, part of a busy summer for the Patriots. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

The OCHS boys soccer team played a 7-on-7 scrimmage at Chestatee High School last month, part of a busy summer for the Patriots. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Unorthodox games among soccer teams’ summer training

Owen Warden
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Oglethorpe County boys head soccer coach Erich Forschler focused heavily on two areas this offseason for the boys and girls teams: speed and agility.   Throughout June and continuing into this month, Forschler has held speed and agility training sessions about three times a week.
OCHS boys basketball coach Larry Brown leads a youth basketball camp last week at the school’s gym. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

OCHS boys basketball coach Larry Brown leads a youth basketball camp last week at the school’s gym. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Brown’s summer camp focuses on improvement

Owen Warden
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Campers weren’t the only ones who felt they improved at coach Larry Brown’s basketball camp last week at Oglethorpe County High School.   Isaac Johnson, a OCHS player and camp counselor, said benefitted from the extra time on the court.   “I got better myself, honestly,” he said.
Oglethorpe County school officials hope the repairs and renovations to the central office will be finished when school starts on Aug. 7. The office flooded when a pipe broke in December. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Oglethorpe County school officials hope the repairs and renovations to the central office will be finished when school starts on Aug. 7. The office flooded when a pipe broke in December. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Central office repairs entering final stage

McCain Bracewell
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Paul Thiel, the director of operations for the Oglethorpe County School System, is hopeful repairs to the central office will be complete by the start of school on Aug. 7.
The OCHS Lady Patriots, who advanced to the Class A Division I Elite Eight last season, went 6-2 at the North Georgia team camp last weekend. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

The OCHS Lady Patriots, who advanced to the Class A Division I Elite Eight last season, went 6-2 at the North Georgia team camp last weekend. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Camps scheduled for OCHS this summer

Owen Warden
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Oglethorpe County High School will host several sports camps this summer.   While the deadline for the girls and boys basketball camps has passed, there are several happening through the rest of June and in July.   The softball camp is scheduled for June 28-29.
Brianne Harrison, right, has coached the Oglethorpe County Middle School volleyball team since 2018. Now, she will serve as Oglethorpe County High School’s head volleyball coach. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Brianne Harrison, right, has coached the Oglethorpe County Middle School volleyball team since 2018. Now, she will serve as Oglethorpe County High School’s head volleyball coach. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Harrison to take over as OCHS head volleyball coach

Owen Warden
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Oglethorpe County High School has hired another new coach — but this time she comes from within the school system’s ranks.   Brianne Harrison, former middle school volleyball head coach, has joined the high school in the same role.   “I (am) ready to take on a more competitive game,” she said.
Blane McFarland (third from left) signed to play baseball at Thomas University in Thomasville last week. McFarland was Oglethorpe County’s team MVP this spring when he led the Patriots with 67 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched and sever- al offensive categories, including average (.355), home runs (five), RBIs (23) and tied for the team lead with 23 runs. He was first-team all-region DH, as voted by the region’s baseball coaches. Also pictured (from left), assistant coach Brice Bonner, head coach Kris Patel.

Blane McFarland (third from left) signed to play baseball at Thomas University in Thomasville last week. McFarland was Oglethorpe County’s team MVP this spring when he led the Patriots with 67 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched and sever- al offensive categories, including average (.355), home runs (five), RBIs (23) and tied for the team lead with 23 runs. He was first-team all-region DH, as voted by the region’s baseball coaches. Also pictured (from left), assistant coach Brice Bonner, head coach Kris Patel.

Defense shines in spring game

Owen Warden
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Oglethorpe County football showcased its new 3-4 defense by shutting out Chestatee in a spring game matchup that finished scoreless on May 18.   The game, which was the team’s final spring event, featured an untraditional format in the first half.
Callie Bridges (left) and Andee Dellinger work on an example wreath at a wreath making class on Dec. 8. The students are both OCHS freshman who are taking the floral design class. (Erin Kenney/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Callie Bridges (left) and Andee Dellinger work on an example wreath at a wreath making class on Dec. 8. The students are both OCHS freshman who are taking the floral design class. (Erin Kenney/The Oglethorpe Echo)

OCHS wreath class gets into Christmas spirit

Erin Kenney
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Kim Smith and Daphna Huff have been making wreaths together every Christmas for the last six years. To carry out the tradition this year, Smith and Duff attended the Oglethorpe County High School floral design class’ wreath making class.
Coach Tanner Nation puts his team through free-throw practice at the Oglethorpe County Recreation Department. They have to make a set number of shots to cut down on their running after practice. (MAGGIE RULAND/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Coach Tanner Nation puts his team through free-throw practice at the Oglethorpe County Recreation Department. They have to make a set number of shots to cut down on their running after practice. (MAGGIE RULAND/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Athletes coaching athletes

Maggie Ruland and De Turner
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
When Michael White became director of the Oglethorpe County Recreation Department in 2017, he was only starting to see growth in youth sports.   “When I (came) here five years ago,” he said, “I think we had 19 basketball teams. From then to now, I’ve got 31 teams.