There’s no easy way to begin these things, but I must inform you all (y’all) my time in Calhoun has come to an end. By the time you are reading this, I will no longer be the sports editor at the Calhoun Times. Instead, I’ll be starting a new role as a general assignment reporter for the Rome…

Faith Austin is making a 90-minute journey to Dayton, Tennessee. On Saturday, the Sonoraville High School graduate put pen to paper, signing a track scholarship with Bryan College in a ceremony with family and coaches.

In the near future, professional basketball, soccer and hockey will make their long-awaited return to the United States after all leagues suspended their seasons in mid March due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Major League Baseball has yet to agree on what a 2020 season will look like…

Brady Drummond has officially signed to the next level. The Calhoun High School right-handed pitcher inked a baseball scholarship with Berry College at a signing ceremony at his house, joined by family members, coaches and teammates.

Former Calhoun Lady Jacket Jana Johns is heading to the midwest. The South Carolina junior announced her transfer to the University of Oklahoma on Friday via social media with the caption “BOOMER SOONER!!”

The Georgia High School Association is slowly allowing sports to return beginning Monday with conditioning only. The GHSA set out specific guidelines that all schools must follow in order to hold on-campus workouts.

Luke Green is beginning his head coaching career at his alma mater.

This last week has seen a lot of pain, anguish and frustration across America. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, George Floyd, an unarmed black man, died during an arrest in Minneapolis as a white police officer held a knee against Floyd’s neck. The horrific scene was captured on vid…

For a season that started out with so much potential, the 2020 Calhoun Yellow Jackets baseball team certainly had the makings for a run. Beginning the season at 9-0, including win No. 600 for longtime head coach Chip Henderson, promising signs were cropping up regarding what this team could …

On Thursday, the Georgia High School Association gave the green light for high school sports activities to resume on Monday, June 8. However, those activities will be limited to conditioning only.

Sonoraville Baseball has found its next baseball coach, but for those familiar with the program, his name should be recognizable. Deron Walraven, head coach of the Phoenix from 2011-2015, is back for a second stint. He takes over for Daniel McArthur.

The Sonoraville Phoenix battled hard, but were unable to come up with a win during their first year under head coach Marcus Palazzolo. The Phoenix’s final record came to 0-6, 0-2 in Region 6-AAA.

The North Georgia Cardinals may not be able to take the field right now, but they are giving back to their community during a resource-stretched time.

Baseball has long been described as America's Pastime. And if you're a Major League Baseball fan of any team, Braves, Yankees, Red Sox, etc., one of the best ways I recommend to expand on your fandom is visit the MLB Ballparks of the United States and Canada. If you can do it with a family m…

Calhoun Volleyball is hoping to snap the local sports lull soon with a new coach leading the way. Calhoun High School has tapped Nic Hann to lead the transition, taking over for Randy Rice after 12 years of coaching Lady Jackets Volleyball.

The Calhoun Yellow Jackets looked as though they were hitting a hot streak as the 2020 season came to a sudden end. Concluding on a three-game win streak, Calhoun was 4-2 and undefeated at 2-0 during its last run in Region 6-AAA. Today, we peer back at head coach Matt Rice’s squad and what t…

In the third edition of Spring Sports Spotlight, we feature the 2020 Calhoun Lady Jackets soccer team. Finishing at 4-4, the Lady Jackets closed on a two-game win streak with both games being against region foes.

With the coronavirus pandemic ongoing, sports stadiums packed with fans is no where in sight, in particular here in the United States. So with the nation attempting to restart businesses, open doors to patrons and get things moving again, when can people safely return to sports venues withou…

In our second edition of Spring Spotlight, we look back at the Gordon Central Warriors 2020 season. Finishing their shortened season ranked No. 4 in Class AA by Eurosportscoreboard.com, the Warriors went undefeated at 5-0.

Sabrina Tucker will be Gordon Central’s next volleyball head coach. The school announced the hire on its Facebook page last Friday.

In line with Georgia schools closed for the remainder of the academic year, spring sports have also been canceled. There will be no spring playoff pushes, no region titles and no opportunities for schools from Class A to 7A to hoist a state championship trophy proudly over their heads.

On Monday, Calhoun City Schools announced the return of three alumni as special education paraprofessionals. Chandler Curtis, Thomas Lester and Tess Wright will also serve as assistant coaches for multiple teams during the 2020-21 academic year.

Luke Green is the new head coach of Calhoun Wrestling. The move was announced in a press release by the school Monday. In addition to becoming the next wrestling coach, Green will also teach science at Calhoun Middle and High Schools.

Calhoun Middle School Boys Basketball has a new coach at the helm. Kent Howard was named the program’s next coach according to a press release Monday.

Calhoun High School has a new assistant coach joining the football staff. CJ Collins was announced as one of the school’s newest additions to the staff in a press release Monday. Collins will serve as an assistant coach to Yellow Jackets head coach Clay Stephenson and will teach math at the …

Let’s take a brief moment to reminisce on some pre-COVID-19 pandemic Atlanta sports. The Atlanta Falcons were essentially out of the playoffs halfway through the season. After a disastrous 1-7 start, the Falcons suddenly started playing up to their full potential, only for it to be a “too li…

Gordon Central High School athlete John Rainwater will be trading in his blue jersey and shoulder pads this fall for a red and black uniform that offers less protection after signing on to play rugby at the University of Georgia.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published its all-state teams for both boys and girls on Thursday and two Gordon County athletes made the list.

Randy Steward has been in north Georgia for nearly four years. Joining Sonoraville as a physical education teacher and head wrestling coach in 2016, Steward has taken the Phoenix Wrestling program to regular title contenders.

On Tuesday, the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association rendered its all-state teams for both boys and girls. Two local Gordon County athletes made the list.

The schools sit 10 miles apart from each other, and over the last decade, Calhoun High School and Sonoraville High School have battled it out in a variety of sports.

Lauren Dooley is about to embark on a massive challenge. Her task? Build Calhoun High School varsity competition cheer to a venerable squad in Class AAAAA.

With coronavirus declared as a global pandemic and states and municipalities across the United States closing schools and businesses, the rippling effect on the local education and sports landscape is undeniable.

The last week feels like it’s been a whirlwind. It’s a frightening time, too. 2020 does not seem to be our year.

This past weekend, you may have noticed roads closed off through downtown Calhoun. Georgia Tech’s cycling team hosted the city’s first-ever Georgia Tech Calhoun RR and Downtown Criteria Race on Saturday and Sunday. The two-day event brought about 220 bikers to Calhoun and Gordon County, acco…

The Calhoun Yellow Jackets have run the win streak to 9-0 after taking down Coahulla Creek 8-0 Wednesday at Calhoun High School. Calhoun has yet to surrender a run in region play.

Blade Bryant has singed to the next level. On Tuesday, the Sonoraville senior made it official by signing a football scholarship with Berry College in a signing ceremony at Sonoraville High School, well attended by family, friends, teammates, coaches and administrators.

Gordon Central took care of business on Tuesday, shutting out Rockmart by scores of 9-0 in the boys game and 5-0 in the girls game. The Warriors remain undefeated at 5-0 while the Lady Warriors are back to .500 overall and vault into second place in Region 7-AA at 3-1.

Diane Smith had been waiting for Monday since she first heard Calhoun was going to play softball in the spring.

Opening Day of the 2020 Major League Baseball season is almost here! Temperatures are (finally) starting to warm on a consistent basis. Spring Training is in full swing (pun fully intended) in Florida and Arizona. Today, as the players prep for the grind to October, we look at some beef I ha…

MBaron@CalhounTimes.com

In recent years, the arrival of March usually coincides with baseball, soccer and track and field seasons in full swing, with region games on the horizon. However, this year debuts a sport making its first mark at Calhoun High School since the start of the millennium: slow-pitch softball.

Julian Ipac’s bat made contact with the baseball, drifting it to right-center field. As the ball hit the ground, Calhoun Baseball head coach Chip Henderson, standing in his usual spot just left of third base, raised a fist in the air. He knew what it meant. Another victory for Calhoun.

Calhoun Soccer caught a break from the rain, but not the cold as they split with Dawson County Friday at Calhoun High School. The Lady Jackets fell in penalty kicks 2-1 while the boys came back down 5-2 to win 6-5 in extra time.

Ethan Crump has officially signed to the next level, and he’ll be heading off about 30 minutes south on Georgia Route 53.

Gordon Central swept Armuchee in varsity soccer Wednesday at Ratner Stadium by final scores of 2-1 Lady Warriors and a 7-0 shutout for the boys.

It was to be the final home game of the season, as the host Sonoraville Lady Phoenix looked to advance to their second consecutive state semifinal. The gymnasium was packed out. The crowd was present, electric and ecstatic. Everything had the markings of this game coming down to the wire. A …

After being brought back on a minor-league deal, Charlie Culberson’s name appeared in the Atlanta Braves’ starting lineup for the first time since suffering facial fractures last September in a game against the Washington Nationals.