Thursday, October 9, 2025
THE OGLETHORPE Echo
Page 11
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,Freued
PREP ROUNDUP
Volleyball team captures 8-A title
SUBMITTED PHOTO
OCMS defensive players line up against Social Circle in the PAC-11
championship game last week. The Patriots held Social Circle to six
points, one week after shutting out East Jackson 20-0.
Staff Report
The Oglethorpe County volley-
ball team defeated top-seeded Prov
idence Christian 25-19, 25-18 and
25-14 to clinch the Area 8-A cham
pionship on Saturday.
The Patriots (27-8, 8-2) have won
15 consecutive matches and ad
vance to the first round of the Class
A tournament on Oct. 15.
In the championship match, Alex
is Fleming had five aces and Nao
mi McPeake had four aces to lead
OCHS. Elizabeth Cook had 15 kills
and Leanna Newton had 20 kills.
The passing game was led by libero
Aryana Knight, defensive specialist
Carlie Gabriel and Newton.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Members of the Oglethorpe County volleyball team gather for a
photo around the Area 8-A trophy. The Patriots advanced to the
state tournament, which begins Oct. 15.
2
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Oglethorpe County Middle School players and cheerleaders cele
brate after defeating Social Circle 12-6 to win the PAC-11 champion
ship last week. The Patriots didn't allow more than six points in any
of the final four games.
OCMS football team
wins league crown
By Andy Mathis
The Oglethorpe Echo
After an undefeated season end
ed in uncertainty last year, Ogletho
rpe County Middle School finished
the job this fall. The football team
claimed the PAC-11 league champi
onship with a 12-6 win over Social
Circle last Wednesday.
Last season, the Patriots were set
to face Apalachee Middle School
before a shooting at the high school
left two students and two teachers
dead.
“We were going to be the first
team to play on their field after the
incident, but weather canceled the
game on us,” head coach Steve Ir
win said. “We were excited about
the chance to play them, but we
spent time during the week talking
about how to support them the best
way that we could. The players and
coaches were disappointed we did
not get to play, but understood the
situation.”
The 2024 season came to a 6-0
finish. But 2025 brought new chal
lenges: a tougher league schedule
and new players to develop.
“We started the season with a
loss, so yes, there was concern,” Ir
win said. “But we refocused and
prepared to play the next game. This
group of players has been very fo
cused and coachable.”
Rather than reinvent the system,
Irwin leaned on consistency.
“We did not make any changes
to the way we practiced or change
the culture,” he said. “We just kept
working hard each and every day.
Our team culture is that we play
with effort, attitude and toughness
each snap, play, series and game.”
That steadiness quickly got the
season back on track.
After the opening loss, OCMS
rolled through the rest of its sched
ule. The defense dominated, not
giving up more than six points in
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any of the last four games and shut
out East Jackson 20-0 in the play-
offs.
“Our defensive coaches and play
ers did an amazing job preparing for
every opponent,” Irwin said.
Cooper Davenport led the Pa
triots with over 700 yards on the
ground and 16 touchdowns this
year. Irwin referred to him as the
“offensive leader.”
Leading Davenport was a bat
tle-tested group up front.
The eighth-grade line — Bro
dy Anderson, Noah Evans, Robert
Gunter, Braiden Walker, Kayden
Smith and James Henderson —
consistently opened lanes, clearing
the way for more than 900 rushing
yards this season.
Irwin said the team is support
ed by Principal Mack Baldwin and
the teachers, who consistently back
the program and ensure it has what
it needs.
“Anything I need, they make it
happen,” he said. “I also have amaz
ing parents who feed the team and
provide funding to buy the equip
ment we need to maintain this pro
gram.”
And through it all, Irwin said, the
core of the program remains un
changed.
“The culture will never change
here as long as I am coach,” he said.
“We will play with passion, effort
and toughness, and be more physi
cal than the other team each and ev
ery day.”
NOTICE
The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners does hereby announce that the millage rate will be set at a meeting to be held in the Admin
Building located at 105 Union Point St Lexington GA on October 17, 2025 at 9 AM and pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A. § 48-5-32 does hereby publish
the following presentation of the current year's tax digest and levy, along with the history of the tax digest and levy for the past five years.
CURRENT 2025 PROPERTY TAX DIGEST AND 5 YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY
U
N
I
N
C
O
R
P
O
R
A
T
E
D
A
R
E
A
UNINCORPORATED
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
V
A
L
U
E
Real & Personal
487,975,842
496,409,455
578,120,121
691,588,106
721,506,847
822,864,653
Motor Vehicles
8,023,430
8,024,520
7,323,340
7,593,850
7,722,000
7,542,10C
Mobile Homes
2,677,639
2,590,917
2,789,539
2,837,132
2,983,786
3,313,168
Timber - 100%
7,679,114
6,355,685
7,023,117
8,943,078
8,845,798
7,876,145
Heavy Duty Equipment
Gross Digest
506,356,025
513,380,577
595,256,117
710,962,166
741,058,431
841,596,066
Less Exemptions
86,591,098
83,006,915
88,528,581
91,989,684
91,038,535
153,079,636
NET DIGEST VALUE
419,764,927
430,373,662
506,727,536
618,972,482
650,019,896
688,516,430
R
A
T
E
Gross Maintenance &
Operation Millage
2.5340
10.1730
8.7340
7.5120
7.4006
7.0268
Less Rollbacks
(Local Option Sales Tax &
Insurance Premium)
2.5340
2.9530
2.3710
1.9960
1.9256
1.7778
NET M&O MILLAGE RATE
7.2200
6.3630
5.5160
5.4750
5.2490
TAX
NET M&O TAXES LEVIED
$3,107,298
$3,224,307
$3,414,252
$3,558,859
$3,614,023
I
N
C
O
R
P
O
R
A
T
E
D
A
R
E
A
INCORPORATED
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
V
A
L
U
E
Real & Personal
29,571,033
29,478,629
42,589,436
52,153,171
55,687,932
62,749,359
Motor Vehicles
352,540
369,170
405,530
384,470
386,530
383,33C
Mobile Homes
362,425
337,207
388,928
404,270
432,955
426,762
Timber - 100%
Heavy Duty Equipment
Gross Digest
30,285,998
30,185,006
43,383,894
52,941,911
56,507,417
63,559,451
Less Exemptions
1,187,890
1,185,402
1,937,760
2,172,011
2,264,175
5,982,186
NET DIGEST VALUE
29,098,108
28,999,604
41,446,134
50,769,900
54,243,242
57,577,265
R
A
T
E
Gross Maintenance &
Operation Millage
2.8470
10.1730
8.7340
7.5120
7.4006
7.0268
Less Rollback
(Local Option Sales Tax)
1.6400
1.7630
1.7050
1.6160
1.6396
1.6338
NET M&O MILLAGE RATE
1.2070
8.4100
7.0290
5.8960
5.7610
5.3930
TAX
NET M&O TAXES LEVIED
$35,121
$243,887
$291,325
$299,339
$312,495
$310,514
o,
%
TOTAL COUNTY
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
TOTAL DIGEST VALUE
448,863,035
459,373,266
548,173,670
669,742,382
704,263,138
746,093,695
TOTAL M&O TAXES LEVIED
$35,121
$3,351,185
$3,515,632
$3,713,592
$3,871,354
$3,924,537
Net Tax $ Increase
$3,316,063
$164,448
$197,959
$157,763
$53,183
Net Tax % Increase
9441.71%
4.91%
5.63%
4.25%
1.37%
In the third round, OCHS defeat
ed Banks County 25-23, 25-13 and
25-16 behind five aces and 10 kills
from Cook. Fleming had four aces,
Newton had 17 kills, and Knight
and Haley Matthews passed well.
On Oct. 1, the Patriots defeated
Elbert County 25-19, 25-21 and 25-
16 in the second round. Cook had
six aces and 15 kills, and Newton
added 17 kills.
Softball team clinches
spot in state playoffs
Lillie Anderson had three hits
and three RBIs to lead the Ogletho
rpe County softball team to an 11-3
win over Lincoln County on Tues
day night.
It was the final regular-season
game for the Patriots, who are the
third seed from Region 8-A Divi
sion I, guaranteeing them a spot in
the state playoffs, which begin on
Wednesday, Oct. 15.
OCHS (13-9, 8-4 in the region)
will find out its first-round oppo
nent this weekend.
Anderson paced the Patriots’ 10-hit
attack against Lincoln County. Kh-
loe Eidson added two RBIs, and Re
ese Campbell and Maebrynn Reeves
added two hits and an RBI each.
Campbell also was the winning
pitcher with four strikeouts.
Last Thursday, Banks County de
feated OCHS 3-0 on senior night.
The team’s seniors are Campbell,
Carolyn Barner and Emilee Cutsail.
Anderson led OCHS with two
hits in that game.
Reese Campbell (1 RBI), and
Maebrynn Reeves (1 RBI) all added
2 hits each. Reese Campbell earned
MADISON
MOAS Fall Adoption Special begins Saturday, September 20th
MOAS has dogs and cats, puppies and
kittens, all looking for good homes. To
help them find their way, we are reducing
our adoption fees 50% - 75%.
Dogs - $50 (reduced from $100)
Puppies - $50 (reduced from $200)
Cats & Kittens $25 (reduced from $75)
This special promotion is sponsored by a
grant from Roddy Sturdivant.
All pets have been spayed or neutered,
have been de-wormed, microchipped
and given age-appropriate vaccinations
- at no additional cost.
MOAS is open for adoptions:
Wed. through Sat.: 12pm to 5pm
Sun.: 12pm to 4pm
Closed Mon. - Tues.
For more information, and to see available dogs and cats, visit moaspets.com/adoptionapp
Madison-Oglethorpe Animal Shelter 1888 Colbert-Danielsville Road Danielsville, GA 30633
706-795-2868
the win pitching with 4 strikeouts.
OCMS update
The Oglethorpe County Mid
dle School cross country team will
compete in the middle school state
meet on Oct. 11 in Cochran.
PREP Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 9
■ OCHS cross country at
Athens Academy
■ Madison County at OCHS
JV football, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 10
■ Rabun County at OCHS
football, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 11
■ OCMS cross country at
state championship
Wednesday, Oct. 15
■ OCHS volleyball at Class A
playoffs, TBA
Valerie Lynn Argo
REALTOR*
X 706-338-4991 - cell
valerielynn@livingdownsouth.com
- I Real Estate for Every Southern Lifestyle
REALTY
That will end the OCMS fall
schedule.
The next competition will be a
home basketball game against East
Jackson on Nov. 3. A home wrestling
meet — called Tuesday Night Take-
downs — is scheduled for Nov. 4.
Thursday, Oct. 16
■ OCHS JV football at East
Jackson, 5:30 p.m.
■ OCHS softball at Class A
playoffs, TBA
Friday, Oct. 17
■ OCHS football at Com
merce, 7:30 p.m.
■ OCHS softball at Class A
playoffs, TBA
Saturday, Oct. 18
■ OCHS cross country at
North Oconee
