Winless in 2024. Historic in 2025. How Oglethorpe County built a turnaround.

Rabun County was undefeated and ranked No. 5 in Class A Division I entering the night. Oglethorpe County quarterback Caden Hartrum scored three total touchdowns, and the Patriots held off the Wildcats’ fourth quarter surge to seal the win.

It was Oglethorpe County’s first region win of the season and its first win over a top-10 team since 1994, when it beat Buford.

It was also the moment that Oglethorpe County coach Mike Holland saw his team believe in itself.

“It skyrocketed their confidence,” Holland said. “It’s when you’re playing with confidence and not being cocky, but you know you can play with anybody.

“It was almost like a switch went on in their heads, and they said, ‘Man, maybe we can do this.’”

Oglethorpe County snapped a six-year losing streak against Commerce the next week and improved to 2-2 in region play. That set up the playoff-clinching game against Providence Christian last Friday.

The Patriots faced adversity in that win, too. Providence Christian took the lead early on a touchdown pass that was originally called incomplete.

But Oglethorpe County fought back, scoring 34 unanswered points with a Wing-T offense that has averaged over 273 rushing yards per game during its three-game winning streak. Holland saw the same belief and fight against Providence Christian that his team showed in the Rabun County upset.

“When you get a little bit of that hope, a little bit of that belief, you can start playing up to your potential,” Holland said. “We have talented guys, and we have good athletes, we have good linemen. And it just took that win for them to believe it.”

Credit: Jack Leo

Credit: Jack Leo

Oglethorpe County can clinch the No. 3 seed in Region 8-A Division I by beating winless Banks County on Friday.

Holland had led the Patriots to the playoffs twice before, but it wasn’t quite like this season. Oglethorpe County made the playoffs in 2022 and 2023 when it was in a four-team region, so all four teams automatically made the postseason. The Patriots went 1-5 in region play between those two seasons.

Holland said the Patriots’ 2025 playoff berth — in their seven-team region containing traditional powerhouses like Athens Academy, Commerce and Rabun County — felt more rewarding than the first two postseason trips.

The fifth-year coach believes Oglethorpe County is hungrier than his first two playoff teams.

“I don’t feel like this group feels like they’ve done enough,” Holland said. “I think they have bigger goals, and they want to continue playing and want to continue to play well.”

Hartrum, one of eight Senior Night honorees, felt the same accomplishment after the win. Hartrum and his fellow seniors were freshmen and sophomores when Oglethorpe County made the first two playoff trips under Holland.

Hartrum agreed that clinching the 2025 playoffs felt different, especially since it happened in his final game at Patriot Field.

“It’s a memory,” Hartrum said. “I’ll always remember this night for the rest of my life. Senior night, last home game I’ve ever played, I’ve been playing on this field for nine years.”

Hartrum and his senior teammates can’t say how many games they have left, but they did share how they went from 0-10 to playing for a historical winning record in just one year. A win on Friday would mark Oglethorpe County’s sixth win and its first winning season since 2005.

“I think from last year to this year, the culture’s had a major change,” senior center Brock Barrett said. “I think guys have learned to be a team player. It’s not just all about one person. It’s about everybody.”

Credit: Jack Leo

Credit: Jack Leo