Hart Co. Reportedly Names New Football Coach

One of Stephens County’s main rivals on the football field appears to have a new head coach in place.

According to a post from the Hart County High School Football Facebook page, Hart County has hired Coach Rance Gillespie as the new Head Coach of the its football program.

Gillespie heads to Hart County with a resume that includes back-to-back State Championships with Peach County High School in 2005 and 2006, and a state runner-up finish in 2003.

His Peach County team defeated Stephens County in the 2005 quarterfinals on the way to a state title.

Then, he spent three years in Statesboro on Georgia Southern coach Chris Hatcher’s staff before taking the helm at Valdosta High School, where he posted a 49-20 overall record, taking his team to the playoffs in all 6 yeas of his tenure, including a region championship.

Gillespie rejoined Georgia Southern for the 2016 season as a Co-OC and Quarterbacks Coach under Head Coach Tyson Summers, before being released from the staff at the end of the season.

He is not a stranger to northeast Georgia, having been the head coach at Banks County for two seasons, in 1999 and 2000 before heading to Peach County.

Gillespie has a career high school record of 119-51.

He replaces William DeVane, who had been the head coach for the last five seasons.