Basketball became a part of Ray City School athletics at least as early as 1929. For the next 25 years, with the exception of the WWII years, Ray City teams shot hoops, until the county schools were consolidated in 1954. According to the 1950-51 school year book, the Ray City School basketball teams played a 20 game season. The boys team was coached by Principal C.W. Schmoe, with A. C. Hesters as manager.
1950-51 Beaverettes, Ray City School girls basketball team, Ray City, GA
A clipping from the Clinch County News gives the story of the December 19, 1950 game against Homerville. Among the starters for the Ray City girls were Lullene Rouse, Patricia Bradford and Betty Jo Webb. The boys starting lineup included Curtis Skinner, Jack Knight and Wendell Clements.
Clinch County News
December 22, 1950The [Homerville] girls played way below par in the Ray City game which was evidenced by the fact that they came out way behind their opponents when the final whistle blew. The [Homerville] forwards played a good game, but Ray City’s beaverettes didn’t seem to be able to miss no matter what the angle which gave our [Homerville] guards a run for their money.
The boy’s game was a comedy of errors if fouls are any indication of such a thing. There were seventy-two fouls called in this game, Ray City’s whole first string going out on fouls. The local [Homerville] boys racked up a score of 62, but if they had played their usual kind of ball the score board probably would have run out of points. The line-ups were as follows:
GIRLS
Homerville
Pantherettes (34)Ray City
Beaverettes (49)Gilley, f 15
Blitch, f 9
F. Long, f 5
Newbern, g
Peagler, g
White, gBradford, f 9
Rouse, f 10
Webb, f 30
Barnwell, g
Futch, g
Sirmans, gSubstitutions: Homerville, O. Jeffords (2), N. Jeffords,
D.R. Thrift, Daugharty, Champion, Ann Long, and Gaskins.
BOYS
Homerville
Panthers (62)Ray City
Beavers (49)McQueen, f 7
Harper, f 21
Norris, c 10
Pickren, g 5
Hill, g 8Moore, f 7
Skinner, f 6
Knight, c 5
Clements, g 2
Temples, g 3Substitutions: Homerville, McDonald (9), Jones (2);
Leviton, Minson, Rice, and Montgomery. Ray City:
Allen (10), Williams (7), Lee (2), McClelland (3),
Cornelius (4), Luke.
1950-51 Beavers, Ray City School boys basketball team, Ray City, GA. The school yearbook reported, “The Beavers finished their regular season with (14) fourteen wins and (6) defeats. The Beavers were led during the season by Jack Knight with (326) points, Billy Moore with (213) points, and Wendell Clements (130) points.”
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Ray City School 1950-51 Basketball Schedule |
| Date | Opponent | Girls | Boys | |
| Pine Grove | L 13-35 | L 12-37 | ||
| Enigma | L 42-48 | W 70-33 | ||
| 11-14 | H | Lakeland | L 29-34 | W 47-17 |
| 11-17 | Naylor | W 48-46 | W 53-32 | |
| 12-01 | H | Alapaha | L 27-36 | W 58-35 |
| 12-05 | A | Lakeland | L 19-35 | W 40-31 |
| 12-08 | H | Nashville | L 37-51 | L 48-64 |
| 12-12 | A | Willacoochee | L 25-39 | W 50-9 |
| 12-15 | A | Clyattville | L 14-30 | L 44-49 |
| 12-19 | A | Homerville | W 49-34 | L 49-62 |
| 01-06 | H | Pine Grove | L 23-37 | W 36-29 |
| 01-09 | A | Alapaha | W 37-25 | W 44-27 |
| 01-12 | A | Nashville | L 31-47 | L 30-37 |
| 01-19 | H | Clyattville | W 20-16 | W 56-43 |
| 01-30 | A | Enigma | W 43-35 | W 77-25 |
| 02-02 | H | Naylor | W 24-23 | W 39-20 |
| 02-06 | H | Homerville | L 35-51 | L 45-61 |
| Willacoochee | L 14-62 | W 69-14 | ||
| Poplar Springs | W 36-35 | W 88-31 | ||
| Nashville | L 39-47 | |||
| Tournament Scores | Girls | Boys | ||
| Statenville | W 50-28 | |||
| Clyatteville | W 53-22 | |||
| Dasher | L 29-54 | |||
| Pine Grove | L 45-56 | |||
If you would like to read a little more about the history of Ray City Basketball, see the Georgia High School Basketball Project.
Ray City History Blog 