By Kyle Dean/Sports Editor
TIFTON — The Tiftarea Panthers will know by the end of the night tonight whether they will have to travel or host a first-round playoff game on Nov. 6.
While the Panthers will be hosting the 1-7 Valiants, Sherwood Christian and Southwest Georgia will play in Damascus. Should Southwest Georgia (8-1, 3-0) win, the Warriors would be the No. 1 seed and the Panthers would capture the No. 2 seed out of Region 3-AA.
A Sherwood win coupled with a Tiftarea win would send the region into a three-way tiebreaker that would be settled by points allowed to the other two tied teams.
Tiftarea gave up a total of 65 points to the Eagles and Warriors. The Panthers can claim the region championship if Sherwood scores at least 40 points on the Warriors and Southwest Georgia scores at least 33 points on the Eagles.
That would give Tiftarea the title, because the Warriors would have given up at least 66 points and Sherwood would have allowed at least 65 points.
If Sherwood wins the game by a 39-33 score, each team would have allowed 65 points, and tiebreaker rules would call for a Monday playoff mini-game between the Eagles, Panthers and Warriors.
But Tiftarea has to win their game against a Valwood team that the Panthers will be heavily favored against.
A loss to the Valiants, and a Sherwood win would sent the Panthers to a first-round road trip as the No. 4 seed.
The Tift County Blue Devils will not be in the playoffs for a fifth straight season under head coach Jay Walls, but the Blue Devils will try to play spoiler against an undermanned Valdosta Wildcat team fighting for their playoff lives.
Valdosta will be missing All-State wide out Jay Rome due to an ejection last week against Coffee High. The Wildcats could also be without starting quarterback DaShay March. According to sources, March is doubtful to play because of an altercation at the high school.
If March does not play, the Wildcats will turn the reins over to sophomore Avery Burney. Burney filled in earlier in the season for March due to injury, and led the Wildcats to a 14-7 win over the Warner Robins Demons.
Senior Chad Prain could also get time at quarterback. He is a better thrower than is Burney.
The Wildcats have two Division 1 prospects in safety Dontavis Sapp and defensive end Marcus Davis. Sapp holds an offer from East Carolina University.
Junior corner Malcolm Mitchell will also have the attention of the Tift coaching staff. Mitchell scored the winning touchdown against the Demons on a 67-yard fumble recovery with just under six minutes remaining in the game.
For Tift, Malcolm Dixon will be the starting quarterback. Micah McCant will be at halfback along with Markeith Hayes. DD Jackson, Jakevin Jackson and Trent Hillman will be the wide outs. Dylan Gray, Ryan Popp, Lawrence Cooper, Austin Felts and Alex Martin will likely be the starting offensive line.
On defense, A’Kail Parker and Martin will be at the ends, Maricue Corbin and Dominique Prince will line up at tackle and Ricky Sutton will line up at nose guard. Bre’nard Williams and Keavon May will play linebacker and Gerald Pledger and Terrence Felton will line up at cornerback. McCant and Hunter McAllister will play the safety positions.
Other games around the area include Cook High hosting Brooks County in a game that could decide the No. 3 seed in Region 1-AA. Irwin will host Dooly in a key 1-A game. The contest could decide the region’s No. 4 seed.
Fitzgerald will tune up for their huge game against Thomasville on Nov. 6 with Albany.
