TIFTON — Tift County’s tennis teams will be back in action Monday, on the road for the first round of the state tournament. The teams will be traveling to the same school, Wheeler High in Marietta, for their matches.

“We’re going to see what we can do,” said head coach Ivey Vickers. Tift’s teams are the fourth seed after last week’s region tournament. Wheeler’s teams swept Region 2’s tourney.

Both Tift County teams will be playing at 1 p.m. Wheeler only has four courts at their high school, said Vickers, and so some matches will be played at nearby neighborhood courts.

“From what we understand,” said Vickers about Wheeler, “they’re pretty good.”

The state tournament is a new season, though, and anything can happen.

“It’s anybody’s match at this point,” she said.

The 2017 state tennis tournament is a perfect example.

The Wildcats won region last year, but were eliminated in the first round by Lassiter. The Lady ‘Cats were the No. 2 seed when they were defeated by Etowah.

Tift is no stranger to coming through as the underdog. In 2015, the Blue Devils went on the road to eliminate Newton in the first round. Tift was a No. 3 seed that year. Plus, the Blue Devils are not the typical fourth seed.

“We could have very easily been the third seed,” said Vickers.

“(Calvin) Chee’s been awesome this year.” And at region, she said, “Jake Smith had the match of his life.”

The Lady Devils are young. Their experience in state this year will be beneficial in the future.

If either team can pull the upset, they will be on the road again for the second round. Monday’s boys winner takes on Hillgrove or Walton. The girls victor has either Marietta or Etowah.