GETTING DEFENSIVE: Assistant Mikel Soliday presents Brody Seagraves with his second team All-Region award. Seagraves had the second most tackles for Tiftarea this year.

TIFTON — Tiftarea Academy had a strong finish to their 2023 football season, including a win in the playoffs to end in the elite eight of the Class 3A tournament bracket.

Head coach Erik Soliday was proud of that, of course, but he was even more proud on how others thought of his Panthers. He shared comments from the Atlanta-based officiating crew of their state game against St. Andrew’s.

“The officials came and found me during the game,” Soliday said. He wrote down what they had to say because it was so memorable. “His exact words were, ‘Coach, you have the most professional, disciplined, classiest team that we’ve ever had the privilege of calling for.’” This was a first for him, Soliday said, whose career stretches more than 35 years.

“Not only that,” he continued, they were in the locker room when one of the chain crew members sought out the Panthers. Soliday also wrote down the crew member’s words: “‘That was the most well-organized, best-behaved, well-disciplined we’ve ever seen on the chains in all these years.’”

Victories are important, but has an even bigger meaning. “That impression you leave on people is way more important than any wins we’ll ever have,” he said. “Guys, I can’t tell you how proud I am that people come tell us that.”

Tiftarea’s annual banquet was held Dec. 16 at the Tift Regional Community Events Center. recognizing all the high school players on the roster. The Panthers were a 3-8-1 crew this year, but came a long way during the campaign.

“Towards the end, we were playing pretty good football,” Soliday said. Tiftarea picked up all three wins in the second half of the year on an extremely tough schedule. If that was not enough, they had enough close calls for a lifetime. “A few plays here or there,” he said, was all that separated them from winning eight or nine games.

Soliday said they’d get down a game, but keep fighting. “It’s a great testament to the character of these kids,” he said, “how hard they worked.”

Each grade was recognized with certificates of participation, plus All-Region, All-State and All-Stars. Soliday had a comment on each, their highlights, their role and their expectations for the future.

J.R. Walker represented the junior class with a brief speech to the seniors, on how much the 12th graders were appreciated.

In his thank yous to lead off the banquet, Soliday covered everyone who made the season possible — Tiftarea’s administration, the chain crew, statisticians and press announcers; parents, especially those who provided meals for the team. He thanked the Booster Club (“It takes a lot of funds for us to be successful.”) and his assistant coaches. Tiftarea’s staff only numbers four: Himself, Mike Soliday, Joey Tucker and Edd Cunningham. Soliday also thanked coaches’ wives for their sacrifices.