TIFTON — After barely missing out on a possible Region 3-AA championship due to the tie-breakers, the 5-4 Tiftarea Academy Panthers get a tough “consolation prize” as they start the 2009 Class AA state football playoffs.

That “prize” is a trip to Sandersville tonight to face the 8-2 Brentwood School War Eagles.

Brentwood barely missed winning the title in Region 1-AA, and will enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed from that league. Tiftarea will come in as the No. 3 seed from 3-AA.

The only two losses on the year for Brentwood came at the hands of Westfield (24-0) and Piedmont (35-14 on Oct. 9). That loss to Piedmont was a region contest and cost the War Eagles the league title, as Piedmont ended up finishing unbeaten in league play.

“They run the wing-T on offense, and they put eight players in the box on defense to come after you,” said Tiftarea Academy coach Marvin Barton of Brentwood.

He added, “They are pretty quick across the board, and they have a lot of good athletes.”

Barton said Damon Harris, a sophomore running back/linebacker, and Evan Wiggins, a junior fullback/linebacker, are two of the Brentwood leaders.

“Damon Harris has had a lot of his brothers play there, and he is a good one,” Barton stated. “Evan Wiggins gains a lot of tough yards for them, though. They use him a lot with traps, counters and things like that.”

The War Eagles’ quarterback is senior Nick Burgamy. Another standout is senior wide receiver/defensive back Tucker Cobb.

“Our guys are like Brentwood, they have been up there (in the playoffs) year-in and year-out,” said Barton. “Coach Bert Brown has had them up among the upper level of teams for a long time.”

Tiftarea and Brentwood played for a state title in 2002, with Brentwood winning 14-9.

More recently the Panthers just missed going to the state championship after a narrow loss to Memorial Day in the semifinals last season.

“Our seniors know the road, they have gotten as close as anyone could get,” said Barton.

As they begin a hoped-for run at another chance for a state title, Tiftarea has “had a good week of practice,” Barton stated.