Four area teams still alive in state playoffs

By Steve Carter/Sports Editor

November 19, 2007 10:09 pm

— TIFTON — There are four teams from the area still alive in their respective state football playoffs. They are Tiftarea Academy, Fitzgerald, Cook and Worth County.
After a 22-15 win in double overtime Friday in Atlanta against the Holy Spirit Prep Cougars, the Tiftarea Academy Panthers are now in the GISA state Class AA semifinals.
Coach Marvin Barton’s Panthers will host the Windsor Academy Knights this Friday at the Panther Pit in a 7:30 p.m. contest. Windsor advanced with a 30-16 victory over Pinecrest.
The winner of the Tiftarea-Windsor game will be on the road the following week for the state championship against the Trinity Christian-Brookwood winner.
Down in Folkston Friday night will be one of the biggest games in the state as the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes will take on the homestanding Charlton County Indians. Fitzgerald ended the regular season ranked sixth in the state Class AA Associated Press poll, while Charlton came in second.
The winner of that contest will meet the Buford-Darlington winner in the third round.
One of the biggest surprises in the state this past Friday came when the Cook High Hornets knocked off Swainsboro, 42-27, in a first round game in the Class AA state tournament. Swainsboro came in as the Region 3-AA champions and was ranked ninth in the state, while Cook was a fourth seed out of Region 1-AA.
With the victory Cook will now take on the Dodge County Indians Friday night in Eastman. Dodge defeated the Pierce County Bears, 21-7, in a first round game. The Indians went into the state tournament ranked eighth in the Associated Press state Class AA poll.
The winner of the Cook-Dodge game will face the Calhoun-Greater Atlanta Christian victor in the third round.
After rolling over Region 3-AAA co-champion Burke County, 43-12, last week in Waynesboro, the Worth County Rams will be back on the road Friday night in Perry.
The Perry Panthers advanced after a 27-7 win over the LaGrange High Grangers Friday. LaGrange entered the state tournament ranked ninth in Class AAA.
Awaiting the Worth-Perry winner will be the North Hall-Sandy Creek victor in the third round.