Tiftarea started and finished 2015 on a high note, but there weren’t many positives to be discovered in between for head coach Tully Payne’s Panthers.
After opening the season with a convincing 47-13 victory over Georgia Christian, Tiftarea lost eight consecutive contests before edging Terrell Academy in the team’s season finale to finish with a record of 2-8.
Payne and company will certainly be focused more on the future, however, as eight returning starters on both sides of the ball could lead to immediate success in 2016. Led by quarterback Logan Carswell, the Panthers’ solid nucleus of returning talent could spell an early season winning-streak for head coach Tully Payne.
Tiftarea starts the season with contests against the likes of Georgia Christian, Southwest Georgia Academy, and Gatewood, a three-game stretch that will prepare the team for a brutal end to the season. Beginning on September 30, the Panthers will face Brookwood, Deerfield, Westfield and defending state-champion Valwood in consecutive weeks before the state playoffs begin.
In addition to Carswell, running back/linebacker Logan Conger, offensive linemen Caleb Parmer and Will Godwin, and running back Ahmad Mosley will be expected to ensure a repeat of 2015 doesn’t occur. A difficult GISA AAA schedule awaits the Panthers, but Payne expects his team to translate improvements in the weight room during the offseason into wins on the field.
Tiftarea Panthers
Returning Starters Provide Panthers With Consistency Entering ’16
Written by Jacob Dennis
Photo by Tiftarea Academy
