Tiftarea Academy football wraps first half of summer activities
Jul. 6—ademy head coach Erik Soliday figures his football team is halfway through the summer. Like all high school football teams in Georgia, the Panthers are off this week, a period referred to as "dead week." They'll be back on the field for the second full week of July. Then, it is not long until the 2022 season opens.
It's been a good summer for the Panthers, who have advanced to the state final four the past four seasons, but it one of change and not just because of graduation.
This will be a GIAA season, following the GISA's athletics rebranding last year. It will also be a bit different in Region 3-AAA, which, for starters, is now District 3-AAA. Tiftarea will see Brookwood, Valwood and Southland Academy as usual, but they are in for a bit more. Deerfield-Windsor returns after a two-year rendezvous with the GHSA and Terrell Academy is moving up from Class AA. The Eagles were state runners-up in 2021.
"We've got a lot of work done," said Soliday about these early practices. "I've been really pleased with the way the kids have been working."
Not content with only seeing themselves, the Panthers have had workouts with other teams, mostly from around the area. Soliday said they had played against Schley County, Irwin County, Berrien and Clinch County. "It's been good for us," he said. Soliday likes working out with a variety of schools, public and private. More activities are planned for after the break.
One public school is on Tiftarea's 2022 slate: Wilcox County. This will be the first time they play the Patriots, who will come to Chula. Wilcox was a semifinalist in Class A public in 2021 and finished the season ranked in the top eight.
"We know they're going to be a handful, but I think everybody's a handful," said Soliday. Besides the loaded Terrell on the schedule, which is benefiting from an overflow of talent in its area, Central Fellowship won its GAPPS title and Westfield made the GISA AAA semifinals a year ago. He's also heard good things about Deerfield-Windsor.
One of the biggest priorities for the Panthers is to name a quarterback. The position had been rock solid for years under Dylan Harbort, but he's now a college student. Cubbie Crosson and John Robert (J.R.) Walker have been working out under center. "They're both doing a really good job there," he said.
Kameron Brown is stepping into the running back position. Matthew Malone, Justin Moore and John Jackson have been solid receivers. Soliday's been really impressed with Jackson over the summer.
"We have some guys we think can make some plays for us," he said.
Like the players, the staff has shifted as well. Charles Truitt departed to take the head coaching role at Randolph-Clay. Truitt had been longtime head coach at Monroe in Albany before arriving at Tiftarea in 2021. Edd Cunningham has found a new venture as well.
Soliday does have a staff newcomer who, like Truitt, will bring a wealth of coaching knowledge from many years leading other schools. Mark Ledford was Crisp County's head baseball coach this spring, but had a very successful run at Wilcox County before spending a few seasons assisting Tift County football and coaching track.
