The Liberty County Panthers are where they want to be – even if it isn’t exactly where they want to be.

The Panthers, 7-3, are in the Class AAA state football playoffs for the first time since 2022, having just missed getting into the postseason a year ago.

Like 2022, the Panthers will open the playoffs on the road, this time at Cairo, taking on the 8-2 Syrupmakers at West Thomas Stadium.

“That was our number one goal, to make the state playoffs,” Panthers coach Tony Glazer said. “They put the work and the preparation in to get us to an 11th game. Now it’s up to us to keep working as hard as we can to get us a 12th game.”

After losing the last two regular season games, including the finale at Calvary Day, Glazer and his staff wanted to encourage their players after breaking down the game film from the Cavaliers matchup.

“We told them after the Calvary Day film that there would be 32 teams in AAA practicing football Monday and that we were one of them,” he said. “They should be proud of that moment.”

Cairo has reeled off eight straight wins after dropping its first two games of the season, a pair of rivalry matchups against Thomasville and Thomas County Central, both also in the state playoffs.

The Syrupmakers, under third-year coach David Coleman, are in the state playoffs for the 23rd straight season. They won the Class AAA title in 2008 and in 1990.

“We’re playing a team with a very rich tradition,” Glazer said. “They run a really good program. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. Our kids are looking forward to that. We want to embrace the moment, but we want to live in the moment and play the football we think we can play.”

Bryian Duncan scored five touchdowns in the Syrupmakers’ 38-31 win over Peach County, including two on special teams. He ran a punt back 70 yards for a score and took a blocked field goal back 78 yards for another touchdown. Duncan, a running back, caught four passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

“He is very dynamic,” Glazer said. “He is one of the best running backs in Georgia.”

The Syrupmakers also will move Duncan around on offense, moving him to a slot position on occasion and also use him in Wildcat formations.

“We have to know where he is,” Glazer said.

In a 22-14 win over Westover that gave Cairo the Region 1-AAA title, Bryce Puckett threw for 177 yards and a score – and the Syrupmakers also got another score on special teams, Justyn Teal’s kickoff return.

The Syrupmakers won their first region title in seven years, going 6-0 in the region. Behind Teal and Duncan, the Syrupmakers have been a run-heavy team, averaging more than 210 yards per game on the ground going into their last two regular-season games.

The Panthers struggled on offense in their last two games, an 18-7 loss to Beach and a 41-0 loss at the hands of Calvary Day, ranked No. 4 in the GHSA private schools bracket. 

Senior running back Elijah Brown leads the Panthers with 1,257 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 7 yards per carry. Sophomore quarterback Jaier Roberts has thrown for 1,038 yards and six TDs. Junior Aaron Brown tops Liberty with 35 catches for 439 yards and three touchdowns.

Liberty’s defense has held opponents to under 10 points in a game four times. Senior linebacker Tyrese Alexis tops the team with 85 tackles, and junior David Bacon has a team-best 10 tackles for loss. The Panthers have 58 tackles for loss as a team, and senior Montavius Johnson leads Liberty with 4.5 sacks.

The Panthers also have forced 17 turnovers.

The GHSA’s scheduling gave all playoff teams a week off between the end of the regular season. That gave the Panthers a chance to get an in-depth look on video of the Syrupmakers – and vice versa. It also helped the Panthers catch up after a tough two-week stretch to end the regular season.

“We had a couple of guys who weren’t able to play against Calvary,” Glazer said, “so having that bye week, we should have everybody back. We should be full strength. That definitely helped out.”

The drive to Cairo will be more than three-and-a-half hours, and Glazer is planning on a couple of stops along the way. He also plans to get the team to the Syrup City in time for a walkthrough at West Thomas Stadium.

Cairo is seeded No. 8 in the GHSA’s playoff bracket, and the Panthers are No. 25. The winner of this game takes on the winner of the No. 24 Westover vs. No. 9 Troup County game.