TIFTON — One Tiftarea Academy football player was named All-State by the Georgia Independent School Association and six were named to the All-Region team for 3-AAA.

Spence Massey was selected to the All-State team as a running back. This is his second selection to the squad. A junior, Massey was named All-State in 2016 as a sophomore.

Massey rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season, scoring more than 20 rushing, receiving and defensive touchdowns. His biggest game was against Westfield, where he accumulated six touchdowns. Earlier in the season, versus Creekside Christian, he ran for one score, caught two more from Logan Crosson and solidified the win with an 83-yard interception touchdown.

The six Tiftarea All-Region picks were Massey, Dalton Jones, Casen Royal, Michael Garvey, Reese Speight and Jackson Lee.

Jones and Royal were among Tiftarea’s best receivers and Royal had an interception touchdown against Terrell Academy.

Garvey, mostly known as a force on the offensive and defensive lines, also contributed a rushing touchdown in a win against Southwest Georgia Academy. Speight was also a lineman for the Panthers.

Lee spent much time as a running back. He had two rushing touchdowns against Robert Toombs Christian Academy and later picked up big yardage, including a score, against Deerfield-Windsor.

For all but Massey, this was their first selections to the All-Region team. Massey was also picked in 2016.

Tiftarea finished 6-5 in 2017, advancing to the first round of the GISA Class AAA state football playoffs. During the year, the Panthers defeated the Class AA runners-up, Robert Toombs Christian Academy.