Riley Martin/Special to the Times-EnterpriseCairo’s Matthew Peters throws a pass against Bainbridge last week.

CAIRO — Cairo’s football team has spent its last three games trying to find its identity.

If the Syrupmakers haven’t figured it out yet, they certainly will get a good idea this week. They’ll begin their quest to defend their Region 1-4A championship tonight, as they will host Hardaway at West Thomas Stadium.

As the region opener, the game could set a tone for success down the line. The final implications the matchup has in the standings won’t be known for some time, but that’s all the more reason to place significance on it.

“It’s the most important game of the year as far as the region (goes),” Cairo coach Steve DeVoursney said. “It could be for fourth place or to get in the playoffs.”

Last year, the Syrupmakers (1-2) were dominant against the Hawks, cruising to a 46-13 win. Hardaway (1-2) still finished 2016 with its first winning season in eight years.

This year’s matchup between the two could be quite different. Cairo has dealt with a ton of roster turnover while Hardaway returns a lot of key starters. 

The offense will be the main threat Cairo has to watch out for. The Hawks are led by senior running back Marco Lee, who has 389 yards rushing with a score so far this season. Quarterback Dominique Ford has thrown four touchdowns so far. Senior Jakhari Thomas leads a strong receiving corps with 110 yards and two scores.

Coming off a game where Bainbridge’s Division I running back got the best of them, Cairo’s defense is determined to bounce back at just the right time.

“I hope they get a lot better this game than they were last game,” DeVoursney said. “We have to do a better job tackling, obviously. That’s gonna be big for us.”

Sophomore quarterback Matthew Peters showed some growing pains for Cairo against Bainbridge, but still flashed some potential by leading a quick touchdown drive as the clock ran down before halftime. Jackson Hand, who was injured last week, is now healthy and will rotate with Peters, according to DeVoursney.

Cairo was able to achieve a perfect 7-0 record in its region last year. While that probably won’t be in the cards for this season, the Syrupmakers still have a chance to place well in the standings. That goal starts tonight against a tough opponent.

“They’ve got a chance to be a playoff team,” DeVoursney said. “They’re that good. They’re athletic. It’s gonna be a tough one for sure.”