Quarterback Mac Turner (8) attempts a pass against Valdosta last week. Turner’s first start was eased tremendously by both the work of Tift County’s defense and offensive line.

TIFTON — Tift County and Worth County know each other well on the gridiron.

Almost as soon as Sylvester — then known as McPhaul Institute — started up football in 1920, Tifton was part of it. Through various name changes, McPhaul, Sylvester, Worth County, Tifton, Tift County, they have been by each other’s side often: 44 games in 99 seasons. The only schools Tifton and Tift have played more are Valdosta and Moultrie and Colquitt County.

The two have not seen each other since 2013, but are back together again tonight, when the Blue Devils (1-1) go to Sylvester and Milt Miller Stadium to play the Rams (0-2) at 7:30 p.m.

Tift head coach Ashley Anders likes this neighborhood rivalry.

“Tift and Worth have a lot of history in the past,” he said. “We’d like to continue it.”

The pair are currently teams of two different fortunes.

The Blue Devils went 11-2 last season, made the quarterfinals of the Class AAAAAAA state tournament. After an opening game loss to Warner Robins, Tift rebounded with a dominant 24-10 victory over Valdosta.

On the flip side, there is Worth.

The Rams last won a football game on Nov. 11, 2016, a 35-7 decision over Southeast Bulloch in the first round of the state tournament. Thirteen losses have followed since then with only one, the 2018 opener against Turner County, being by less than 10 points (28-19). Worth has not held an opponent to less than 26 points since October 2016.

Anders does not expect tonight’s contest to be a cakewalk, or even a walk.

He classifies Worth among “the most dangerous teams,” those extra hungry for a win.

“We have to be careful,” he said.

The Rams’ offense is coming around. After averaging just 12.5 points per game in 2017, they have scored 19 and 21 in their first two games. Worth runs a Wing T offense, one built on deception and one Tift County does not face very often.

“It’s not something you see every day,” he said. Anders believes the last time his team faced an opponent who ran it was Camden County in 2016 (Cook, who Tift played last year, runs a single wing).

The Blue Devils are hopeful of carrying over momentum earned against Valdosta, a game where the offensive and defensive gameplans ran to perfection.

Tift’s defense recorded 10 sacks for the game and of the 50 plays run by the Wildcats on offense, 20 went for zero or negative yards. It was the first time Anders can remember a team of his getting so many sacks.

“Never,” he said, adding he could not recall anything more than seven or eight.

The defensive line was responsible for nearly all of the sacks. It was not just them, however, according to Anders.

“Our secondary, our coverage,” he said. Valdosta quarterback Tate Rodemaker rarely saw an open receiver and when he did complete a pass, none went for more than 24 yards.

The defense’s success fed over to the offense and Tift’s offensive line made the most of it with outstanding protection all night. That combination was a boon for quarterback Mac Turner, who made his first ever start.

“It was good for [Turner] to get his feet wet,” said Anders. Thanks to 195 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Mike Jones, Turner only had to attempt 14 passes. He made the most of them, too, setting up the Devils’ first touchdown with an 11-yard pass to Tyler Ajiero for a first down at the Valdosta 38.

Ajiero later blew the game open, running for an 83-yard touchdown out of the wildcat formation to open the third quarter, increasing the score to 17-3. Anders said Ajiero is perhaps the most explosive player in his lineup and that the play, the “Wild Devil” may be used again.

After this short road trip, the Blue Devils return home next week to face Crisp County. The Cougars, 1-1, host Dutchtown tonight.