TIFTON — When the Tift County Blue Devils fell at Lassiter High School in February, they probably never imagined they would see them again.

Tift dropped a 9-0 decision to the Trojans Feb. 15. Two months and 15 games later, they get another shot this evening in Marietta as the state Class AAAAAAA playoffs get started.

“It’s not very often you get a chance to play somebody a second time,” said head coach Bobby Earls.

That’s the wonder of the state tournament.

Tift enters as the No. 4 seed from Region 1, Lassiter the No. 1 from Region 4. The Blue Devils carry a 9-8 record, only sightly different than Lassiter’s 10-6. Both teams enter on a hot streak. The hosts won four of their last five, but dropped their final game to Hillgrove. Tift has taken three of its last four, closing out the regular season with a 3-1 victory over Lee County.

Earls believes his team has come a long way since the loss at Lassiter.

Now, “We have to go out and prove it,” he said.

During the streak, the Devils clobbered Thomas County Central and took its lone region win of the season, which was over Camden County.

Earls said the Colquitt County coaching staff remarked to him that, “Your boys always come on strong at the end.” He agreed with that statement this year. “I like our chances,” he said. He’ll even hint a bit further.

“If the ball bounces our way…,” said Earls. “If we play defense…”

Outside of the earlier Tift score and a rout of Sequoyah, most of Lassiter’s games have been close. Nine of their 16 games have been decided by one goal, four more have been determined by two goals.

Odds are against Tift County, but in this winner-take-all environment, Earls said they have nothing to lose.

Tonight’s victor will play either Campbell or Kennesaw Mountain. Both are Cobb County-based schools.