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Liberty Co. game is Thursday
Panthers on road at Statesboro High
LibertyStatesboro
Panther Cory Lazenby (43) notched eight tackles against Glenn Hills Friday. The Panthers will play tomorrow at Statesboro and would like to see a big turnout of fans. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. - photo by Patty Leon

Liberty County High School’s game at No. 5-ranked Statesboro has been moved up to Thursday night. Kick off also was moved up to 7 p.m. to accommodate playing on a school night. The game is the Region 3A-AAAA opener for both teams. Both the Blue Devils and Panthers are 5-1.   “We can’t make any mistakes against a team like Statesboro,” Panthers coach Kirk Warner said. “We know what they’ve got, we know what they bring and we just have to be ready for them.”

Liberty leads the Blue Devils in rushing yards, 226 per game to their 110. The Blue Devils average 26 points per game to the Panthers’ 28.5. The Panthers have scored 171 points to date and the Blue Devils have put up 165. “This will be by far the toughest team we have played all season to this point,” Panthers offensive coordinator Ryan Glazer said. “If we come out and play with intensity and limit our mistakes on offense, we can be successful like we have been the last four games.”

Glazer added that the Blue Devils’ defense is fundamentally sound.
“They don’t really have any weaknesses and are coached very well,” Glazer said. “We have to be creative and aggressive on offense.”

The Panthers have been aggressive on defense. Against Glenn Hills Friday, Raekwon McMillan, Greg Roman, DJ Bratcher and Rashawn Harris each intercepted a pass. Taishon Walls notched a sack and McMillan and Cory Lazenby led in tackles with nine and eight, respectively.
The defense held the Spartans to 27 passing yards and 61 rushing while the Panther offense posted 297 yards on the ground, led by Trentice Williams who rushed for 118 yards on seven carries.

Liberty County hopes its fans wear black and make the trip to Womack Field in Statesboro to support the Panthers. “I like playing at Statesboro because of the football atmosphere they have there,” Glazer said. “From the stadium, their student section and fans, to playing against a top program in the state like Statesboro. It is a good measure to see where we are at as a team this season.”
Statesboro High School’s football stadium is at 10 Lester Road in Statesboro. Admission is $7.



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