MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — After their game Friday night, Tully Payne told his Tiftarea Academy Panthers, “You did a great job this year, so hold your heads high.”

Tiftarea had just come off a 42-0 road loss to the John Milledge Academy Trojans in the first round of the GISA state football tournament, but Payne was filled with nothing but pride.

“I’m very proud,” he said.

The Panthers trailed by seven after a quarter, 28-0 at the half. John Milledge kept the pressure on the visitors’ defense early with a heavy run game and lots of Noah Lavender.

Lavender, a running back, ran for four touchdowns in the contest and an unofficial 214 yards on 15 carries. He gave the Trojans the initial lead in the game on their first play from scrimmage, when he burst up on the middle on a trap play and ran 54 yards to paydirt. His other scoring runs would cover 29, 24 and 36 yards.

Tiftarea took the ball first in the contest and made good progress in its opening drive after taking the ball on its own 20. Logan Carswell converted fourth down and a single yard with a two-yard run and on the next play Spence Massey ran for nine more to the 40.

The progress ended there, however, when they were thrown for a loss on a run and Carswell lost four yards covering a fumble. John Milledge took the punt on its own 46 and wasted no time getting points on the scoreboard with Lavender’s run at 7:41.

The run would be the Trojans’ only points of the frame. Tiftarea drove down to the 44 on its next drive, with Carswell getting a major chunk of yardage when he ran for 28 yards on a keeper. John Milledge took a short punt but kept the ball only two plays as Bo Cunningham landed on a Cole Wilson fumble at the Trojan 39. Tiftarea could not pick up a first down, though and kicked down to the nine.

John Milledge would then go on its longest drive, one that spanned 91 yards and 10 plays and put momentum firmly on its side. Wilson, Lavender and quarterback Trevor Evans all ripped runs of 10 yards or more before Lavender finished it with a 29-yarder at 11:18 in the second period.

Riley Denton, who was perfect on all six extra point kicks, split the uprights and John Milledge had a 14-0 lead.

The Trojans used a short field on its next drive to score, Evans throwing 16 yards to Ford Roberts. Its defense got them a short field for its last score of the half. Cole Miller jumped on a Carswell fumble at the 33 and three players later Lavender ran it in from the 24 with only 44 seconds left on the clock.

Carswell guided the Panthers on a quick drive at the end of the half, one which saw them go from its own 35 down to the Milledge 24. He completed two passes and picked up 18 yards on a scramble before getting out of bounds with one second left. McKinley Morehead came out for a 41-yard field goal attempt, but the Trojans would block it.

In the third quarter, Evans connected with Roberts again for a touchdown, this one from seven yards out. Later in the period, Lavender added his fourth touchdown on a 36-yard run.

Tiftarea spent the last five minutes of the third quarter and into the fourth on its longest sustained drive in amount of plays, but it ended after 15 plays and 47 yards when Carswell was picked off by Cody Rogers.

Jalen Mosely returned the favor three snaps later with an interception, but John Milledge grabbed one more turnover, a fumble recovery by Kaleb Brown.

Carswell finished as Tiftarea’s leading ground-gainer with 65 yards on 16 tries and completed eight of 17 passes for 33 yards. Massey had 48 yards on 11 rushing attempts before departing in the third quarter with an injury. Render Robbins had five catches.

Besides Lavender’s huge night, 11 John Milledge players had an opportunity to run with the football. Evans was its second highest rusher with 21 yards.

Evans threw for just 42 yards, but completed four of seven attempts for two touchdowns. Roberts caught two passes for 23 yards.

Payne said that his squad never gave up. “That’s been the group’s m.o. the whole way through.”

This was Tiftaea’s first playoffs appearance in two years. He told his seniors after the game that “You set the ball rolling for these [younger] guys. Thank you.”

Tiftarea ends the season with a 5-6 record. John Milledge advances to the quarterfinals and will host Pinewood Christian, a 56-7 winner over Trinity Christian (Sharpsburg).