Derrick Davis | The Valdosta Daily TimesClinch County's Charles McClelland carries the ball against Mount Zion in a Class A-Public semifinal game last Friday at The Boneyard in Homerville.

VALDOSTA — The Panthers’ opponent had yet to fire up the bus to head home following the Class A-Public semifinal game at The Boneyard last Friday when defensive end Tahj Williams turned his attention towards the next adversary.

“Irwin, we’re coming for you,” Williams said from the field at Donald Tison Stadium.

No. 8 Clinch County and No. 4 Irwin County are set to meet in the Class A-Public state championship game Saturday in a 10 a.m. kickoff from Mercedes Benz Stadium — the fifth meeting between the Region 2-A rivals in the past three seasons.

After winning the regular-season contest this season, the Indians lead the all-time series against the Panthers 21-20-1, but a Clinch County victory in the state title game would be more than adequate revenge.

“It just made us real hungry,” said Panthers senior Kebrian Grady. “They won region off that win, basically. So, we’re trying to get revenge and win state off this victory.”

It’s a familiar formula for Clinch, which earned the sixth championship in program history two years ago by accomplishing the same feat.

Following a 28-12 loss in the 2015 regular season to the eventual Region 2-A champion Indians, the Panthers won a rematch in the Georgia Dome 24-7 to claim the ultimate prize.

Clinch can accept a loss in September if it wins in December.

“They’ve always told me, ‘You’ve got to lose the battle to win the war,’” Grady said. “We’re trying to win the war, which is state.”

Part of what has made the Clinch-Irwin rivalry so great is the similarities between the teams.

Both programs play in small communities with dedicated fans and both coaches believe in controlling the game on the ground with physical play.

And, of course, if you play a team five times in three seasons — more than any other two teams in the state during the same span — you also become well acquainted with what they like to do on the field.

“We’re very familiar with each other,” said Clinch head coach Jim Dickerson. “It’s a great rivalry, and that’s why you play the game, for the fun games like this. 

“I think it’s a rivalry with our kids and our community. Football is very important over there in Ocilla, and it’s very important here.”

All it takes is one conversation with a member of Clinch County’s football team to realize how real the rivalry has become.

Charles McClelland’s career record against Irwin County sits at 2-2 through four games, which includes a 173-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Indians in the Georgia Dome two years ago. But the worst game of McClelland’s career against Irwin came earlier this season when he was picked off twice in a game in which Clinch turned the ball over four times.

The Cincinnati recruit knows the Panthers have to limit the mistakes Saturday and just play ball.

“It’s a great rivalry,” McClelland said. “I think they’ve got too much stuff to talk trash about, now you just have to go play.”

Derrick Davis is the sports editor at the Valdosta Daily Times.