TIFTON — Scrimmage time has ended and Monday Tiftarea Academy hits the softball field for a game that counts.

The Lady Panthers and head coach Joe Barkman take on visiting Terrell Academy for a 5 p.m. contest. It is the first of a tough opening week for Tiftarea, which will take on Deerfield-Windsor in Chula Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m.

Tiftarea qualified for state last year in Class AAA, but a new season sees the Lady Panthers in a new region (4-AAA, from 3-AAA) and with some changes to the varsity roster.

When Barkman said this team is young, he means it.

The Lady Panthers have one senior, Olivia Hancock, and she is currently out with an injury, though Barkman hopes to have her back soon. Currently, his main players are two juniors, two sophomores, three freshmen and three eighth graders.

Such inexperience might seem like an obstacle, but Barkman is loving it.

“I’m excited about this group,” he said. He especially loves how the players are growing together — “the unity they’re forming.”

“The older girls are taking the lead,” Barkman said. And everyone is talking to each other.

Eighth graders include Ali Strenth, Elli Bryan, Grace Odom and Caroline Heard. Heard will be bouncing back and forth between the varsity and middle school squads. Madi Hartsfield, Anslee Jones and Laura Ann Jones help make up the freshmen (“Great ballplayers,” Barkman said.) With the sophomore class are McKenna McCard, Sara Beth Royal, Sidney Wisham and Morgan McKay. Wisham is out with an injury at the moment.

Sara-Kate Lupo and McCard will handle pitching duties. Lupo, who is only a junior, already has four years of experience in the circle. The pitching duo, as well as Hancock, were all named All-Region in 2017.

The Lady Panthers took on Irwin County in a scrimmage last week, which ended in a loss. Tiftarea had the lead after a three-run fourth inning, but watched Irwin score nine times over the last five innings.

Tiftarea out-hit Irwin, 10-8, McKay leading with three. Lupo drove in three runs.

Errors were a factor, but Barkman is not too worried.

“Mental errors you can fix,” he said. Barkman does expect his team to pick up quickly, though. He said he told them, “The youngness is over. Now it’s time to get better.”

The Georgia Independent School Association switched Tiftarea from 3-AAA to 4-AAA this year for softball. No other sport is affected by the change, but it has meant the locals will have to get acquainted to not only different schools, but longer travel times.

The only other teams in Region 4 are Westfield, located in Perry, and John Milledge Academy, a two-hour drive away in Milledgeville. Westfield finished as state champion in 2017. John Milledge was a semifinalist.

Tiftarea’s schedule will remain familiar, however. Barkman said he is playing all of Region 3 — Valwood, Brookwood, Deerfield-Windsor and Southland Academy. Region 4 games will start in September.

“By the time we get there,” said Barkman, “we should be well on our way.”

Other opponents are Fullington Academy, Citizens Christian Academy, Terrell Academy, Westwood and Berrien. The Berrien game depends on the health of the Lady Panthers. Since Berrien is a Georgia High School Association team, Tiftarea cannot use eighth graders and Barkman wants to be sure he has enough players.