The Georgiana Panthers are on a roll in the second half of the season, winning their last three games in a row as the season — and the Panthers’ chance for a playoff bid — wind down.

And despite the progress the Panthers have made in the home stretch, Georgiana head coach Ezell Powell is not one to settle into complacency.

“We’re happy to be where we are, but we still know there’s work to be done,” Powell said.

“So we’re still going out to work every day, trying to get a little bit better at what we do.  We know the severity of the game on Friday night, so we’re just trying to take it a day at a time and keep getting better.”

Friday night’s battle with Kinston is poised to be the toughest match the Panthers have faced since the rough mid-season stretch that included McKenzie, Geneva County and Brantley.

“They are a solid, hard-nosed, physical-playing football team,” Powell said. “The guys understand that in order for us to have a chance, we’ve got to be able to match their physicality and get some stops on defense.  And when we do get stops, we’ve got to do our best to put the ball in the end zone to stay on pace with them and hopefully hold them off and win the ballgame.”

The Panthers control their own destiny as far as the playoff picture is concerned, but the road ahead is a steep one.

If the Panthers can beat Kinston and Florala in the coming weeks, they’ll play themselves right into the playoffs as No. 4 seed.

“It’s easier said than done,” Powell said. “Kinston is a good football team.  They’ve got to win just like we do in order to fill up a spot because they’ve lost to McKenzie and Brantley also.”

Georgiana and Kinston will face off at 7 p.m. Friday at Kinston.