Holloway too much for Purple Hurricanes

COLUMBUS — he Fitzgerald High Purple Hurricanes could not find an answer for Marquez Holloway and the Carver High Tigers, after falling, 34-21, Friday night in the Class AA state quarterfinals. The Tigers move on to play the Buford Wolves next Friday in the state semifinals. That location will be determined by a coin toss tomorrow morning.

The game got off to the kind of start that the Hurricanes would hope for. Fitzgerald won the opening toss of the game but chose to kick to open the game. Carver failed to cover a short kickoff that went higher than it did long, Carl McCray recovered the ball for the Hurricanes to give them early momentum.

Tolerance Shepherd built on that momentum on the first play from scrimmage, as he took a double-reverse 32 yards for a touchdown. After a false start, Fitzgerald missed the extra-point, giving them a 6-0 lead less than 20 seconds into the game.

After that Holloway took over the half. On Carver’s opening drive he carried the ball 11 times, with his last rush setting the Tigers up on the Fitzgerald one-yardline.

Torrance McGee then took the ball in on a quarterback sneak, and Carver took the lead after nailing its extra-point attempt.

The Hurricanes next drive stalled, and after a short, 10-yard punt, the Tigers started with the ball on their own 48.

After six plays, and the end of the first quarter, the Tigers came back on the field and once again allowed Holloway to carry them on his shoulders. He took the ball to the endzone from 39 yards out to extend the Carver lead to 14-6.

The half would end at that score, thanks to the Fitzgerald defense stopping Carver on a fourth-and-goal from the four with less than a minute left in the first half.

Fitzgerald would not be able to do anything with their first possession of the second half, punting the ball to Carver who would start at the 23.

That would lead to a 17-play, 77-yard drive that would eat up 7:11 off the clock, and would end on an 18-yard touchdown run by Brandon Thomas, putting the Tigers up, 20-6.

The Hurricanes would fight back, scoring in much quicker fashion. Fitzgerald quarterback Kaleb Nobles would hit Kevin Coney on the fifth play of the drive for a 32-yard touchdown pass.

Carver would show they could score quickly, too.

On the first play from scrimmage Holloway would break off a 65-yard run to set the Tigers up with a first-and-goal from the Hurricanes’ five yardline. Three plays later McGee would score his second rushing touchdown of the game.

Carver would extend their lead to 34-13 on their next possession on a play-action touchdown pass to Artimas Samuel on a fourth down play from the Fitzgerald 27.

The Hurricanes would fight back one last time, as Nobles would connect on a 68-yard touchdown pass to Stacy Thrower.

Fittingly, Holloway would recover the onside kick to seal the game for the Tigers.

Holloway would end the game with 252 yards on 38 carries. Shepherd would lead the Hurricanes on the ground, rushing for 100 yards on 13 carries. Nobles would pass for 131 yards on 7-10 passing, including two touchdown passes.

Fitzgerald ends their season with an 11-2 record, highlighted by an 11-game winning streak.

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