TIFTON — In a battle of state-ranked teams, the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes football team came within 10 yards of suffering its first loss of the season Friday but overcame a tough Early County Bobcats team to win 24-21.
Fitzgerald entered the game ranked third in this week’s Associated Press Class AA state poll, while Early came in ranked fourth.
Fitzgerald looked to be cruising early in the game as the Canes scored twice in the opening quarter on a 7-yard run by Trenton Pruitt and a 25-yard run by Nick Williams. Paired with extra points by Mauro Meza, the Hurricanes led 14-0 at the end of the opening quarter.
Early began to answer as the second quarter began. Michael Perry found Dionos Bryants for a 33-yard scoring pass to put the Bobcats on the board. The kick failed and Fitzgerald led 14-6 with 10:52 left in the half.
Fitzgerald got a passing score of its own when Brad Taylor hit R.J. Davis on a 43-yarder. Meza’s kick extended the Canes’ lead to 21-6 with 7:39 left in the first half.
Perry answered with another scoring pass — this time a 26-yarder to Shawn Williams — and then the Early quarterback added a two-point run to make the score 21-14 with 3:49 left in the second quarter.
Meza booted a 23-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the half to give Fitzgerald a comfortable 24-14 lead before halftime.
The usually potent Hurricanes offense quieted in the second half though. The only score of the half came on a 6-yard run by Perry with 1:06 left in the third quarter. The extra point made the score 24-21.
The close game came down to the final minutes. After a Fitzgerald turnover, Early got the ball and drove down inside the Canes’ 10-yard line. However, Perry was picked off by Fitzgerald’s Malcolm Lundy, and the Canes ran the clock out to win.
Perry had a phenomenal game for Early despite three interceptions. He ran for all but 4 of the teams 124 yards on the ground and completed 15-of-31 passes for 204 yards.
Nick Williams led Fitzgerald with 83 yards rushing on nine carries. Larry King had 71 yards on seven attempts. Jemea Thomas had 35 yards on nine carries.
Taylor was 4-of-11 passing for 68 yards with no interceptions. Davis caught two passes for 45 yards. Lundy caught one pass for 12 yards, and Pruitt had 11 yards on one catch.
Fitzgerald had 207 yards rushing on 35 carries, and 275 yards overall.
In another Region 1-AA contest, the Randolph-Clay Red Devils edged the Berrien High Rebels, 19-7, in Nashville.
Berrien’s touchdown came on a T.J. Miller 20-yard run. Caleb Matthews added the point after.
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Fitzgerald wins nail-biter, 24-21
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