FITZGERALD - In a battle that resembled more of a wild west shootout, than a football game, the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes finally made a key stop against the Swainsboro High Tigers. That one stop helped give the Canes a 64-36 win.

The win gives Fitzgerald a 12-0 record, and will help the Hurricanes advance to the state quarterfinals next week. Swainsboro ends the year with a 10-2 record.

In the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes had just went up by a 43-36 score, when Fitzgerald forced a rare Swainsboro punt. Malcolm Eady punted , and shanked the kick. That gave the Hurricanes the ball on the Swainsboro 33. Three plays later, Latravious Stewart ran the ball in for a 25-yard touchdown.

Then on Swainsboro’s next offensive play, Eady fumbled the ball on his 17. One of the few miscues on the night for Swainsboro quarterback.

On the next play, Kaleb Nobles hit Stephon Smalls on a 17-yard touchdown pass. The kick failed, but what had been a 1-point game just minutes before was now a 21-point Fitzgerald advantage with 3:50 left in the game, 57--36.

Swainsboro tried a late drive for more points, but after a pair of sacks by Stewart and Khiry Gaskins put the Tigers out of scoring range.

Fitzgerald got the ball back on downs and Nobles went 55 yards for the final touchdown on the night.

The game got off to a quick start as Swainsboro’s Lynquez Blair returned the opening kickoff 40 yards to the 50.

Eady would later break off a 32-yard run. That set up a 2-yard touchdown pass from Eady to Antonio Thomas. After the point after by Owen Bailey, the score was 7-0 just 2:03 into the game.

A strong play on the next kickoff by Swainsboro put Fitzgerald on their own 12. That was not a deterrent as just two plays into the drive Trenton Pruitt went 70 yards up the middle. Then just four plays later Nobles broke through the middle for a 3-yard touchdown run.

Swainsboro was offsides on the point after attempt, so Fitzgerald went for the two-point conversion. That play was successful as Pruitt scored on a run to make the score 8-7.

The Fitzgerald defense forced a Swainsboro punt, and the Purple Hurricanes went eight plays and 68 yards for another score. This touchdown came on a one-yard run by Nick Williams. The point after byf Paul Gallegos made the score , 15-7, with 58 seconds left in the first quarter.

On the Tigers’ next drive, Swainsboro drove down to the Fitzgerald 37. However, the Purple Hurricane held on downs and got the ball back.

Five plays later, Nobles hit Pruitt on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 9:19 left in the second quarter. The big play in the drive was a Nobles’ 26-yard pass to Stewart.

Swainsboro was again offsides on the point after attempt. Fitzgerald was again successful on the two-point try as Williams scored to make the score 23-7.

On Swainsboro’s first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff, Eady hit Blair on a 52-yard pass.

However, Fitzgerald again held on downs, getting the ball back on their own 32-yard line after a sack of Eady by Deon Smalls.

The Tigers quickly got the ball back on an interception of a Nobles pass by Timothy Tarver .

After a pass interference penalty against Fitzgerald, Eady hit Blair on a 11-yard pass to the Fitzgerald 9. On the next play, Eady ran the ball in for the touchdown. Bailey’s point after made the score, 23-14 with 5:20 left in the first half.

Swainsboro would get the ball back after Shaquille Cowart recovered a Williams fumble on the Tiger 16.

The Tigers would take advantage driving 84 yards on 10 plays for the touchdown. That score came on a 10-yard pass from Eady to Blair.

The big play on the drive was a 18-yard pass from Eady to Zach Jones, that saw a roughing the passer penalty added for a combined 33-yard pickup.

Bailey’s point after made the score 23-21 at the half.

At the half, Pruitt had 89 yard rushing, and 39 yards receiving for the Hurricanes. On the other side of the field, Eady had 64 yards rushing, and 130 yards passing.

Defensive adjustments were made at the half, as both teams forced punts to begin the second half.

That scoring “drought” ended on Fitzgerald’s next possession as Nobles hit Pruitt on a pretty 41-yard touchdown pass. Gallego’s point after made the score, 30-21, with 5:18 left in the third.

Propelled by a 30-yard pass from Eady to Blair, the Swainsboro offense also began to move the ball again on its next possession . Three plays later, Eady scored from 18 yards out. Bailey’s point after made the score, 30-28, with 2:18 left in the third.

The scoring barrage continued on Fitzgerald’s next drive. That 10 play,74 yard affair ended on a 6-yard scoring run by Stewart. Gallegos ‘ point after made the score, 37-28 , with 10:14 left in the game.

That touchdown was quickly answered as Eady would hit Blair on a 64-yard touchdown pass on the very next offensive play. Eady ran the ball in for two, and the score was 37-36 with 10:04 left in the game.

Of course Fitzgerald would come back to answer that touchdown as Tevin Stewart-Gaulden would score on a 23-yard touchdown run down the left sideline. Gallegos’ point after made the score , 44-36, with 7:17 left.

The next Swainsboro drive was the one where Fitzgerald finally made the stop that sealed the win.

The Purple Hurricanes ended with 556 yards of total of offense.

Nobles was 10-for-13 passing for 173 yards. Pruitt had six catches for 75 yards, and nine rushes for 66 yards. Williams added 115 yards rushing on 17 carries.

Eady had 111 yards rushing on 24 carries. He also completed 12-of-21 passes for 235 yards. Swainsboro had 399 yards of total offense.