FITZGERALD — Playing in the state Class AA football quarterfinals Friday night, Fitzgerald High ran up 339 yards of offense, and held off a late charge to defeat Callaway, 35-21, at Jaycee Stadium.
With the win, the Hurricanes will host the defending state champions, the Buford High Wolves, Friday night in the Class AA semifinals.
Buford defeated Cook High 26-0 at home Friday to advance. The Wolves defeated the Purple Hurricanes by a 44-21 score in the state semifinal in 2008 at Tom Riden Field in Buford.
“That was a huge win for us. That was a complete team effort,” Fitzgerald coach Robby Pruitt said after the game.
After a 34-yard touchdown run by fullback Nick Williams gave the Hurricane a 35-14 lead, Callaway came right back with a nine-play, 66 yard drive that ended with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Quan Bray to D.J. Rutledge. The PAT was good and Fitzgerald’s lead was 35-21 with five minutes left in the game.
The Cavaliers then recovered the onside kick, and moved down the field behind the arm and legs of Bray. Fitzgerald’s defense stood tall, and kept Callaway from penetrating into the Hurricane redzone. Fitzgerald then got a key sack of Bray on fourth down, and were able to run the clock out from there.
On their first possession, Fitzgerald went 66 yards on a nine-play drive that was capped off by a Kaleb Nobles to R.J. Davis touchdown pass from 21 yards out. Paul Gallegos’ PAT gave the Hurricane an early 7-0 lead with 6:22 remaining in the first quarter.
After a Callaway punt, Fitzgerald marched 54 yards on 10 plays. Trenton Pruitt took a handoff in from the 6-yard line. The drive was extended after a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on the Cavaliers on a fourth down play. This moved the ball down to the Callaway 15 yard line. Pruitt would then score four plays later.
The Hurricanes forced another punt and took over at their own 16-yard line with 6:24 remaining in the second quarter. Pruitt broke off an 18-yard run and Nobles found Pruitt three times on the drive for 44 yards. The final completion to Pruitt went for an 18-yard touchdown to give Fitzgerald a 21-0 lead with 1:18 remaining in the half.
Callaway answered after a kickoff return by Quantavius Leslie put the ball near midfield. On a third down play, Bray found Leslie streaking down the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the lead to 21-7, with just over 30 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Cavaliers surprised Fitzgerald with an onside kick, as Rutledge recovered the kick on the Hurricane 34-yard line. A 36-yard field goal try by Josh Ham was partially blocked to give the Hurricane a two touchdown lead at the half.
Fitzgerald would build that lead when Latravious Stewart scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to put Fitzgerald up 28-7, but the Cavaliers responded on the ensuing drive, as Bray scored on a 65-yard touchdown run. Ham’s PAT left Fitzgerald with a 28-14 lead with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter.
“They (Callaway) have size, speed and the play hard. My hat goes off to coach (Pete) Wiggins. His kids never quit,” Pruitt said.
Trenton Pruitt ended the night with 58 yards rushing and 58 yards receiving. He had two total touchdowns on the night. Williams added 88 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown, and Stewart had 58 yards on seven attempts and a touchdown. Stewart also had two receptions for 30 yards.
Nobles completed nine passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns on the night.
Bray led Callaway with 98 yards rushing and 176 yards passing. Marquis Terrell, who had over 1,600 yards on the season, was held to 11 yards on only five attempts. The Cavaliers had 306 yards of total offense.
Fitzgerald improves to 13-0, while Callaway ends the season 10-3
Local Sports
Hurricanes advance with 35-21 win
- Local Sports
-
-
Former Blue Devil hopes to be picked in MLB draft
In less than two weeks, from June 4-6, Major League Baseball will be holding its 2012 draft, fulfilling the dreams of several athletes who have worked for that moment most of their lives.
-
Mesoraco’s slam sends Reds over Braves 6-3
Rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco capped a series full of homers with his first career grand slam on Thursday night, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
The Reds completed their first four-game sweep of the Braves in Cincinnati since 1980 at Riverfront Stadium. They’ve won six straight, their longest winning streak since August 2010 when they started their push toward the NL Central title. -
Williams’ annual basketball camp coming up
The annual “Bouncing Through the Community with a Vision Fundamental Basketball Clinic" will be held June 23 at at the Tift County High Arena.
-
Barrentine does well on junior rodeo circuit
Brady Barrentine competed this past weekend in the Southern Junior Rodeo Finals in Ocala, Fla. This was his first year competing in the SJRA's rodeo season. He competed all year long in the breakaway roping, tie-down calf roping, team roping, ribbon roping and chute dogging.
- Local athletes compete in Special Olympics Georgia
- Purple Hurricanes wind up spring practice, hold spring game
-
Blazers win NCAA Division II national softball title
The Valdosta State Blazers are the 2012 NCAA Division II Softball National Champions after an impressive 4-1 victory over defending champion UC San Diego. The championship is Valdosta State’s sixth overall championship and first in softball. The win also marks the first softball national championship for the Gulf South Conference.
-
Blazers advance to final day of the season
-
Beachy throws shutout, Braves beat Marlins 7-0
Brandon Beachy threw a five-hit shutout, the first of his career, to improve the major leagues’ lowest ERA and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 7-0 on Thursday night.
-
Courtney Albritton named All-American
Albritton took VSU and the entire Gulf South Conference by storm in just her freshman season. She was named the GSC's Freshman and Player of the Year while leading the conference in most categories. She is first on the VSU squad in runs scored (68), hits (91), doubles (19), triples (3), home runs (15), RBI (58), slugging percentage (.752) and stolen bases (13-13). - More Local Sports Headlines
-
