Purple Hurricanes visit Berrien

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October 18, 2012

Purple Hurricanes visit Berrien

Becky Taylor CNHI The Tifton Gazette Thu Oct 18, 2012, 08:05 PM EDT

TIFTON — A week after playing the Thomasville Bulldogs, the Berrien Rebels’ schedule will not get any easier tonight. At 7:30 p.m. they face the No. 4 Fitzgerald Purple Hurri- canes in a Region 1-AA contest.

“They’re definitely the best team we play,” said Rebels coach Rob Armstrong.

The determination is not an easy one. Armstrong added that everyone in the Rebels’ region is a top team.

The recent rankings seems to bear this out. Three of Region 1-AA’s seven teams - Brooks County, Fitzgerald and Cook - are ranked in the top five in the latest poll from The Atlanta Journal- Constitution.

The ranking does not bother Armstrong. He said he enjoyed having a crack at one of the state’s top teams.

“I definitely like the challenges.”

Though their record only reads 2-5, Berrien ran into another tough team from the region last week. They rode the bus west to play the Thomasville Bulldogs and ended up on the short end of 35-7.

Armstrong said the game against Thomasville was similar to the one with Early County, one that saw the Rebels hold the game close in the first half, only to lose, 43-19.

“It’s kind of a repeat of the week before.”

The Rebels had a chance to tie the game at 14 just before halftime but were unable to get the ball into the endzone.

He said, “we didn’t play as well in the second half.”

The third and fourth quarters saw Thomasville score 21 unanswered points to give the game its final score.

Fitzgerald had its own second half breakdown against Brooks.

The Canes scored a touchdown midway through the third quarter to give them a 24-14 lead,

but the first blow came on the kickoff. The Trojans’ Deric Herring took the kick the distance to cut the lead to 24-21.

The score would remain the same until just 18 sec- onds on the clock. Fitzger- ald punted down to the 32, but Herring was again the one fielding the kick and he again tore his way through the defense and again ended up in the end- zone, giving Brooks the lead and breaking the Canes’ hearts.

“I credit Coach (Maurice) Freeman and his kids,” said coach Jason Strickland.

Outside of the special teams scores, the Fitzgerald defense was stout in the second half, allowing only 22 yards.

“We left the door open and they were able to run through it,” he said.

Fitzgerald’s recent record against Berrien has been nothing but successful. After posting back-to- back losses to the Rebels in 1994 and 1995, they have won 10 straight games and in convincing fashion.

They have outscored them 394-38 over that span.

“We have to make sure we don’t have a hangover from last Friday,” Strick- land said.

The coach is further concerned with his team, as several players were banged up and as many as six starters could be out with the flu.

Berrien’s offense also worries him, as he said that they have moved the ball against every team they’ve played.

“We just can’t get on a bus and take anyone lightly,” said Strickland.

The Rebels, who will be coming in at 2-4, are off to their best

start since 2009. Under current Tiftarea Academy head coach Ryan Branch, they

posted a 5-5 record. In the two years after, they had identical 1-9 finishes.

Both teams will take to the road next week. Berrien visits Pelham, while Fitzgerald goes to Blakely to play Early County.

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