Blazing Dragons next obstacle for Fitz Purple Hurricanes

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Fitzgerald halfback Ron Swain (12) stretches for extra yardage against Northeast in the opening round of the playoffs. Eddie Senkbeil/sgasports.net

November 29, 2012

Blazing Dragons next obstacle for Fitz Purple Hurricanes

Becky Taylor CNHI The Tifton Gazette Thu Nov 29, 2012, 07:19 PM EST

TIFTON — If the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes had a television show based on their season, it would be The Jeffersons and they hope to be movin’ on up after Friday night.

They started the year at Jefferson County and this Friday they head to Jefferson for the state quarterfinals.

Despite the similar names and somewhat close proximity to one another, the two are quite different. The Jefferson County Warriors are from Louisville. This week’s opposition, the Jefferson Dragons, hail from Jackson County, just a few miles northwest of Athens.

Jefferson comes in 11-1. After losing their season opener to longtime in-county rival Commerce, they have rattled off 11 straight. With the exception of a six-point victory over North Hall, all of these have come by margins of 22 points or more.

“We’ll have to play well,” said Canes head coach Jason Strickland.

Like Fitzgerald, Jefferson got off to a slow start last week. Westminster had a 7-0 lead before the Dragons roared back, scoring 35 consecutive points and shutting out their opposition the rest of the way. Vidalia raced out to a 14-6 lead in the second quarter before Fitzgerald overtook them, winning by a final of 52-20.

The victory bolstered their record to 10-2, their only losses to Monroe and Brooks County. The former lost to Burke County in the second round of the Class AAAA playoffs last week, the latter, one of Fitzgerald’s Region 1-AA mates, plays at Calhoun tonight in the quarterfinals.

The Dragons’ offense was led by quarterback Bryant Shirreffs, who rushed for 248 yards and threw for 88 more, accounting for four total touchdowns. His big game against the Wildcats brought his season rushing total to over 1000 yards. Through the air, he has accounted for about 1,800 more and 16 scores.

Strickland is impressed by what he has seen on film. “He’s a legitimate Division 1 guy at the quarterback position. He’s possibly the best we’ve seen.” He said that Shirreffs was excellent at seizing opportunities.

In addition to being an outstanding team, they also have an outstanding coach, T. McFerrin.

“He’s one of the coaching legends in the state,” Strickland said.

McFerrin has racked up over 300 wins in his legendary career, which has seen him win a state championship with Elbert County in 1995 and runner-up crowns with Lithonia in 1969 and Peachtree in 1982. He has also made stops at Forest Park, Southeast Whitfield, Tucker and South Gwinnett before arriving in Jefferson. In 34 years at the helm, he has only had two losing seasons and 17 of his teams have reached double digits in wins.

None of McFerrin’s squads have ever faced Fitzgerald, but that matters little, according to Strickland.

“There isn’t anything we do on offense or defense that he hasn’t seen.”

The Canes’ coach also has no doubt that Jefferson will be thoroughly prepared. “He’ll cover all the bases and leave no stone unturned,” he said.

Fitzgerald will also be combating Mother Nature. Temperatures in Jefferson are expected to be in the mid-40’s, a bit cooler than what the mercury would be in south Georgia. Strickland said he was willing to deal with a nip in the air in exchange for the game’s implications. “Of course, we’d like some 80 degree weather,” he said “but as long as they let us play.”

While the Dragons, originally known as the Mud Turtles, have enjoyed a successful history — they have been to the postseason 12 of the past 13 years — they are in relatively unfamiliar territory. The last time they have advanced further than the second round was in 1977 when Lincoln County defeated them in the final Class B championship (B was eliminated and Class AAAA was added in 1978). Two years earlier, Irwin County did the same to Jefferson in the Class A finals.

A win for the Canes would put them in the semifinals. They have advanced as far four times during their 13-year run in the playoffs. The first time, 2000, they made it all the way to the finals. In 2001, Cedartown knocked them out in the semis. The last two trips in 2008 and 2009 saw them stopped by Buford. If they win this week, Buford won’t be an issue, as the school has jumped to Class AAA, but they might run into another familiar school, a region rival. This Friday’s winner meets the victor in the Early County-Greater Atlanta Christian contest.

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