FITZGERALD - Down for only the second time this season at home, the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes were able to bounce back in a big way Friday night.
After an 85-yard touchdown run by Rockmart Yellow Jacket Morgan Sims on the first play from scrimmage, Fitzgerald rolled 34 unanswered points on its way to a 48-21 victory. The win over Rockmart puts Fitzgerald into the state Class AA quarterfinals next week against Rabun County. Rabun advanced with a 48-7 win over Vidalia Friday.
The location of the quarterfinal game will be decided by a coin toss.
After Sims put Rockmart up, Fitzgerald quickly answered on a 58-yard run by James Graham.
Willie Ross would then intercept a Rockmart pass and return it 43 yards to the Jacket 13. Two plays later JD King scored from three yards out to give the Canes the lead, 14-7.
The lead would go to 21-7 later in the first when Graham hit King on a three-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-goal play.
Another interception by Fitzgerald, this time by Quay Harper, set up the Canes' final score of the first half. That was on six-yard run by Damien Devine with 1:28 left in the second quarter.
Any thoughts of Rockmart scoring again in the first half ended on yet another interception, this on by Josh Reliford.
Graham opened the second half scoring with a five-yard run.
That was answered quickly by a 72-yard touchdown run by Rockmart's Markus Smith.
The Jackets tried an onsides kick following that score. But Fitzgerald's Montrell Harris would take the kick 45 yards to the Rockmart five.
Devine would score his second touchdown of the night and the score was 41-14 in favor of Fitzgerald.
Early in the fourth quarter Ethan Gordon would finish the Fitzgerald scoring with a seven-yard run.
With exactly one minute left in the game, Smith would end the scoring with a 23-yard run.
King didn't play in the fourth quarter, but ended the game with 169 yards on 15 carries. Graham added 112 yards on 24 carries. Gordon had six carries for 56 yards, and Harris had 55 yards on five carries.
Fitzgerald ended the game with 395 yards rushing on 52 carries.
Smith had 158 yards on 15 carries for Rockmart.
Fitzgerald will play Rabun County next week at home after winning a coin toss.
