FITZGERALD - The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes are going back to the Georgia Dome.
After falling in last year's state Class AA championship game to Pace Academy, the Hurricanes earned another shot at a state title Friday night with a 42-21 win over the Hapeville Charter Hornets.
Fitzgerald will face another private school for the 2016 championship, the Benedictine Military School Cadets. The Cadets punched their title ticket Friday with a 49-10 win over Callaway. The AA state title game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at the dome.
Against Hapeville Fitzgerald jumped out quick.
A 50-yard return of the opening kickoff by Damien Devine gave the Canes the ball at the Hapeville 45.
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| J.D. King breaks free. Photo credit: Eddie Senkbeil, South Georgia Sports Network |
Four plays later JD King gave the Canes a 7-0 lead on a 15-yard scoring run.
Following a 15-yard Hornet punt, Fitzgerald again took over at the Hapeville 45.
This time it took seven plays, but the Canes would score again. This time it was a six-yard touchdown run by Ethan Gordon.
After holding Hapeville again deep in its own territory, Fitzgerald forced another short punt. This one only went 15 yards to the Hornet 38.
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| James Graham Photo credit: Eddie Senkbeil, SGSN |
Nine plays later Fitzgerald quarterback James Graham would score from five yards out. That made the score 21-0 going into the second quarter.
During that second quarter, Fitzgerald would score two more touchdowns.
Graham ended a 77-yard drive on a three-yard run. King would later end a 49-yard drive with a 23-yard run.
Down 35-0 at this point, and with only 46 yards of total offense, the Hornets turned to the arm of quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams.
Connecting on a 46-yard pass play to Jermaine Burton during a six play, 74-yard drive, Williams would put up the first Hornet points on a six-yard run. A try for two failed and Fitzgerald was up 35-6 at the half.
Fitzgerald would grind out 61 yards on 11 plays to open the second half scoring. The drive ended on Graham's third touchdown of the night, a one-yard run.
Up 42-6 at this point, Fitzgerald began substituting frequently.
Williams would score two more rushing touchdowns against the subs. The final score came with just seven seconds left.
King led Fitzgerald with 164 yards rushing on 21 carries. He also caught a pass for 20 more yards.
Gordon rushed 12 times for 58 yards and also caught a pass for 20 yards.
Graham was 6-of-15 passing for 74 yards. He also rushed 11 times for 43 more yards.
Fitzgerald rushed for 280 yards on 43 carries.
Hapeville rushed for 72 yards on 23 carries. Williams rushed 16 times for 60 yards.
The Hornet quarterback also was 13-of-25 passing for 225 yards.
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| Donterious Milsap nails the QB. Photo credit: Eddie Seinkbeil, SGSN |
