FITZGERLD — Fitzgerald ended a rare threegame losing streak while keeping Brantley County winless during 48-0 victory at home in a Region 1A matchup Friday night.
The Purple Hurricane (3-3 overall, 1-1 region) grabbed a 21-0 lead by intermission and doubled their advantage to 42-0 entering the period.
Fitzgerald used nine different players to rush the ball finishing with 359 yards on the groundand another 136 through the air for 495 yards of total offense on 47 plays.
The Herons (0-7, 0-3), who have been shutout in a school record-tying five straight games, managed 26 yards rushing and 23 passing for 49 total yards on 36 snaps. BCHS has gone 23 quarters without a touchdown dating back to a 19-6 Game 2 loss at Windsor Forest August 22.
Brantley County gets its second bye of the season this week before returning to action October 17 with third-ranked Thomasville visiting.
Fitzgerald set the tone of the game on its opening time-consuming drive unleashing an 11-play drive — all on the ground — covering 68 yards. Tyson King (four carries, 21 yards) capped the drive with a five-yard run off left guard. Griffin Cox was true with the first of his six PATs for a 7-0 lead.
The Purple Hurricane’s second drive, after forcing Brantley County into a three-and-out, ended quickly with a turnover. Quarterback Matthew Cowan’s pass to Kingston Smith was jarred lose by the Herons’ hard-charging Haden Kicklighter.
Clark Carter plucked the ball from the air and returned it nine yards to the Fitzgerald 33. A Mason Kickligher (nine carries, 22 yards) 11-yard run and a 15-yard penalty against the ’Canes advanced the ball to the Fitzgerald 12.
BCHS lost four yards on two running plays, had a 10-yard penalty followed by an incompletion on third down, and was sacked on a fourth-and-24 play giving the Purple Hurricane the ball back at its own 32.
Fitzgerald needed just five plays to move 68 yards in grabbing a twotouchdown advantage at 14-0. Latavius Devine (12 carries, 141 yards) raced the last 39 yards off right tackle for the touchdown with 10:40 remaining in the first half.
The Herons put together their best offensive possession of the night trying to answer. BCHS moved from its own 24 to the ’Canes’ 26 during the 12-play drive.
Brantley County picked up four of its five first downs on the night twice converting on third down plays. Quarterback Kaden Hendrix (five carries, 16 yards) scrambled for six yards on a third-and-five and Kicklighter picked up 10 on a third-and-four moving the ball to the Fitzgerald 26.
A second down pass by Hendrix (7-of-13, 22 yards) was undercut by the ’Canes’ Shyquavious Prather for the interception at the Fitzgerald 20.
The Hurricane quickly went 80 yards in four plays for a 21-0 lead with 1:12 left in the half. Devine ripped off a 35-yard run on the third play with Nathan Cox pulling in a 32-yard scoring toss from Cowan on the ensuing snap for the touchdown.
Fitzgerad scored on all three possessions in the third period to build a 420 advantage with each score following a threeand-out by the Herons.
The Purple Hurricane quickly moved 60 yards in three plays on their first possession. Cowan hit a wide open David Davis in busted coverage up the seam for a 30-yard touchdown swelling the lead to 28-0.
Fitzgerald’s next possession was a six-play, 50yard scoring drive ending with a 17-yard run by Kingston Smith increasing the margin to 35-0.
A short punt and a 15yard penalty against BCHS set the ’Canes up 26 yards from the goal line for their next score. Daniel Harris was involved in all four plays (two receptions, two runs) plowing the final three yards near the one minute mark of the third quarter for a 42-0 lead.
Fitzgerald’s final possession in the “mercy rule” fourth quarter went 70 yards in nine plays (eight running) with backups. My-kel Smith capped the drive with
a 19-yard burst off right tackle. Matthew Cowan’s PAT banged off the left upright leaving the score at 48-0 with
2:36 showing on the running clock.
