By Steve Carter/Sports Editor
October 17, 2007 10:02 pm
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TIFTON — On Sept. 28, the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes hosted the Dodge County Indians in a battle of state-ranked football teams.
Fitzgerald emerged from that contest with a 13-6 win.
Fast-forward to Friday and the Hurricanes are again in a battle of state-ranked football teams.
Fitzgerald will travel to Blakely to face the Early County Bobcats. The 7:30 p.m. battle will feature the Hurricanes, ranked third in this week’s Class AA state Associated Press poll against the Bobcats, ranked fourth.
While the win over Dodge may help the Hurricanes in an eventual tie-breaker situation within Region 1-AA, the Early game is more important as it will be a league contest.
Both teams will come into the game with identical 6-0 overall marks and 4-0 league records.
“They are a pretty sporty team,” Fitzgerald coach Robby Pruitt said of the Bobcats. “They have a good team and a good collection of athletes.”
Leading those athletes is Early County quarterback Michael Perry.
A lot of people wondered if the Bobcats would lose anything at quarterback after Emmanuel Taylor graduated.
Taylor would be first-team All-State in 2006 and would eventually sign with Valdosta State University, but Perry has not been a letdown for Early.
“I don’t know if he is better (than Taylor), but he is a good player. They didn’t lose anything with him coming in,” Pruitt said.
Perry has completed 57-of-119 passes for 893 yards. He has thrown seven touchdown passes and has only been picked off one time.
He leads Region 1-AA in passing and in total offense as he also has 112 yards rushing this season.
Dianis Bryant has been Perry’s favorite target. He has caught 19 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns. Also for Early, Secore Wade has 15 catches for 202 yards.
Niko Wimberly has been the leading rusher for Early with 316 yards on just 39 carries.
Getting ready for the Bobcats, Pruitt said his team has had some good practices.
The Hurricanes are fresh off of a 28-0 win over the Berrien High Rebels.
Fitzgerald’s overall leader on both sides of the ball this year has been Jemea Thomas.
The junior has rushed for 464 yards on 42 carries and has caught seven passes for 120 yards.
He also has several big plays on defense.
“Jemea has been all over the place for us,” said Pruitt.
Defensively in that game, Pruitt praised the play of Malcolm Lundy, Scotty Thomas, Jamal Terrell and Anthony Brooks.
Trenton Pruitt, Brad Taylor, R.J. Davis and Alan Sandiford were among the players the Fitzgerald coach mentioned on offense.
Davis has seven catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns from his tight end position, while Sandiford has been the team’s starting center.
“Those are two key spots and both of those guys are sophomores and they have done a good job this year,” said Pruitt.
Taylor has completed 36-of-70 passes for 444 yards from his quarterback spot. Trenton Pruitt, the coach’s son, has caught 15 passes for 128 yards and has 268 yards on 39 carries.
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