Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane (13-1) vs. Pace Academy Knights (12-2)
Saturday, December 12, 2015
1:00 p.m.
Venue
The Georgia Dome
Atlanta, Ga.
Regular Season Stats:
Fitzgerald: 38.6 points per game; 17.1 points allowed per game
Pace Academy: 29.3 points per game; 15.2 points allowed per game
Playoff Stats:
Fitzgerald: 42.3 points per game; 17.5 points allowed per game
Pace Academy: 34.0 points per game; 13.3 points allowed per game
The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane is primed to sit atop the Class AA mountain for the first time ever: the team has not taken home a state championship since 1948, when it was a member of the Single-A Class.
Standing in their way are the Pace Academy Knights (Atlanta, Ga.), who have, thus far, compiled a record of 13-2 on the year.
The Purple Hurricane reached the final stage by handily disposing of the Jefferson County Warriors in the semifinals by a score of 40-20 in Louisville.
Fitzgerald’s win was heavily powered by the ground game, as James Graham (138 yards on 20 carries) and J.D. King (108 yards on 21 carries) paved the way for the Purple Hurricane’s offense. Their run game has proven to get them this far, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it were a key component of bringing a state title to South Georgia on Saturday.
The Knights come into the championship game after ending their semifinal contest in similar fashion, easily eliminating the Greater Atlanta Christian Spartans by a score of 45-20 after finishing the game on a 38-0 scoring run. Their win puts them in the title game for the first time in school history.
The Knights’ defense played a huge role in their win, as they forced five turnovers, including three fumbles. While both teams come into the championship after high-scoring semifinal wins, the title game should come down to the defensive ability of Pace versus the bruising ground game of the Purple Hurricane.
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In the Game/Web-Only Content
Game Preview
Fitzgerald Looks to Take Home First Title in 67 Years
By James Washington
