This week, the AA Bleckley Co Royals will take on the Fitzgerald Hurricanes in the first round of the 2019 playoffs. The Royals are 1-2 against Fitzgerald, having lost in ’86 and ’87 and won in their most recent 2006 matchup. Both teams will be fighting hard to make it to the second round of the playoffs and this should make for one hell of a contest.
The Fitzgerald Hurricanes are coming off a 28-24 region home loss to Brooks Co. The team finished the regular season 7-3 overall and 2-2 in region play. The Hurricanes are the 3-seed out of AA and have averaged 30.3 ppg on offense and only allowed 16.8 on defense. Fitzgerald is led by head coach and school alum Tucker Pruitt, who’s been with the team three years. Tucker is the son of Robbie Pruitt, who led the program from 2000 to 2011. Under R. Pruitt, Fitzgerald compiled an 85% winning percentage and won 7 region championships. The Pruitt’s are largely responsible for shaping the Hurricanes into a powerhouse football school.
The Bleckley Co Royals also enter this game following a region loss to Southwest. The team finished the regular season 7-3 overall and 4-2 in region games. The Royals are placed as the 2-seed in AA and have averaged 32.8 points per game on offense and allowed 21.3 on D. The team is led by third-year head coach Von Lassiter. Lassiter formerly served as head coach for Jake Fromm at Houston Co but now he’s back in his hometown. He’s known as a coach that builds football programs and the Royals have noticeably improved since his appointment.
Both teams are nearly identical in terms of scoring percentage and overall record. This game will be a battle of purple and gold and could potentially go down to the buzzer. Lassiter and Pruitt, both hometown boys, will both be hoping to bring home a win for their respective county. This is destined to be a great matchup and is certainly worth turning up for. The game will be held at Bleckley Co in Cochran GA on Friday, November 15 @ 7:30pm.