Georgia Public Television presents the Georgia High School Association 2000 football semifinals.

Funding for this program is provided in part by Georgia Natural Gas.

Georgia's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives.

IBEW Local 613 and by South Trust Bank.

Two games in the books.

Three more to go, including this big one, the triple-A semifinal between Jackson and Fitzgerald.

And good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the Georgia Dome.

Boy, you've missed some exciting action if you haven't tuned in yet.

A big single win for Buford.

Buford Wolves win over Mike McIntosh, 26 to 6.

Meantime, Americus over Charlton County, 2214 in the Double-A game.

And of course, this big one between Jackson and Fitzgerald, the Red Devils.

And of course, the Purple Hurricanes.

It's going to be a great football game.

Boy, we had one showdown as Charlton County was making a run and the last few minutes of the ballgame.

But the pass was intercepted last second and that was it.

Americus wins it 2214.

Charlton County, of course, the defending champs from single-A.

Now they lose in Double-A to America.

So America's on to the championship game next weekend.

But anyway, as the football rolls on from the Georgia Dome, it's Jackson and Fitzgerald.

And for the call, here's Chuck Cashion and John Davis.

Hi, everyone.

I'm Chuck Hanson, along with John Davis.

And these are the three semifinals.

And have we got a great match up for you this afternoon?

As Jim mentioned?

Number seven, Fitzgerald against number ten, Jackson and Jackson fresh off an upset victory over top Bryant Park County last weekend.

John, this should be a good one.

It should be two totally different offenses and a lot of a lot of excitement.

Let's go now to the players of the game as we spotlight two of the players.

How about the team stats?

Let's take a look at those now.

These are two teams that are rather diverse when it comes to offense.

You got one traditional style on offense, Fitzgerald runs a wing T Jackson runs a running shoot there wide open John Jackson's going to.

Are Fitzgerald is going to try to establish the run establish the line of scrimmage as much as they possibly can at the beginning of the game.

On the other side of the ball, you've got Jackson, who's going to do the running shoot, throw the ball there about 5050 offense as far as run to pass ratio.

So it's at any one time, they're going to be able to open it up.

Take a look at the statistics for Jackson.

They come in 9 to 1 in the regular season.

They're now 12 and one.

And that reflects the run in shoot, 695 yards, passing 22 touchdowns.

They've got a great quarterback in John Greer.

We'll talk more about him in a moment.

Also, 20, 37 yards rushing, 20 touchdowns.

So they're an offensive juggernaut, as you say.

The stats for the Jackson Red Devils.

We get set to go with the three semifinals here at the Georgia Dome.

Coach Mike Paris is a veteran of seven years head coaching.

He started that for us.

Mark had some great players here, including Hines Ward, who was now is with the Pittsburgh Steelers and played for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Let's take a look at his game plan for this afternoon's action.

Well, offensively, what we try to do is we try to spread people out.

We we throw the ball about 35, 40 times a game.

Our quarterback is is is our athlete.

That makes plays happen.

If things or if things are covered up, we get him to take off and we get him to to do the things that he's able to do.

And that's make big plays.

Again, what we try to do is we we try to balance the attack.

We try to not let everybody play against the pass, and we try to run the ball enough to to make people stay true to us.

And so offensively, you know, we just we just try to pack away a little bit and then try to hit you with a big play that's been our motto all year.

Defensively, what we try to do is we feel like our front folks are not very big, but we try to be quick people and move around a little bit and then the blitz and do some things.

You know, we're going to have to we're going to have to stop the wing t we're going to have to play responsibility.

Football.

That's the way you stop the wing t and hopefully we can get in there and do the things that we that we do.

Right.

And that's run to the football and be aggressive on defense and arrive and arrive angry.

And that's our motto.

So hopefully we can do that defensively.

FITZGERALD The purple hurricane from down in south Georgia, they come north and they've had a great season as well.

12 and one.

After winning 12 straight ball games, they lost in the opening game to Coffey County.

And let's take a look at their season stats.

Chuck.

As you see right here, they're definitely a rushing team.

They're going to try to establish the line of scrimmage, first series out, play some smash mouth football.

And you can see they're over 3000 yards rushing, passing 530 yards, and they're going to try to set it as set the stage as quick as they can.

Robby Pruitt is in his first year as head coach of the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes.

Had a whole lot of success not in the state of Florida.

Here's his game plan for this afternoon.

You know, Jackson does a great job throwing the.

Ball and spreading you out.

So we're going to have to, you know, give him a few different coverages, not give him the same thing to look at twice and also try to get some pressure on him at times.

So those are things we're going to be concentrating on.

So Jackson getting set to battle Fitzgerald and the three AA semifinals at the Georgia Dome.

We're back with the opening kickoff.

Coming up, state semifinal action.

From the Dome on TV.

Jackson has won.

The toss and they have deferred to the second half.

So Fitzgerald, with the purple jerseys, gold helmets and golf fans are.

Set to receive.

Kickoff coming down to Allie Coffey back at the nine to the 2025 line to see Molly pop the out across the 40 to the 41 yard line before he's knocked out stop on a play is made by.

Roderick Shannon so excellent field position John Davis for the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes as they begin their first drive, Hughes return.

Opens up right there on the edge.

You can see down the sideline, does a good job protecting the ball right there and opens up a great field position.

Allie Coffey With exceptional speed, Justin McDonald.

Is the quarterback as hurricanes put it in play first down ten and Tyrone 31 handoff keep the ball back.

And he gets a couple of yards on the carry was Tyler Pruitt the son of the coach?

23 touchdowns scored on the season tackle and a play by Robert Williams of Jackson.

In order for Fitzgerald to be successful, Chuck, they're going to have to like it and establish the offensive line line of scrimmage and get underneath Jackson.

So gain him two yards on that play, second down, eight yards to go get a little movement in there as they try to run a counter play.

But I believe one of the offensive linemen may have jumped early.

Perhaps it was the running back Rodney Smith, but this will cost the Purple Hurricanes a grand total of five yards.

They'll back it up to about 237.

Fitzgerald comes in 12 and one under coach Robbie Pruitt in his first year.

He's an alumnus of Liberty University.

Class of 1982.

Starts at the snap false start on the offense.

Career record for Robbie Pruitt.

179 wins, 30 losses, virtually all of those coming in the state of Florida.

He was a great coach down there.

Sometimes you have to wonder why he came up north of Florida.

But that's a very impressive to have that type of record with seven state championships.

Plays the ball.

Down at the Fitzgerald 38 yard line, second down 14 yards to go inside.

Handoff on the reverse goes to Chris Johnson the wind back.

He breaks the tackle and takes it out near the 45 yard line for a gain of about seven.

Good second effort by Cassius Johnson, five eight, £170 and a sophomore Josh Dover and Clinton Brown combined on the Stop.

Fitzgerald's going to try to run a lot of misdirection.

You see the starting line ups for Fitzgerald on offense as the Purple Hurricane.

Breaks the huddle you see the offensive line and the backs Justin McDonnell under center play action deep drop down and put it up and.

Over shoots everyone that pass out there intended for the tight end Dan ball six Great 205 And his senior was incomplete Marquise Warren the quarterback and the coverage as you see Dan Ball big receiver Here's a defensive line up for the Jackson Red Devils come in ranked number ten in the country another time in the state excuse me 10th ranked Jackson Red Devils their only loss this season coming to three a la grange so fourth down and Fitzgerald most confident of punter has just been.

McDonald the quarterback Jeff Myers takes the pot at about 424 and gives up a couple of yards and then gets thrown.

Back with Eric Lewis on the stop him FITZGERALD No score we're just underway you see some of the big crowd here at the Georgia Dome for the three eight semifinals.

We've got two more games to follow.

This one, you're not working those as well.

You know, I'm.

Saying the second game of the day.

Here, I'll take it the rest of the afternoon off.

Had a great game this morning with Buford McIntosh County.

So in the great game, the second double and now we're going to hope to have another one for this triple A.

Absolutely.

Jackson Red Devils put the ball in play with their own 22 yard line.

They run it wide open.

They've got a good quarterback in John Greer.

Here under center throws a square pass after Roderick Shannon and the purple hurricane reacts quickly.

FITZGERALD Eric Lewis, a.

Strong safety over to make the play after a gain of one they held him to no gain good play by the Fitzgerald defense.

Very up tempo offense that Jackson has right here will be able to see the starting lineup for them, I believe.

Now it looks like we're going to get a play off before we see those.

Ball at the 22 yard line.

No gain on that last play.

You see it second down, ten yards to go just underway in the first quarter.

Shotgun formation.

Great drop by.

Greer Here's a pass out to the near side that's complete to Orlando King, the junior wide receiver.

Ollie Coffey.

The quarterback for Fitzgerald closes quickly.

It's a gain of about three, so third down and seven yards to go.

Chuck Jackson runs a little bit of an offense that I am familiar with when I was with Houston in the Buffalo Bills, the run and shoot offense where they have five offensive linemen, they throw everybody else out, all the receivers and try to play up tempo.

Also try to get a running game established to spread the field out a little bit.

Again, the shotgun formation on third down and seven.

John Greer play action and Greer rolling to his left.

Getting pressure, throws it.

In incomplete.

That time the pressure came from Morris Drive or the pick signed defensive end and the big key on John Greer.

You got to contain him.

This guy has excellent quickness.

He can get outside.

If you don't keep him from getting outside, you've got big trouble.

Got it.

Got a real nice chance of stopping him.

Also, he's running an opposite side of the way, throws the ball.

So keep him off balance right there, but did a good job of fleshing him out early and making them do something he didn't want to have to do.

There is also the pottery averages 37.9 yards per punt coming in and Grier gets it out of there and take it away from Ali Coffey and a good job by Jackson County on special teams as the ball rolls out of bounds at the Fitzgerald 36 yard line.

Let's go to the sidelines.

Here's John Nelson.

John.

Guys, Jackson's playoff existence here at the Dome is gone, the sum total of 3 minutes and 17 seconds, and they shut down the entire town of Jackson, 15,000 people.

They've easily sold 4000 tickets in buildings and mills that have never been shut down for productivity have been shut down for this game.

So the last one out of Jackson turned out the lights on the way here.

And down in bucks County.

They're excited about their Red Devils team three and out.

Fitzgerald goes to work first down ten.

At their own 36 yard line.

McDonald hands on a counter play to is Johnson and great play by the Jackson.

Defense is a hem him in Glenn Brown the outside linebacker an inside backer Ronald Wright knocked down Cassius Johnson about a three yard loss so it's going to be second down and 13.

Good job by string in that play out not allowing him to pick his holes and run up the run up in the hole.

But that's what Jackson's going to have to do.

They're going to have to string him along and make sure that don't get let Fitzgerald have a chance to get a head start running downhill.

Purple hurricane, break the huddle.

Each team comes in at 12 and one and they hand to the first man through that was the fullback, Tyler Pruitt, and he gets a couple tackle on the play by Robert Williams.

The defensive end.

You know, the emotions are running high during this first couple of series jokes.

You know, the kids are real nervous being in the dome first time experience.

So it's going to take them a series or two to get comfortable with the atmosphere and get get down in their game plan.

Neither of these teams has played in the dome before.

As John Nelson mentioned a moment ago, Jackson brought the entire city with him up here, third down and nine.

Here's a draw.

Play goes to Rodney Smith, big running back.

He gets across the 50 to the 49 yard line the safeties combine on the stop matrix and Sims.

But Rodney Smith, who had 508 yards rushing, coming in.

Broke the tackle at the line of scrimmage.

Then he got it going crossing in the end to Jackson territory.

Here it is again.

See the counter going out to the left guard left tackle blocking.

And one of the things about this type of offense, the defense really has to stay at home and stay disciplined with their game plan in order to be successful against Fitzgerald.

So first down, ten yards to go, the first first down of the afternoon, they hand it off to throw it.

Tyler, throw it.

The fullback finds a little haul and takes it across the 45 down to the 43 yard line.

That'll get him about six.

Jack Gilroy combines with Robert Williams on the stop.

You see Tyler Pruitt as he heads back to the huddle, scored on a 59 yard fake punt last weekend in the victory over Lovett.

What they needed to get over the top and they were doing a good job so far mixing up the plays with the counters and the quick hitting plays to the running back.

So it's a try to keep Jackson off the on the hills are their feet.

Second down four yards to go McDonald and this time to Tobias Johnson the wing back and.

This time the Jackson Red Devils are ready Jack Gilroy a defensive tackle a senior knifes through to make the stop on Tobias Johnson and a good look at Gilroy by the great football named Jack Gilbert.

That's exactly what it looks like, the two guards pulling out right here but take the center and tackle missed the defensive lineman right there and allow them to get penetration and blow the play up in the backfield.

Defensive end Robert Williams gets an assist along with Gilroy on that play.

So it's a loss of one yard that brings up third down.

That's six and a half.

Yards to go this time going to throw it underneath pass to take it off his neck.

He takes it down to the 30 yard line, another first down for Fitzgerald, Ronald Wright.

The inside linebacker who had coverage on a running back out of the backfield and he couldn't quite keep up with Rodney Smith.

He's got great speed.

Step two, slow, right three toes out nice nice quick pass to Rodney and brings it in protect certain picks up the first down offensive line Does a good job right here play action pass allowing the quarterback a chance to make a good throw.

Actually got the step on Tim Simms the outside linebacker so it's first down ten for Fitzgerald Jackson 30 throws a counter it goes to Smith again.

This time he gets knocked down after a one yard loss at the 29 Jack Gilroy and Robert Williams combine on the stop Rodney Smith 510 £170 and a junior it's going to be second down nine yards to go ball at the 29 you see the numbers on Rodney Smith.

63 carries 508 yards.

This guy can do it all.

He's obviously there running back by committing.

8.1 yards per carry average, right handed up Tyler Pruitt the fullback.

He gets it down to the 26 yard line Ronald right inside linebacker and a senior makes a stop on Tyler Pruitt.

So this is the thing the went a lot like a wishbone they run all these different looks at a lot of different options not exactly the option play but you got a lot of options with a wing.

And that's why Jackson has to stay disciplined on the defensive side of the ball and not over pursue and just play their gaps.

And if they do that, they're going to be successful.

But at.

Any one time and a three third down six play action McDonald going to oversee.

His receiver Tyler Pruitt in the flat and good coverage by Carlos Morgan and inside linebackers so brings up fourth down and six yards to go from the Jackson 26 and decision time for coach Robbie Pruitt to Fitzgerald.

I'd be surprised if he goes and kicks it.

I was watching the kickers in the pre game and they look like they have the distance to go for it.

You really don't have anything to lose down here if you miss it.

Still have Jackson backed up a little bit and what defense coming out now?

You got it.

They're going fourth down and six yards to go at the 26 yard line.

And here's the option and is not going to go.

Rodney Smith, the ball carrier is knocked down fourth two yard loss.

Jim Sims, the outside linebacker, you see him headed off the field.

Number ten makes a big play for the Jackson Red Devils.

Here it is again.

Look right here, you see the quarterback reverse field.

Also, you see 58 right here.

Go straight for the quarterback and then you see Sims taking his eyes off the running back right there and making a big play on fourth down.

Assignment football first down ten yards to go for Jackson put it down at the 26 yard line.

John Greer, the quarterback and motion a man there and then hand it off to the running backs.

Kadarius Darius McDaniel.

He gets out across the 30 to about the 35.

Zach Lucky, the middle linebacker, makes a stop on, said Darius McDaniel 561 75 and a junior.

Quick hitting play right up between the left guard in the center.

And that's what that's what they're going to do.

They're going throw a lot of things at you and Jerry does a great job of controlling the tempo of the game.

And that's exactly what the coach wants.

No huddle.

Offense blends to the top of your screen.

Twins to the bottom mostly Shannon over this way and.

Quick hits to Shannon Roderick Shannon on an inside reverse takes it across the 40 to about the 43 yard line where he picks up the first down.

John Rather Ali Coffey makes a stop so mark the ball at the 43.

Choke that came back with the same play except this time, like you said, they handed it off to number two.

Shannon able to pick up the first down, keep the chains moving in the pocket as well.

Ball at the 43 yard line you see it?

No score.

We're getting a little late here in the first quarter.

Short drop by.

Greer goes out to the far sideline complete to McDowell Mayfield.

It's going to get him about five or six stop on a play is by C.J.

Blunt You see Mayfield and it's just a quick hitch too much cushion there by the defensive back.

C.J blank does a good open field tackle right there has got to be careful, too.

Well, he's going to give him a little bit of room, but you got to be careful when you do that to make the good open field.

Tackle second and five ball into the 49 yard line.

His career out of the shotgun he gets back to the line of scrimmage not much more.

Maurice driver on the stop the outside linebacker for Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald did a good job right there Chuck is not over pursuing as he was trying to get out on the edge and then as he cut back they'd play disciplined football stay it stayed in their gaps and was able to meet him head on right here.

As you can see here.

Being recruited by numerous schools.

He's had an excellent year.

The senior out of the shotgun.

Once again, McDaniel is a set back and the throw is split screen.

The pass is complete to Shannon and he gets hammered at midfield after a gain of about one.

By Will Bryant little slips green again another underneath route and Fitzgerald reacts very well.

Fitzgerald speed showed right there they were able to go out and stop that play before it got started.

That's an old Georgia play.

They love to run.

But you see Fitzgerald right there just meeting him head on and not allowing him to get the first down.

So it's fourth down, about two yards to go from the 49 yard line.

And Greer will punt it away for Jackson Alley Coffey Deep to receive takes it at.

The 13 and gets hold over stop on a play is made by outside.

Linebacker Clint Brown and Fitzgerald will start this drive at their own 11 yard line and look at Quinn Brown.

Dangerous play right there by Ollie Coffey catch in that ball with the Jackson so close to him but you see right here he does a good job concentrating looks like he might have a broken wrist or a broken arm, but does a good job bringing it in a little bit too close for comfort, though.

But Brown was open for business when he hit him head up at the 11 yard line.

So the purple hurricane goes to work under Coach Robbie Pruitt.

Justin McDonald brings him to the line of scrimmage and the.

Handoff goes to the fullback, Tyler Pruitt.

He finds a little running room, gets out near the 16 yard line where Ronald Wright makes the stop.

Fitzgerald pretty much tells you exactly what they're going to do, Chuck.

They're just going to run the ball.

They're going to try to establish the line of scrimmage and they're going to throw a pass every once in a while, but they're going to work on getting their running game going.

Boy, there's been all defense so far.

We expected an offensive explosion.

It just hasn't happened.

Second man throw is Rodney Smith and Smith gets only about a yard running at right tackle.

Robert Williams makes a stop for Jackson.

That's another big third down play by third down and five here for Fitzgerald.

Jackson's going to try to do this.

One of the things that they feel like they're going to need to do to be successful is try to keep Fitzgerald in third and long situations and force him to pass simply because they're not a great passing team.

They feel like they can do that.

They can get the defensive linemen pinned their ears back and they go after the quarterback.

McDonald Gibbs Johnson comes out a blunt, one of their leading receivers comes in.

He's lined up in the backfield with Tyler Pruitt on third and five quick picks, goes to Brown, T.J. gets it back, crosses the 20 out to the 23 yard line is going to be close to the first down.

We talked a little bit earlier about the cutback and over pursuing and Jackson just over pursuit a little bit too much right there but did a good job cutting back and you see where he picks this hole up right there and reached out and got the first down.

Jack Gilroy on the stop for Jackson along with Jeff Myrick.

So C.J blunt picks up a first down as the first quarter comes to a close here in the three semifinals and Jackson battling Fitzgerald there's no score back with quarter number two coming up on TV.

Part of the large.

Contingent from Fitzgerald, Georgia, to watch the three A&M finals are there.

Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane battling Jackson and Fitzgerald with the football first down ten at their.

Own 24 yard line handoff.

This time goes to Murray's driver and driver and drive out of there.

He gets knocked.

Down by Carlos Morgan.

And Carlos had a whole bunch of help.

Miami's Jackson Red Devils forward progress to the 23 but that's a loss of one so second down and 11.

Jackson's defense doing a great job game tackling getting into the ball and not allowing them to make make a comeback as we said earlier.

And that's what they've got to do and that's what they feel they need to do to be successful against this team.

Winner of this game gets the winner of Swain's Ball and Washington County.

That will be played tomorrow afternoon.

Handoff for the full back throw.

It finds a little seam crosses a 30 after the 31 for a gain of about seven.

Ronald Wright, the inside linebacker, makes a stop for Jackson.

Quick hitting play up the middle left guard did a good job blocked it down on the nose.

Guard allowed him to open up the hole so Tyler Pruitt could get him about eight yards right here.

I think you'll see the center man going back and walking back.

And he does a good job right there, running north and picking up eight yards.

A little trap by the left guard, Josh McDonald, who's just a McDonald's twin brother.

One of the guard ones.

The quarterback is counterclaim.

A race driver is hit in the backfield.

He'll lose a couple.

Robert Williams, the defensive end penetrated along with Carlos Morgan.

Anytime you get that kind of penetration by the D line, you're going to cause problems.

That's the one way really the only way you can stop the counterplay is getting the penetration, just as you see right here.

Morgan does a great job getting in there and blowing up the play before it even gets started.

They continue to do that.

Puts him in fourth.

The situation gets the ball back for him.

Justin McDonald quarterback sent to punt both quarterbacks the punters here today it's a floater comes down at the 37 gets a good Fitzgerald roll and kicks down to about the 23 yard line where it's down by Ollie Coffey so good punt by McDonald to Jacksonville open up shop at the 23.

Chuck Kind of funny the two return men kind of looked at each other while the punt was in the air and just let it drop right down.

And between them, I don't know if there was a little confusion on on that or what happened.

Here comes the running shoot of Jackson once again.

No score in the game just underway in the second quarter.

Jackson battling Fitzgerald for the right to advance to the three eight championship motion.

Ali Coffey over to.

The near side.

Now they load up that lower side of the screen and run the quarterback draw with John Grier gets out to about the 29 yard line.

John Grier, the senior quarterback, gets six.

Josh Alexander makes a stop for the Purple Hurricane.

This type of offense right here for Jackson, it kind of poses a problem for the offensive linemen in a way, simply because nine times out of ten, they don't get in their stance.

And it makes it hard for him to get movement off of the line of scrimmage.

So you're going to see him do a lot of the a lot of the counters and traps second.

Down four yards to go after the gain of six yards ball.

In the 29 yard line again Coffey motions over little movement in the backfield Here's the flag this is going to be a legal.

Motion and they throw it incomplete, but this is going to be a penalty coming up.

So Za'darius McDaniel move forward out of his stance.

And of course, that's an automatic five yard penalty.

You get a jump on the ball right now.

Then it puts him back into second and long situation where they had a good illegal.

Motion on the offense.

You can see it at the top of your screen as McDaniel starts leaning forward and then he got too far forward and couldn't stop.

There's a point in there, too, where you just can't stop anymore.

And I've been there.

I've done that plenty of times, so I know how he feels.

Jackson will go with it.

Shotgun package now.

Twins left wins right.

McDaniel is a set back.

Greer's great drop fires underneath in the pass into and out of the arms of Troy Williams the outside linebacker and he knows he should have had that one.

Where threw a bullet right there and you're exactly right.

Hit him right in the hands.

You'll see.

It's like he might have thrown a little bit behind the receiver right there.

And you can see that just hit him right where you'd want it to hit him.

And they Jackson is thankful to be out of that situation without a turnover.

Orlando King was the intended receiver for Jackson.

And here we go, third down, nine yards to go.

Now, again, the shotgun package for the Red Devils.

We're gonna step up and man huge one tackler.

30, 35, 40 skips out of bounds.

And there's a flag, a late hit coming up on Fitzgerald.

They're going to market at the 45 yard line, but then they're going to tack on 15.

Josh Alexander, top John Grier after he escaped containment.

We talked about that earlier and then got closed out to the 45.

This is going to put the ball in an Fitzgerald Territory.

Watch it again.

We'll see right here.

It's the runner shoots hard on the offensive line because you've got these guys pinning their ears back.

Their ball foul, personal foul on the defense first down.

It allows Greer right there to really make the choice and become the next become a running back.

And you could see that immediately when he was running out of bounds that that flag was coming because Fitzgerald just couldn't pull back and and stay off of them.

After the penalty they market it to Fitzgerald 40 so Greer as three receivers left to receivers right out of the shotgun once again straight down fires down the middle passes over the head of the intended receiver Roderick Shannon.

The offensive line did a good job building a wall right there to let Greer get his feet set and be able to be able to make a good throw.

It just over, threw it a little bit.

It was open down the middle and got to be careful about that because when you get the two safeties back there, you got to be able to pinpoint that ball in there.

Gary Carter, the Free Safety had the coverage for Fitzgerald.

I like John grew his arm.

He's got a nice arm.

He's a he puts some heat on.

He does a good job and he's a little bit off of his accuracy right now.

But as you go along, you could tell that he's the type of type of guy that gets the.

Confidence he needs.

Second down ten yards to go ball at the 40 and fake the handoff on the.

Dove play Greer keeps it breaks a tackle 35 down to the 30 yard line John Greer second effort.

Gary Carter The free safety had to make the stop.

And Greer showing some of his strength as a running back as he faked the handoff and then two or three people had a shot at him for Fitzgerald, but he was able to sport free.

Here it is again.

Great job, great second effort, three tackles right there and does a good job spinning out four or five tackles.

So he's doing a good job over 1100 yards rushing this year.

And like I said, he becomes a running back back there.

He has the ability to run or or throw the ball.

It's his decision.

He does a good job, picks up the first down and moves the chains.

So first down ten yards to go ball just inside.

The throw they motion for Al Smith over to the left side trips left one to the right shotgun package once again and Greer going to go to the right side.

And he throws it out of the reach of Orlando King wide receiver lined up all by himself over there.

I thought he had an out route.

He was open, but Greer didn't hit him.

Yeah, it looked like there might have been a little miscommunication there, and that's a long way to throw.

If you look, Chuck, from from the near side hash to the far side sideline, that's that shows the kind of strength because that ball didn't hit the ground till it was well out of bounds.

Jackson advanced by beating Cedar Town 21 to 7 last weekend.

John Greer An interesting comment in that game after that game, I should say, he said I cannot be stopped.

Nothing like confident.

But sometimes you stop yourself, you know, you got to keep things in perspective.

But it's good to have that self confidence flag on a play.

That's a comment to make at the end of the season.

You want to make.

An illegal procedure, the call against Jackson so they'll back it up.

Five You don't want to create any bulletin board material for folks day.

Prior to the snap ball start on the offense.

And you can bet right now that Fitzgerald had it up on their bulletin board today.

You know, you like the confidence and that's that's what you've got to have to win.

But there's some times that you just got to kind of hold back and be the team leader and set an example and not make comments like that.

But if you can back it up.

Yep, the proof is in the pudding.

All right.

Five yard penalty puts it back at the 35 yard line.

It's going to be second down and 15.

And now we're going to get a timeout call by Jackson.

I believe Coach Mike Parris wants to talk things over.

You see, Mike Perry's story was on a state championship team as a junior at Redan High School in Stone Mountain Re.

Dan won a state championship in 1980, just their fourth year in existence.

And one of the kicker on that team and one of the better defensive backs, Kevin Butler of the Chicago Bears and the University of Georgia fame.

Went on to have a great career and, you know, it's nice to see those Georgia boys go out and move on to college and also went to the NFL, but came from a great program.

And he said the standard for a lot of the kickers, Kevin was a little bit brash and a little, you know, one of those cocky kickers, but he was the guy that to back it up.

And I remember being recruited by Georgia.

I saw four years of him and it was three years of him.

And it was a lot of fun to watch.

And he he just went out there and got the job done.

And really the pressure never bothered him at all.

Yeah, he was pretty good defensive back back in his days.

Had read in high school and is the godfather to coach Mike Perry's son.

So the two old high school buddies have maintained their ties over the years.

Right now he's got a battle on his hands with Fitzgerald.

It's third down, third down, rather, second down and 15 yards to go.

Here's Greer out of the shotgun.

Once again, the ball post drop over the head of the intended receiver, Roderick, and he had him open at the five yard line.

Shannon went up, made an attempt at a one hand grab, but Roderick Shannon was running right down the middle of the field wide open here.

He's got a lot of adrenaline right there.

That's two passes in a row, right down the middle that he's really overthrown.

And both of the guys have been open, but he's going to settle down here and and start making those passes.

You can see right there he's got great art.

You can look at the arm strength right there and precision, but just out of the reach and.

Nice tight spiral, it's third down and 15 yards to go ball at the Fitzgerald 35 yard line.

You see the.

Score.

We're about midway through the second quarter.

Greer's great drop once again.

Now he's giving ground, getting pressured breaks contain 45 big time BLOCK And Greer finally knocked out of.

Bounds at about the 31 yard line.

He's going to be about ten yards shy of the first down marker.

It's going to be fourth down tackle.

On a play by Josh Alexander.

Fitzgerald's defensive backs did a really good job right here of making the coverage.

He can see there's really not getting pressured right there.

And he just kind of starts running before before maybe he should have it.

The defensive backs with Fitzgerald did a good job staying with their coverage, and he goes down and picks up about three or four yards.

And a good block by Sedaris McDaniel the running back who peeled back on Zach Lucky.

So here's a field goal drive 48 yards and that kick is good 48 yard field goal and.

It's by Brady Johnson you see him number 19 Brady Johnson knocks one down from 48th and Jackson Graham's it three to nothing Lee.

Great kick got his foot threw it Chuck That was his career long he had a 47 yarder earlier in the season that was 48 yards.

You can see he really got every bit of it right there, just crosses the crossbar and gives him a three nothing lead.

So Jackson draws first blood midway through the second quarter.

You get a good look at Johnson betters his career best by a one yard, a 48 yard field goal.

Mississippi State Navy looking Adam.

Hopefully he'll have a chance to extend his career to Saturday afternoon.

Some of kicks like that it makes it a little bit easier.

Part of the big crowd, John talked about him earlier.

John Nelson talked.

About the large contingent of folks coming up from Bucks County and Jackson.

All clad in red to watch their.

Red devils battle in the state.

Semifinals is Johnson's kickoff and.

It comes down to.

Blunted the five one back to the 15 one 2123 yard line before he's knocked.

Down tackled by Tim Simms and outside linebacker.

Good job standing the lions by Jackson it looked like Fitzgerald was trying to set up a wall over on the left hand side of it.

C.J saw something on the near sideline.

You can see he wants to go over there and then all of a sudden he cuts it back up to the right and gets the ball out past the 20 yard line.

And a nice tackle fundamentally.

Tim Simms So first down ten yards to go ball at the 24 yard line officially for the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane there they are ranked seventh in the state.

They come in at 12 and one.

Jackson ranked 10th in the state.

They are 12 and one.

And I've gone to Tyler Pruitt.

He doesn't get much maybe back to the line of scrimmage.

Clint Brown and Robert Williams combine on the stop.

Jackson's defensive line might have a little bit of momentum.

They've really done a pretty good job this of controlling the line of scrimmage and that's what they're going to have to do.

They place disciplined, disciplined play right here, but takes on the track real well and plays their get controls and doesn't allow Fitzgerald to get through the long scrimmage.

Let me correct that.

Reggie Pascal was the ball carrier rather than Tyler Pruitt.

Pascal not quite as big, maybe a little quicker, and he gets it again, dragging people along, running at left tackle crosses the 25 out to about the 27 yard line where he's knocked down tackle by a inside linebacker, Carlos Morgan, wearing number 44.

You can tell Bobby Pruitt's going to stick with his game plan, Chuck.

He's just going to try to run the ball until he can establish the line of scrimmage.

And again, Jackson's defensive line's doing pretty good.

Got him in a third long situation, and that's where they want him to be.

You look into the eyes a moment ago, OG Reggie Pascal, five for 135 and a senior, and he can scoop.

This time and he set the wind back.

He is Johnson on the right side rolling to his right there's McDonald going to throw to make passes complete to Tyrell Holland.

He's got the first down out at the 37 yard line.

Marquise Ward had the stop for Jackson.

Good field management right there.

Did a good job looking that ball in and knowing where he was on the field before he got out of bounds, but does a good job.

It's a good throw off right here.

And you can tell good job bringing it in and getting his feet down before he gets knocked out of bounds.

11th catch of the year for Terrell Hollins.

So it's first down ten yards to go.

They market at the 37 yard line.

Justin McDonald under center and roll to his left throw under a pass complete the Cowboys Johnson in midfield Johnson takes it down inside the 40 to about the 38 yard line Chris Johnson finally racked up by Tim Simms and back back passes from Fitzgerald normally a running team.

And they cross up the Jackson Red Devils.

Just two.

McDonald does a great job right here.

He sits in the pocket.

He's running opposite the way he throws.

He takes a hit right there.

Great concentration right there by QB as to bring the bring the ball in and get him a first down and Fitzgerald's building up a little bit of momentum through the air and we thought it might be on the ground.

So first down ten ball at the 38 yard line of Jackson McDonald going to hand it this time the key is Johnson.

He runs down to the 35 yard line.

Davis Johnson taking the handoff from his wing back position stop by Clinton Brown, the outside linebacker who had lots of help.

You see Kwame Brown, he's number 35.

Sometimes you tend to break the tendencies chucked as the season goes along.

You see the Fitzgerald, you know, runs the ball 90% of the time and they've really thrown probably more in the first half than they have the whole season.

James Davis is in the game at wideout.

He's wearing number 87 at the top of your screen and a hand on a dire play to the fullback.

Reggie Pascal doesn't get much maybe back to the line of scrimmage tackle on the play by Robert Williams watch this again.

Offensive line does a good job standing up the offensive line and just not letting them get any movement off of the ball.

And look right there.

You see the game tackling again is what Jackson's doing.

And as somebody forgot to block Robert Williams, Reggie Pascal ran right into him three zip, just under 5 minutes left in the second quarter purple hurricane.

With third down and seven yards to go with Jackson 35 yard line that devious Johnson.

Get your eye on him as he lines up on the right side.

Justin McDonald sees something he doesn't like, calls a quick time out.

Looked like they were trying to pull Jackson off size and when he saw that, he couldn't decide to call a timeout and go over and talk to Coach Pruitt and see what kind of play they come up with, really, this is two down territory for them.

They're obviously going to go forward on fourth down if they don't get the first down.

So maybe not always think about getting it in one shot.

In case you just joining us, Buford defeated McIntosh County earlier today, 26 to 6.

And then in the game at noon, the semifinal game, it was Americus over Charleston County, the reigning single-A champ that moved up 20 to 14.

And we got plenty of action left for you, the sirup makers, one of my all time favorite team nicknames Karo Sirup, Baker, Take on the Shore, Raiders and the quarter semifinal and then the five a semi.

At the end of the day, Stars Mill and the Harrison Hoyas went up in Cobb County.

So a metro Atlanta match up in the five eight semifinals and then five more games tomorrow five more.

It's been great and you know, that's what happens when you add the extra classification.

It opens up two more spots in the semifinals here at the Dome and it gives other teams another opportunity to compete here.

So this is a big play for Fitzgerald.

They're down three zip and they face third down and seventh.

The Jackson quick picks is going to C.J blunt Blount looking for running room got only three to the.

32 tackled by inside linebacker Carlos Morgan.

And so now an even bigger decision for Rob Ford as his team faces fourth down and four yards to go.

Great pursuit on this play, John.

You can see him just stringing the string in the running back out right there.

He does a good job right there.

It looks like the defensive end making them cut back and your linebackers are sitting right there in the hole where they're supposed to be good, disciplined football.

And you see big number 44, Carlos Morgan, 165 tackles coming into this game and eight sacks.

But young man's a horse.

He's all over the field with a good chance to go and play in a smaller division one school.

612.

30 A senior.

His fourth and fourth straight drop and screen pass up, they brought T.J. Blunt.

He has a first down as he gets knocked out of bounds at the 26.

C.J.

Blount on a screen pass, picks up the first down.

He's their go to guy.

Clint Brown, the outside linebacker all over back, made the stop.

Watch it again.

John Davis.

I'll tell you what, when you put the screen pass together like this, this is something to watch.

The offensive linemen got out there all together.

They go after their men and they do a great job.

Gets the first down for him.

But when you when you mess together like that, you're all on the same page.

Screen pass is something else to watch.

And Josh Dover, the defensive end deck Justin McDonald as he let it go but a nice pass play action here's McDonald gonna throw it underneath the ball is off the hands of the intended receiver That's Murray's driver at about the 15 yard line and that's when he should have had a good look at Justin McDonald, six feet, £180 a senior and also pitches for the baseball team as well.

Quarterbacks always.

Now, you probably were a catcher, right?

That's all I did.

You can see right there.

Just touches him right where you know you want it to.

But I'll tell you what, football was my sport and I'm sticking to it.

I love basketball, too, but that's just because I was £75 bigger than everybody else, and I could pretty much control the pain.

For years at Georgia Tech and a stint with the Buffalo Bills.

Happy to be working with John Davis.

Today is a handoff that goes to the fumble risky.

This is Jim Smith with the touchdown and everybody was full.

Jim Smith the right guard scores on a fumble.

BRUSCHI That's what Robby Bruin brought with him from Florida, the one that Bobby Bowden made famous at Florida State.

Everybody headed to the right.

Jim Smith went to the left.

He goes 26 yards and Fitzgerald leads Jackson 6 to 3.

I look forward to seeing the replay on this one to see if they even fold our cameraman as well.

I'm still watching the ball come down the sideline on this side.

And Smith in the end zone scored as.

Everyone but my spotter, Robby Ross.

He was all over it.

And I'm sure John Nelson was not fooled either.

Offside against Jackson, so they'll move in half the distance.

Jack Gilroy, one of the defensive tackles, slipped in there.

Here's a call that.

Ball encroachment on the defense.

So they'll move it to the yard and a half line.

Seen a little trickery in there.

And you're right, that's what he brings up from Florida.

Definitely had Jackson.

I can almost assure you they haven't seen that this year, but did a good job getting him in the end zone.

So from a yard and a half out, that stair wants to go for two and then they get some people jumping along the line there.

Tobias Johnson jumped a little bit early, so this will cost him five and they'll probably kick it now.

Yep.

Here comes.

They kicked him back on to the field.

Their kicker is Fausto Avila.

That ball false start on the offense.

Pushes him back and about 23 yard field goal range right there.

It's like the jersey is a little bit longer than he is.

Chuck Yep, that's going to be a not a big guy.

McDonald Justin McDonald.

Gets it down and fast.

Avila knocks it through.

You get a good look at him as he comes off the field.

The kicker for the Fitzgeralds Purple Hurricane and they.

Have a seven.

Three over Jackson using a little skullduggery the next term I think.

Changes the is here you can see him going in the end zone right here for a touchdown nobody obviously Jackson didn't have a clue what was going.

On.

Talk a little bit about the fumble risk and how it works.

You're an old offensive lineman.

Well, you know, it's something they would never let me run.

But it's my understanding that the quarterback just gets the ball, lays it on the ground, and the guard just picks it up and runs around the quarterback or runs around the corner.

And I'll tell you, another player who was very successful at doing that was a good friend of mine, Dean Stein, color for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

He did it in the Orange Bowl one year and kind of made it known a little bit that something that Tom Osborne put together.

So it's something that you can only do at a certain time.

And obviously, coach Crow picked out the perfect time to run it.

You see him, number 57, Jim Smith, the right guard.

They put the ball on the ground.

He was coming over as much like a pulling guard or a trapping offensive lineman, picked it up, went to the end zone.

Nobody even see and leave over.

Over.

They're looking for the oxygen.

Good.

Touchdown.

We could still be running.

So Fitzgerald set to kick it up.

They have the lead for the first time today.

They see whether Morris Driver kicks it short.

And it's taken by one of the up backs.

That is Darnell Walker.

Walker gets it out close to the 30 yard line, maybe the 31.

Arthur Ray Holland makes the stop for Fitzgerald.

So Jacksonville go to work they'll market at the 32 yard line big play a 26 yard.

Fumble rookie.

By Fitzgerald They're out in front 7 to 3.

Foot field position for Jackson right now They just need to go back to the game plan and try to drive the ball down like they did the last series.

John Grier out of the shotgun with twins, left wins right.

Great run for Texas breaks down and down goes grabbed sack back at the 27 yard line.

Will Bryant the defensive tackle finally broke free and Grier started to run out to his right and he ran right into the arms of Bryant.

Watch it again.

Offensive line does a great job keeping him out.

This is what you call it covers sack and you just see Greer standing there and then he starts to get happy feet reminds me of Jeff George and just has to eat the ball but good good cover by Fitzgerald.

Will Bryant with the sack for the purple hurricane so a loss of 3/2 down 13 yards to go they market it to 28 al flag flies thrown by the umpire and goes flags flying all over the place.

I hope Jeff George is watching, but I hope you don't mind that still getting a little bit of discipline in play right now, jumping offsides and just putting them back.

More prior to the snap.

I'll start on the offense.

Ball start against Jackson so they'll back it up five yards to the 23 yard line.

It's going to be second down and about 18 yards to go.

Jeff George trying to figure out who is coaches in Washington.

He plays for the Redskins.

Most in his career.

Breaking tackles, 30.

33 yard line.

Nice run by John Greer, the quarterback and he gets most of the penalties back plus the sack.

Roy Williams on the tackle for Fitzgerald.

Let's go downstairs.

Here's John Nelson.

Guys just listening to Robbie Prewitt and he is pleading with his offensive line, the defense.

He says they're playing their hearts out.

They've got to do stuff on offense that doesn't go to page 9000 on the playbook.

He says he's getting four or five guys penetrating line of scrimmage.

They've got to stop it, but they will stick to the game plan.

What page is that fumble, Rusty on?

That's what I want to know.

Greer Play.

Action.

Going to get pressure and puts it out.

Pass is complete out of the 49 yard line to Roderick Shannon.

Maestro, as he was backpedaling away from the line of scrimmage, John Graham put that baby on the money and Roderick Shannon, a nice catch.

You got to watch it again.

Great job right here.

Offensive line.

Really does a great job.

Chuck, one of the things you've got to be concerned with as a quarterback is that, you know, you're going to put yourself in situations that you're going to get pressure, but great concentration right there by Shannon bringing that ball in and making up the first down.

Gary Carter had the tackle first down ten at the 49.

Grier out of the shotgun.

Once again steps up in the pocket, wants to run and he breaks it tackle still on his.

Feet gets to the 48 flag is down.

This could be a hole or perhaps a facemask coming up against Fitzgerald.

Well, Bryant made the tackle.

Got to have a little bit more confidence with your offensive line as far as holding back there and then letting the plays develop with the wide receivers.

It looks like that he's just ready to run the ball as soon as he gets it from the center facemask.

The call, it goes against Fitzgerald, so they'll mark off the penalty.

You see Greer man once he gets outside contain, he is a tough customer.

Big strong kid make something happen.

Five yard face, man.

Now they call Trey a rather Troy Williams outside linebacker with the violation saw the penalty will put the ball at the 44 yard line and Jackson will call timeout here they want to talk things over as we have only a minute 15 remaining in the second quarter they like to get on the board here they trail at 723 to Fitzgerald.

And to make up that penalty second and long did a good good pass to Shannon get him the first down and the reason why they only called people might be wondering five yards on the facemask is that as soon as he touched it, he let go of it immediately.

When you do that and are going to call five, five yards instead of just trying to take his head off.

Boy, they had great football all day long here on TV.

Let's go to Jim Janaki on now and get a quick recap on everything that's happened.

Jim, earlier today, finger semifinal, Buford Natchitoches County Academy and it's Joey McDonald with three rushing touchdown Houston wins the 2016 six and.

Again all right Jim thank you very much game following that one it was America's over Charlton County in two way this is game three of the day it's been a dandy so far as Fitzgerald leads Jackson 7 to 3 Red Devils moving.

The football on first down scoring run by Greer throws up an eight pass Completed the 30 yard line.

That goes to Orlando King, the wide receiver who lined up on the right side.

So it's another first down for the Jackson Red Devils.

You see him run a little bit of a hurry up offense right here.

Greer did a great job of throwing that ball in there, was able to follow through again.

The offensive line gave him enough time to let his receivers go down and make their breaks into their routes.

Under a minute.

Now, remaining in quarter number two.

First down ten yards to go at the Fitzgerald.

30 yard line Great drop by Greer.

Now he wants to run John Greer breaks the tackle 2520 yard line before he's knocked out of bounds may have another first down Ollie Coffey.

The cornerback made the stop John Greer broke two tackles and picked up the first down.

I just think he's going to run the ball a little bit.

I'll tell you, he's doing a good job on the offensive line, but the Fitzgerald defensive backs are really doing a good job with the coverage.

And you can see Greer, easy for him just to touch the ball and take it out.

Gets the first down gets the first down and then stops the clock.

Yep.

I was going to say, more importantly, gets out of bounds, stops the clock with 43 seconds remaining.

He'll stiff arm there as he jumps out of bounds at the 20 yard line they're measuring on the far sideline and it is a first down.

This strong young man.

You can see right there how he drives his legs.

Not going to be taken down with with arm tackling.

And that's what you like to see with those running backs.

So Jackson getting close here.

They've been held out of the end zone so far.

They have only a 48 yard field goal by Brady Johnson.

Here's the shotgun packaging we're back again throws up an eight pass is complete for.

The ten yard line Nice catch by Orlando Ken Zig grabs his second consecutive pass from John Greer.

Ollie Coffey had the tackle once again, the ball just outside the ten.

So it's going to be first down and ten yards to go.

They can still get a first down, say.

Right there, another good throw, great concentration right there, puts his knees down, stays in bounds, catches the ball, and then out and stops the clock again.

So great concentration on two catches by King.

And not a great spot for Jackson.

They're going to rule that the knee went down back at the ten and a half.

So it's going to be second down about a half yard to go timeout called by the purple hurricane you see coach Mike Paris.

3033 seconds chunks a long time to you can easily get three plays in there try to get out of bounds they have all their time out.

So they're in pretty good position right here, too.

All right.

We've got a3a semifinal flashback, some great games down through the years.

Let's take a look at one right now.

1996 triple-A semifinal just over a minute left, Thomas County Central trailing Mary's 2821, Leonard Guyton to Eric Williams for 28 yards down to the Mary's to do plays later Joe Burns scores from a yard out coach Ed Pilcher calls for the two point conversion.

GUYTON The pitch to Burns, who finds Alfonzo McKibbin job.

There we go.

On second and very short, John Greer.

What football?

Ten, five touchdowns on there.

Touchdown.

Jackson and the Bucks has an 11 yard run.

John Greer finally breaks containment on the left side.

He gives Jackson back the lead and the score here is 9 to 7.

Great job getting around on.

The corner.

On the outside.

He wasn't going to be stopped from getting in the end zone.

And this is exactly what Jackson needed.

Get on the board before they go into halftime.

So Brady Johnson, who hit a 48 yard field goal earlier, is on to try the point after.

The older is Orlando ten and the kick is no good wide to the right.

So still 9 to 7 Jackson and Fitzgerald to very as we said at the outset two teams with very diverse offenses but this has been a very even game watch it again is John Greer scores on that 11 yard run.

54 gets a great block right there and it just opens up the hole for him to get upfield.

And with the momentum, he wasn't going to be stopped.

And you're exactly right.

There's two it's a different game than we really thought because Fitzgerald is really throwing the ball a whole lot.

And Jackson's really having a great game plan.

As far as mixing up the run and the pass.

You see a nice seal block by number 33.

Sedaris, McDaniel And he leads the way for John Greer to sail on into the end zone.

Looks like number 14 took the shot that first shot of all.

So here's Johnson with a kickoff.

They're going to squib it and it's taken by one the up backs back to the 28 yard line.

Rodney Smith grabbed it and Fitzgerald will have first down and ten yards to go from their own 28.

But with only 22 seconds with which to work, they're trailing here 9 to 7.

Normally you'd think they'd run the ball out, but they've been passing a lot the first half.

So we might see might see him try to throw the ball and try to get a penalty or maybe pull one down.

GHC semifinals at the Georgia Dome and the games are always fun.

There's a two yard pickup by Tyler Pruitt, the full back out to the 29 Robert Williams.

The defensive end gets a stop for Jackson.

So to go and let the clock run out, go and at halftime and talk about the first half and give him the good pep talks and see what happens the second half.

Yeah, anybody's ball game, as you might well imagine, Jackson heading to the dressing room.

They brought a huge contingent of people north from.

Bucks County, about halfway between Atlanta and Macon to watch today's game.

FITZGERALD A little further south, just off I-75, they also brought a large contingent of folks, people excited about the 2000 versions of their teams.

And it's great in especially in these small towns like a Jackson, Georgia, where Fitzgerald, Georgia, everyone gets revved up.

Well, you know what?

I had the opportunity to watch high school football in Texas and this rivals Texas.

Let's go downstairs.

John Nelson is standing by, John, with Coach Paris.

How much of a nail biters it's been for you, this first effort?

Well, I.

Tell you, it's been this way all year long.

We just we just keep hanging in there and try to make them go 82 score on us.

And that's what we just got to keep doing.

They had us on trick play down there, so we've just got to come out in second half, play hard.

You're getting penetration, four or five guys into the line of scrimmage is forcing them, meaning Fitzgerald to reorient their game plan a little bit.

Well, we hope so.

That's what we're trying to do.

We don't want them to hit us on the trap plays and that sort of thing, and they hit us a little bit early, but, you know, we just got to keep we got to keep fight.

And see what happens.

And with Brady on his range, 48 was about it.

When that's about it, that's about it.

That's about all we're going to get out of him.

But if we can be consistent from there, that's all we need.

Play from Greer here in the first half is huge.

Absolutely, as always.

But, you know.

We got to have more.

We got to have some help and we got to come out in second half.

Play on.

Mike Paris, thanks a lot for your help right here up nine seven he's got 20 minutes to think over the second half was go back upstairs to Chuck and J.D..

Thank you very much, John.

We're at halftime here at the Georgia Dome.

The three eight semifinals, two corners in the books, two quarters to go.

You said Jackson leading the Fitzgerald Purple hurricane nine seven.

You're watching this.

Halftime at the Georgia Dome.

Jackson leads Fitzgerald 9 to 7 here in the Triple A semifinal.

And it's been a super afternoon of football and even two more games coming up after this one here at the Georgia Dome.

I'm Jim Tanaka.

Glad you can join us right now.

We're going to take it downstairs and listen to the Jackson marching band.

I just rather see what was.

Here with Jim Bagley, one of the band directors aplenty here with Jackson Who's the Elton John fan.

That's what I want to know I am now.

How long does it take for a modern music piece like Elton John to try and get it orchestrated for a band the size of.

Our lead time on this was about.

Six months.

So how difficult prospect was it to try and get something that, you know, new or hipper or whatever you want to say, well, proper word to get it to work.

And as a band, well.

It worked out pretty easily.

This had been originally written a number of years ago for Band, and then we were able to do some editing at.

All to get it to work with this particular group and.

Kind of played our strengths and.

Weaknesses over.

Okay.

Now one last question.

I want to I want to ask about this patch down here.

The London Parade Festival from 99.

What was that trip like?

Oh, that was.

The absolute experience of a lifetime.

We went we were there for a week.

Did the New Year's Day parade in front of about one and a quarter million people and did a concert in one of the big churches in London?

And we're really excited.

We're going back again in another year.

So this dome crowds nothing considering you were in front of a million and a quarter people.

Well, the million and a quarter were strung out over about a mile and a half.

This is all in one place.

This is pretty exciting.

My last question, is it true that the last person out of Jackson today turn the lights out so everybody could be here for the game?

I hope they turned them out.

Everybody's gone.

Okay.

Thanks for your time.

Jim Begley, the Red Regiment.

Let's send it back upstairs.

I thanks, John.

I hope everybody turned the lights out anyway.

All right.

At halftime, Red Devils lead the Purple Hurricanes 9 to 7.

We'll have more of the halftime festivities from the Georgia Dome after these messages, in a word, from TV.

TV.

Thanks and welcome back to the Georgia Dome halftime.

Jackson Red Devils Lead, Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes, 9 to 7.

More halftime festivities roll on with the Fitzgerald Marching Band here with Barry Golden of the Marching Canes to get all the stuff from Ben Hill County.

What are we talking about here?

How much of an insurrection does this have to be?

How hard is it?

Oh, well, we're about a not a good three and a half hours from here.

It's a pretty good bit of work to get everything together.

Three busloads, lots of parents, lots of helpers.

Everybody just have to pitch in.

Now, what does it mean for the Fitzgerald Band to be playing in a place like the Georgia Dome?

Oh, it's very exciting.

Very exciting.

I've been in Fitzgerald 17 years.

I think this is the most excitement we've ever had in our community.

So it's a big thrill with a group like this, hearing the music, there's a lot of variety.

What goes into determining the music for you guys?

Well, the first thing I'd consider is, is it going to be entertaining?

I always try to pick music, going to entertain our crowd and something that's going to appeal to the audience.

We do a variety of things, just as you say.

And now how big are we talking here with the fighting game Band?

How big is it?

Pardon me?

How big is the band?

We have 112.

And one of the things I like is a horn section, a very strong horn section and a bass player.

I tried to talk to the bass player earlier, true bass player of sound.

It was just being cool and just playing the bass.

You don't see a bass a lot and bands do it well.

He's a very good bass player and that's one thing I try to do is feature our strong points in the band.

He's a good player.

It adds a lot to our music.

We play a lot of swing things and so forth, so he really adds a lot.

Now for a guy like me that hasn't picked up a saxophone or a clarinet and a good five or six years, how long you think it would take me to get back into playing shape under your tutelage?

Oh, I can get you back in shape.

No time.

Okay.

Thanks for your time, Mr..

Thanks for the performance and let's send it back upstairs.

Nine, seven, Jackson here at the half as it's winding down.

All right.

Thanks, John.

Good job downstairs.

I tell you, they are putting on quite a show here at the half of the triple AA game.

It's been an interesting afternoon of football here on TV, to say the least.

We've had some exciting games and many more to come your way tonight.

There's two more after this one and then, of course, five more tomorrow.

We have highlights of the first half action.

And we begin with Jackson.

Quarterback John Greer comes up with a big 20 yard run right here, gets around the defense and scrambles, finally gets out of bounds here.

A big play that set up this 48 yard field goal by Brady Johnson just makes it over the uprights.

It's three nothing.

Jackson Fitzgerald comes back though it's just a MacDonald to Kevin Johnson and this play a big one for Fitzgerald and Jim Smith check this play out.

Everybody's freaked out on this.

Who's got the ball?

It ends up it's Jim Smith.

The offensive lineman.

There he is scoring a touchdown.

A 26 yard run made it seven three FITZGERALD Then here comes Jackson back John Greer to Orlando.

King Nice by King And then finally it's Jackson quarterback again John Greer, an 11 yard touchdown run.

They would miss the extra point and that is where we're at nine seven at the half.

Jackson and Fitzgerald, the winner of this game, plays the winner of tomorrow's triple-A semifinal between the Waynesboro Tigers and the Washington County Golden Hawks.

And kickoff tomorrow will be at 3:00.

All right.

Let's go back downstairs to John Nelson.

Thanks to you here with Robbie Prewitt.

I want to know where that brewski from in the playbook.

How far back was that?

Oh, that's it's a play we go to when we've been shut down, like we are here having to try to get something going.

That's about all we've had a success with.

I notice that you are pleading with your offense and your offensive line that we've got to get something going on offense because you said the defense was playing their hearts out and they had to step up as well.

Yeah, we you know, we can't keep going three and out.

You know, we've done a great job on defense stopping, you know, pretty powerful offense like they are.

We are you know, we can't expect them to go out and play the whole game, you know, we've got to give them some help.

And we haven't done that so far.

And you were talking also about four or five guys in the line getting penetration for Jackson against your offensive line.

What adjustments did you make to Frank?

Eric, we're trying to do a few different blocking schemes.

You know, they're doing a lot of stim and moving around or the ball snapped and you know, we're trying to change it.

We'll have to change up a couple of blocking schemes.

All right.

Thanks a lot.

Coach brought back upstairs to gym.

He's got to work on a two point deficit as we head to the second half.

Sure thing, Jackson leads it over.

Fitzgerald nine 7/2 half action coming your way.

Stand by.

You're watching the semifinals from the Georgia Dome.

Welcome back to the Georgia Dome.

I'm Chuck Russian along with John Davis.

And we're just about set for the start of the third quarter.

The Red Devils leading Fitzgerald by a 9 to 7 count Fitzgerald will be kicking off.

He see the deep man, Roderick Shannon, for Jackson.

And the kick off comes down to Roderick Shannon.

He gets out across the 25 to the 30 to the 31 yard line before he's tackled, Morris Driver made the stop for Fitzgerald.

Good job following his wedge up the middle Good enough across the 30 yard line to go out try to stick with the game plan that they did the first half, change it up a little bit, passing and running the ball and try to control the clock as much as they can.

Any adjustments for Fitzgerald?

This run and shoot offense started clicking late in the first half for Jackson.

I've been real impressed with Jackson's offensive line, and if anything, Fitzgerald needs to get back their calls a little bit more havoc in the backfield.

Collins left went right Shotgun formation drop play coming up to sit down He has McDaniel and he gets out there the 34 yard line for a gain of three, said Derrius McDaniel.

You see him, he's just a junior, five, six, £175.

The starter went down with injury about the third game of the season.

He came on and played well.

Zach Luckey, the middle linebacker, made the stop.

That wouldn't happen to be one of the lucky boys, but it's over.

And the triplets in Athens?

No, no.

One of those guys transferred to James Madison.

The other two have wrapped up their careers.

His Greer, John Greer gets out to the 36 and had some running room, but he tripped over the leg of David Horvath, his center, and went down.

So a gain of about two yards on that play brings up third down and five yards to go.

Fitzgerald's done a really nice job with their DBS, with coverage against Jackson, and Greer's just got to have a little bit more confidence in there to sit in the pocket while his receivers get open.

Fitzgerald four down lineman shotgun formation.

McDaniel motions out.

Too in their side.

Greer looks left now runs right John Greer's got some speed 4040.

One yard line before he's wrestled backward.

And he's going to be very close to the first down Morris Drive or the quick side defensive end with his war force speed closed.

But I don't know if it closed quickly enough before Greer picked up the first down.

So we got Harris scrambling out of the pocket, the ball right here, knowing where he's got to go for the first down.

And number four, looks like he might have stopped him right there on getting the first down.

And that was Ali Coffey, the cornerback came up to make the play and they set the ball back to the 40 yard line.

They say Greer's knee touched down there.

You spotted it correctly.

So Ollie Coffey saves a first down and now John Greer will have to run it away.

You see him standing in his own 25 yard line and a flag flies referee throwing the flag.

That's the deep man for Fitzgerald, Ollie Coffey.

Illegal motion.

I'm sorry.

Too many people on the field, too many Jackson Red Devils out there.

And Mike Perry's shaking his head on that one.

That's a breakdown of concentration.

It is having too many people out there.

And also the coach on the sidelines should have those boys ready to go in.

Holly Coffey standing at his own 31 career with a punt, gets a little pressure and it's got to be taken at the 33 by Olli Coffey and he gets about a yard return before he's thrown backward.

David Horvath was there.

To see what Coffey is taking a chance catch in that ball.

Jackson is doing a really nice job of closing in on him, but you can tell he's the type of guy that's going to take some chances to see if he can make a big play happen.

Also on the play was Coral Smith.

So first down ten one yard punt return puts the ball at the 34 yard line for Fitzgerald nine seven game just underway here in the third quarter as you can see it, 958 left.

Fitzgerald scored one touchdown that was on a 26 yard fumble risky and on the dime play It's the fullback Tyler Pruitt he gets out across the 35 takes it on to the 38 yard line before he's wrestled backward.

That'll be a gain of about eight or nine stop on the play is made by Ronald Wright that inside linebacker.

One of the one of the ways that Jackson's going to have to continue to be successful as they did in the first half, is they really got some great penetration and didn't allow Fitzgerald offense to develop and get a good running game going.

They've done well and they've started off doing well right now.

It's going to be second down and six yards.

To go.

Second man through is Tyler Pruitt.

Brexit tackle at the line of scrimmage takes it out to midfield before he's knocked down Great run by Tyler Pruitt.

The junior fullback for Fitzgerald and he has a first down at the midfield stripe for the purple hurricane.

Josh Dover makes the stop.

Good hard running right up the middle offensive line does a good job getting underneath and you can see the linebacker for Morgan just flat out misses them and it allows Pruitt to get some extra yardage.

The ball pops out there a little bit prematurely, but looks like.

Fitzgerald ruling it out.

Josh MacDonald, the left guard on the Cup recovery.

Here's an inside handoff that goes to Terrell Hollins and he gets knocked down after a one yard gain at the Jackson 49 yard line.

Robert Williams on a stop.

Another trap play right here by the right guard pulling around and they get the tight end involved the wide receiver involved trying to lead through there opened up a hole for him.

But again Jackson does a good job of getting the penetration and blowing up the play before it even gets started.

Second down, nine yards to go ball at the Jackson 49 yard line, Fitzgerald and the Purple jerseys with the football play action Justin MacDonald wants to run for time to get to the corner Picks up three and he's knocked out of bounds at the 46 yard.

Justin McDonald, the senior quarterback, is decked by Clint Brown, the bandit or outside linebacker.

Watch this one again.

So here the run a little waggle pass the guard comes out to help out and they do a good job for Seward right here not allowing them to get the first down, knocking them out of bounds and giving them in a third and medium situation.

Third down and five yards to go ball into Jackson, 45 yard line.

Big play coming up for Fitzgerald.

This initial possession of the first half for the purple hurricane is a big one.

They got to get off the slide defensively.

Going to his right.

McDonald going to throw it underneath a diving attempt.

HOLLAND Out there.

At the 37 yard line is incomplete.

Marquise Ward had the coverage for Jackson.

Penetration over there on the far sideline of Jackson's defensive line.

Kind of pushed the quarterback out of out of the pocket and allowed him to throw the ball on the run.

And he put a little bit too much on it.

Mike Paris fifth year coach Jackson looking on as you see Justin McDonald dropping in deep punt formation, standing at his own 40 yard line.

Roderick Shannon, a deep punt receiver for the Red Devils.

This is a line drive and it ends up be a pretty good punt as Shannon runs away from it, lay down it inside the six yard line.

Roy Williams was there to Dallas for the purple hurricane.

It wasn't a pretty punt, but it was effective.

Very effective.

Inside the ten yard line gives Fitzgerald an opportunity they have Jackson backed up in the hole.

That's their defense to be a little bit more aggressive and try to commit a turnover and see if they can change the momentum of this game a little bit.

So they market at the ten yard line.

I presume that's where the Fitzgerald punt coverage team touched it first.

So it was down at that point first, down ten yards to go for Jackson.

We're the quarterback and we get some movement right tackle.

Curtis Rosner leans forward and it'll cost him five.

But that's just the lack of concentration right there that puts the further deep in the hole.

Those are the type of penalties that can kill you, especially in this territory.

Part of the snap false start on the offense.

Jackson has a lead 9 to 7.

As you can see, they are deep in their own territory.

Red, white and blue.

Jackson Red Devils.

John Greer, the quarterback up under center.

They motion the man over there and then and on a straight ahead dove to sit Derrius McDaniel he gets out about a seven yard line Russell West the right side defensive tackle led the charge.

Jackson Just trying to push the ball out a little bit to give him a little bit more room to maybe roll, as do a rollout or a spring out pass to see if they can get the ball downfield a little bit.

Wins left, wins right.

Here's a shotgun formation on second down and 13 from the seventh out of his own end zone.

Grier wants to run trying to get outside.

He gets knocked down at the two yard line Zach Lucky the middle linebacker knife through there to make the stop and he had.

Help as well from Morris driver.

He took a hit right there Chuck He took a late hit right there in the back.

You'll see it right here.

44 does a good job.

It looks right here.

He takes a hit right on the side of his hip right there, getting up a little gingerly.

Now, John Grier trying to run out of trouble, gets knocked down.

Now give them forward.

Progress out to about the three yard line.

So it's going to be third down and 17 yards to go.

If you're Jackson, that's the last thing you want to see right now.

What they've got to do.

With a new quarterback in there.

You've got to make sure that the center quarterback gets a real good exchange inside.

They're going to call Time Out right here to talk about it best.

The most important thing right there.

Coach Mike Harris, has been in this business a long time.

As we said earlier, he had some success at Forest Park back in the mid-nineties.

And Coach Hines Ward, who went on to have a great career with the University of Georgia, then he took the job at Jackson.

And this is a school that hasn't been a perennial member of the playoff picture.

This year, though, the Red Devils came to the big dance and coach Mike Perez very proud of his team.

You know, it takes a little bit of time to get this system.

And, you know, our young men have worked extremely hard to get to this point.

They've worked to the time where, you know, this all started in June.

It didn't start in just August, where you start out I mean, this was a whole four year process for us.

But I'm really proud of our young men and our community we represent.

And that's where I was one of the things that they wanted to be able to do.

And I'm proud of them.

They're proud of their selves and in our community.

And it's just it means a lot to the people of Jackson.

Coach Mike Paris, having huddled with his offense, the new quarterback, after John.

Grier goes out with the injury is Orlando King correct that.

Roderick Shannon is the quarterback.

King splits out to the.

Right Roderick King Shannon on the quarterback keeper gets back to.

About a one yard line and that's all she wrote there to make the play was Jason Carter and also Eric Lewis.

You see, Zach Lucky made that big sack on Jon Grier a moment ago that sent him out of the game with injuries.

So, boy, they're going to be right against the back line to punt this one away.

And Grier is back in the game.

He will punt the football for Jackson.

But as we said, backed up to the end line, was down 19 yards to go ball at the one yard line the snap.

By barrow on he gets it out of there This is Coffey with a football 4030 530 Ali coffee 21 man to beat touchback ten five out of bounds at the one yard line Molly Coffey what a punt return.

Brad Selman made the stop.

Ollie Coffey made a play when they had to punt the ball deep in their own hands.

That's what happens when you're not allowed to get your leg fully into it.

He's been taking chances all day, returning the ball right here.

And you see he's got a perfect ball built.

The perfect line going right down there.

It makes a little cut right here, gets him down to the one yard line and he's come up big for him.

And that's what happens when you good defensive stop right there to allow Fitzgerald to be in good field position.

Brad Selman saved the touchdown so first down goal to go ball inside the one quarterback sneak.

Justin McDonald is he there no signal yet here say he's down at.

The six inch line.

Right here is where the defensive line just got to get as low as they possibly can and get the penetration and allow the quarterback to jump over.

And then the linebackers come over the top.

You can see right here they're getting pretty low and do a good job with the linebackers filling in.

But I'll tell you what, half his body was in the end zone.

Yep, but second down and goal to go quarterback state Justin McDonald and the end zone touchdown took two drives from inside the run but the senior quarterback Justin McDonald gets it done and Fitzgerald goes back out front of Jackson here 13 to 9 the job was dependent or the.

Offensive line getting low and allowing the quarterback right there to get through just enough to get over the touchdown.

They wanted him to score twice just to make sure that he got the touchdown job.

Rose Center giving him a little push from behind that never that never hurts.

Now we get a timeout called Fitzgerald will burn one of its three timeouts here so each team has used one.

Here in the third quarter.

Coach Robbie Pruitt coming from the state of Florida, where he had all kinds of success a year ago, came to Fitzgerald, first year coach there, and he's proud of his team as well.

Obviously, he's a great leader.

We are.

You know, this is my first year in Georgia and of course, my first year in Fitzgerald.

And coming in, not knowing anything about any of the teams or any of the kids and just the way they bought into our program and the way they worked hard all summer and during the year and and I believed in their self.

I'm extremely proud of them.

You know, most people had us predicted to come in last or the second last in our region, sort of go in with a you know, some kids had a desire to win and work hard.

I'm extremely proud of.

That's coach Robbie Pruitt, the youngest inductee ever into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

He was inducted this summer and 179 and 30.

His career record, 32 and six in playoff action.

He's won seven state championship, all of them in Florida trying to one here in the state of Georgia is.

A two point conversion, trying quick pitch goes to Marie's driver trying to get there well not get knocked down at the two Carlos Morgan.

And then sideline Jim Bakker came through to make the stop for Jackson.

So the drive for the two point conversion fails and we're still at 13 to 9.

Watch it again.

Right here at linebacker.

Does a great job coming through and stopping the play key for them to get the two points.

Still a touchdown difference.

I need a touchdown.

To go ahead.

Initial hit on the play was by my driver.

I love this drive.

Good job.

Let's go downstairs.

Here's John Nelson once again.

John.

Guys just caught up with John Greer on the sidelines.

The late hit not necessarily been the problem.

He says he took a shot to the side of his right knee and that's what's giving him all the mobility problems.

That's what gave him the problem that took him out on third down and caused the poor punt on fourth down.

He says obviously he's going to give it a go.

Not gonna miss a game like this.

Let's go back upstairs.

Fitzgerald with the lead and they'll be kicking it off here.

Maurice Driver tees it up for the purple hurricane Fitzgerald up 13 denying we play with 539 remaining in the third quarter the winner of this one will play the winner of tomorrow's other semifinal game between Waynesboro and Washington County drivers kick.

Take Shannon all the way back to the to Robert Shannon back up to the ten 1520 that's all she rode Allie Coffey was there to make the stop for the.

Fitzgerald Purple hurricane.

Fitzgerald's intensity is really picked up.

You saw the nice punt return.

They had to capitalize on the good field position.

The defense put them in, gives him the touchdown to go ahead.

And it looks like the defense is picking up where the offense left off.

Market at the 22 yard line.

John Greer back in there at quarterback.

You see him run and shoot offense held to a lone touchdown so far we play halfway through the third quarter.

Handoff one to McDaniel and to correct that with the ball TJ Blunt knocks down Carroll Smith Smith.

Lost about two yards on the play.

They pulled him out of his shoot.

And C.J.

Blount, the right cornerback, making a nice.

Nice feet by Greer right there we thought had the ball number four gets it just keeps running east and west and it's hard to gain any yardage when you allow Fitzgerald's pursuit to catch up to you.

So it's going to be second down 11 yards to go market at the Jackson 21 yard line twins left wins right shotgun formation.

For John Greer play action and then he follows his blockers, gets out to the line of scrimmage and that's about it.

Well, Bryan made.

The stop and threw Greer backward.

He gets knocked down at the 21, which was the line of scrimmage.

So it's going to be third down now and 11 yards to go.

Obviously, Greer is playing with a lot of pain right here.

That looks like they were around the quarterback keeper with the right guard and right tackle.

Pull him through.

But Fitzgerald did a good job with the penetration.

Troy Williams comes out of the lineup and another defensive back in there Jason Carter on third down and ten play action rare able one ahead by Coffey man he put the hammer on Roderick Shannon and down he went Lost the helmet and everything Watch this hit again Ollie Coffey four.

That's the price you pay right there when you love the ball.

But I'll tell you what, that's what you call a snot locker.

They really, they really got a hold of him and knocked him out in a way.

I'd say that's a definitely highlight role.

Yeah.

So brings up fourth down and ten.

Yards to go big time hit by Ollie Coffey.

He had that big punt return that set up the go ahead touchdown Fitzgerald.

He now stands in his own 45 yard line with a chance to return this punt.

Greer kicks it away from him and is going to roll dead down at the 37 yard line.

So Fitzgerald will put it in play.

At that point, Curtis Rosner makes the play for Jackson.

So here we go.

Chuck is a defensive player.

Those are the kind of hits that you really, really hope to get when you have a chance to.

But you could tell he was going after that punt.

He really wanted to try to return it back.

The momentum has definitely switched over to Fitzgerald right now.

But it's still a ball game.

13 to 9 Purple Hurricane leads Jackson as Fitzgerald.

Goes to work at its own 37 yard line.

MacDonald hands it off to his fullback.

He gets to the 39 yard line for a gain of two on the carry Tyler Pruitt stop by Carlos Morgan, the inside linebacker Ollie Coffey getting congratulations all around as he goes back to the sidelines.

Who is going to remember that one for a long time and I can promise you that Shannon is going to remember it as well.

Knocking the helmet off, a.

Gain of two yards on the last play, second down and eight yards to go.

Valente Fitzgerald, 40 flip back in 20.

They hand it off to the second man through.

That's Tyler Pruitt once again.

And he gets out to the 42.

So it's going to bring up third down and five yards to go.

SPELLMAN The stop for Jackson.

Jackson's defensive line still doing a good job getting the penetration, not giving up the big plays up the middle.

And that's what they have to do to be successful after stay, keep those eight men in the box and not allow them to break the big play.

We're getting late in the third quarter now, as you can see, closing in on 240.

And a big third down for the yard to go play for Fitzgerald.

Hands on a counter play.

This is Rodney Smith Smith Open for business crosses a 50 and goes down to the 44 yard line.

John Greer, who's also playing cornerback along with everything else, makes a stop, but not before Rodney Smith picks up the first down.

You see.

It again.

Rodney Smith does a good job of following his guard.

Smith Around the corner there and he's just running downfield them today like John Greer comes around makes a good tackle right there not to let him get any more yardage.

Market at the 44 yard line first down ten for Fitzgerald a big, big third down conversion.

MacDonald brings it to the line of scrimmage counterplay Here's Gibbs Johnson Johnson cuts it back and takes it down across the 40 to the 34 yard line Davey is Johnson on a counter play is finally tackled by Robert.

Williams the defensive end you see it.

Again another good job right here following your right left guard left tackle Tavis does a good job kind of direction on pushing him in the back right there and picks up ten yards.

And another first down, it looks like Fitzgerald's getting a little bit more confident, their offensive line and controlling the line of scrimmage.

Pulling right tackle Brad Foster with a good block for Fitzgerald.

They overload the right side now on TV.

Is Johnson behind that?

Johnson's going to get down to about the 25 yard line where Marquise Ward makes a stop.

Davis Johnson gets about eight, so it's going to be second down and two.

And now Fitzgerald really moving the football.

Jackson's defense has been on the field quite a bit this half the third quarter.

And you can tell they're starting to get a little bit tired, not playing disciplined football on the defensive side of the ball.

And they've got to try change that here.

This time they run an unbalanced line to the right and counter to Blount.

He takes it across at 25 down to about the 22 yard line.

Carlos Morgan makes the stop.

BLOUNT on a counter play at a big hole but it goes quickly moving the chains and that's exactly what's wrong want you see the garden tackle unbalanced pulling over here.

He does a good job straddling his other line and picking up the first down, moving the chains and more importantly.

Keeping the clock running down.

Second and short.

Second and two.

And C.J.

Blount picks up about three.

So first, down ten ball at the 21 yard line balance.

Last talk on the right here is a drop Blake on to Tyler throw it he takes it down to the 15 yard line that's going to be a gain of six.

And if you have a team that primarily runs the ball, you're getting big time yardage on first down.

You create all kinds of problems for the defense.

Put yourself in a great position.

You look right here, it's second and three right now.

So we've got a player heard on the field.

That's man, they made the tackle John Rourke Ronald.

Right.

He is slow to get up.

But you're right if you can control first down and get get four or five, six yards and put yourself in a good position second down.

Now that brings the pass and an end to play.

And and they've been passing the ball not as much this quarter as they did the first half.

You can pretty much bet that that's his option right now.

Fitzgerald with the lead, they're driving the football.

They've got second and four yards to go at the 15 yard line and they got an official timeout here being aided to the sidelines.

Ronald rights walking gingerly on.

His left leg.

And he's a player.

He's played well for.

They bringing Brad Selman.

In there at the linebacker position.

Second down four yards to go.

Ball in the 15 yard line.

There's a drop flag on to Tyler Pruitt throw it at the five goes to the end zone Touchdown.

The son of coach Robby Pruitt.

Tyler gets it done.

A 15 yard run.

He picked up six yards on the play of the floor.

And number 33 has given Fitzgerald a 19 to 9 lead right here.

The offensive line doing a great job.

You see the trap play right there and it's opens up and that's all he needs.

A little space to get through, goes through untouched and gets the score.

That's 24 touchdowns on the season him now we've got a flag on the try for point after this will go against Jackson offside so 19 to 9 with 16 ticks on the clock here in the third quarter that ball encroachment on the defense now Fitzgerald decides it wants to go for a two point conversion after the half the distance the goal line penalty puts the ball in about the one and a half.

Dustin MacDonald turns hands to throw it.

He goes his the half and the two point conversion is good.

Tyler Pruitt scores the touchdown.

He gets a two point conversion and now Fitzgerald has gone out and throw it on Jackson 21 to 9 purple hurricane John Davis who scores.

14 straight points and really grabbed the momentum offensively late in the second quarter.

And see the touchdown right here with the guard Smith pulling around and Tyler does a or Pruitt does a good job right there just running through the tacklers and gets in the end zone.

There's a two point conversion.

Tyler Pruitt just puts his head down, runs it right tackle and things open up for him.

As you said, Chuck, the momentum has changed.

I don't know what was said in the locker room, but Fitzgerald's really come out and played well on both sides of the ball and also the special teams getting that long punt return and that that helps out a whole lot when all three phases of your game is working on all cylinders.

All right.

Conversely, on the other side of the ball, Jackson has a struggle with their offense running shoot offense.

They put up big numbers.

Normally, they've been held to nine points today, but they can't leave.

That game plan.

They've got to keep plugging Morris Driver with a kickoff and it comes down to Shannon as the four back to the 1015 touchback 20 back at the 19 yard line before he's knocked down Arthur Ray Holland.

Makes a stop for Fitzgerald on Rodrick Shannon.

Fitzgerald's has taken it to him.

They were sticking their chest out and telling him and challenging Jackson to come after him.

And you're right, you can't get away from the game plan.

You got to get back to it, right?

Mix up the run in the past and try to get it down the field.

We're going in on the fourth quarter right now and they're 13 points down.

Tyler Pruitt, his younger brother, is the backup quarterback.

For the Purple.

Here's Grizz, fires it over the middle diving attempt at the 40 yard line.

Intended for Carroll Smith, who had his step on.

The defenders.

And tell you what, John Grier, all day long, it's just been a little bit off.

He's had a lot of people wide open, especially on deep roots.

In the first half, he had Roderick Shannon open at about the five and just over through him about three or four times.

That's happened and it.

Has right down the middle.

And that's exactly you know, we talked about the adrenaline were saying he's hurt right now probably protecting that hip that that he got hit on but he's got to pull it through and just try to make more first pass.

This time trips to the right and then Roderick Shannon over to the left side so too left to ride shotgun.

Formation really drops pump fake to the right and here we go.

Greer is going to get run down from behind, knocked down at the 22 yard line.

Good play on defense by.

Fitzgerald as Chris Farley makes the stop final seconds are gone here in corner number three and Fitzgerald in the driver's seat headed for the state championship as they lay.

JACKSON We're going to the fourth quarter with Fitzgerald leading 21 nine on TV at the Georgia Dome.

We go to quarter number four in.

a38 semifinals, big third down and seven yards to go situation for Jackson they trail it 21 to 9 Greer straight drop What a throw underneath screen It's taken by McDaniel and McDaniel gets only about three yards Russell Weston Zach Lucky the middle linebacker.

Combined on the stop I thought was a good call on third and seven you throw the screen here running back but.

Fitzgerald that was ready for it well with the defensive line being able to get the penetration that they have at certain times, it was good for you.

The guys for Fitzgerald have really done a good job closing in on the ball and allowed him to get the first down which big play for them.

Holly Coffey led a huge punt return few moments ago, set up.

A touchdown for Fitzgerald and stayed to receive the punt from Greer.

This is a line drive and returnable at the 37.

Coffey trying to get outside not this time he's not down at the 38 there to make the play was Michael catch and good punt.

Coverage that time by the Jackson Red Devils.

So what all he does a great job right there trying to set up his his wall on his punt return team but Jackson did a good job pursuing and staying spread out on the field.

And of allowing them.

You see the games coming up later today and this evening here at the Georgia Dome.

What a shore raiders.

Nick Carroll, Sarah Baker's 95 a first time around for that classification and that's to be a good thing as well handoff.

Goes and you get a fumble.

Yes, we do.

Coming up with a football is Robert Williams, Carlos Morgan, Jared Lewis.

The handoff goes to Tyler Pruitt who just had that touchdown a moment ago.

Good play right there by Gilroy's ten and up the pull and guard and allowed the guy to come in there and cause the fumble and get the ball and gives Jackson the opportunity to get on this offense in the Fitzgerald's territory.

This could entirely switch the momentum.

Huge play on defense by the Jackson Red Devils to put trips to.

The left one to the right shotgun formation for John Greer, the quarterback quick drop now he wants to run right up the middle.

He goes at the 30 down to the 29 yard line.

John Greer on a quarterback draw creating on his own is stop by quick side defensive end Morris driver so that's going to get a eight yard gain no market at the 28 yard line.

Some good plays on both sides of the ball since drills DB's are doing a great job of covering in the offensive line for Jackson's really doing a good job and the bears just making the decision to run the ball and try to pick up some.

Yards I throw it fumble ball recovered at the 36 now Jackson trying to capitalize the pass and it's thrown in low incomplete at.

The 23 yard line intended for Orlando King over there, Holly Coffey had the coverage, but that was a low pass.

So it's going to bring up third down and a long two yards to go.

You see the score.

Fitzgerald leading Jackson 21 to 9 here in the three AA semifinals.

Bo Jackson trying to rally John Greer with 102 yards rushing on today out of the shotgun facing third and three.

Here he goes again.

Not going to get much knocked down after a one yard gain at the 27.

Mike Harris.

I believe, is in four down territory.

Chris Farley makes a stop.

The strong side defensive end.

Really has no choice right now.

Just go ahead and go for it.

On fourth down, bears been making the plays over 100 yards rushing and he's the type of guy that can make something happen.

They've been doing.

It all day and see what happens here when it comes up.

Good.

Now, now, the running shoot, traditionally a passing offense.

This is definitely.

A down where you might run off want to run the football, but they don't have a tight end in their motion.

MAN Shannon, over to the left, they had him off on fourth down and it's got to be close.

So Darius McDaniel carried, I don't know, the middle of the defensive line was there for Fitzgerald and Darius McDaniel didn't get much.

Not only is it tough without a tight end and a fullback, but your offensive.

Linemen are used to pass blocks and Fitzgerald has held well, Chuck, the first down for the purple hurricane at the 20.

Seven yard line.

Chuck with the offensive line.

From he got five offensive linemen and we've got six or seven defensive linemen.

You really.

In a no win situation.

Like this, it's easy just to go back and get into the shotgun and make a play.

That's a great point.

So it's first down ten yards to go at the 27 yard line.

Purple hurricane with a foot wrong.

They have the lead.

And here comes Johnson 3035 after the 39 yard line goes KB is Johnson he lined up in the wingback spot took the handoff.

Does a good job right here following his tacklers or his blockers.

Jim Smith right there running up the field.

That's good job.

Protecting the ball, picking up the first down, staying in bounds.

Nice open field tackle by the cornerback Marquise Ward, the junior.

But first down ten yards to go 12 yard gain for TBS Johnson.

Unbalanced lines gone to the left with the handoff gone to the little man, Reggie Pasco.

He gets out there, the 45 yard line, maybe even the 46.

Tim Sims outside linebacker with Brad Selmon, the defensive tackle makes a stop and a tremendous surge by the offensive line of Fitzgerald.

They're taking command now at the line of scrimmage.

Starting with the last drive.

You're exactly right.

And it's a nice quick handoff to the opposite side of the unbalanced line.

And keep in Jackson a little bit confused right now, keeping them on their hills and making it tough for him to.

Defend a verbal hurricane.

Right.

The huddle and the tackle, 5040 543 yard line before he's knocked down stop on a play by Mark Wells Warren Reggie Pascal broke the tackle at the line of scrimmage You get to watch it again.

I'll tell you what Chuck, right here.

One thing that I really like to see is the running backs.

When they try to run over you, if they possibly can, they're not going to try to miss.

And you really got to like that.

The aggressiveness of them.

Reggie Pascal five for 135.

He ain't going to try to run over anybody.

No, exactly.

He's they're feeling confident right now.

Excellent player ball at the 42 yard line and Jackson unbalanced line on the left.

They're going to run behind it.

Davis Johnson takes it and crosses the 40 down to the 39.

Robert Williams defensive end makes another stop for the Jackson Red Devils.

And we've got a player down and injured.

It's Carlos Morgan.

A little earlier in the third quarter, Ronald Wright, the other inside linebacker, one out.

And now Carlos Morgan has gone down with an injury.

So if you got rolled up on right there by his own player offensive line for Fitzgerald doing a fine job.

Jackson has really struggled in the second half.

They have yet to pick up a first down.

Hard to get in rhythm when you do that, Chuck, it's hard to obviously get any yardage and try to stay in the ballgame.

Fitzgerald's pretty much taken over this prep sports.

Plus, Georgia's only statewide high school sports and academics program returns to the lineup.

TV lineup Saturday, January 20th at 11 a.m.. Join Jim Janaki of the entire Prep Sports Plus team for a look at high school sports around Georgia.

That's Saturday, January 20th, exclusively on TV.

Jim did a little play by play in the semifinal earlier today.

We'll cover that tomorrow.

Did a great job.

Did do a great job.

You see the injured player, Carlos Morgan.

He is the leading tackler for Jackson coming in.

So that's not going well for.

The Red Devils on the carrier.

Reggie Pascal runs behind a big, strong offensive line.

Robert Williams and Brad Selman make the stops.

So it's going to bring up third down and about four yards to go.

And this is a huge play for the Jackson defense.

They've got to force a stop, get the football back.

They're trailing, as you can see, 20.

1 to 9 and unbalanced lines drawn to the right now handoff on the pass but breaks a tackle.

That's a throw to the 25 to the 24 yard line a little.

Reggie Pascal is getting it done.

First down for the purple hurricane.

Fitzgerald.

Big play for Fitzgerald right there, getting the first down again.

We talked about it, running the clock down and getting the first down.

Does a good job running up.

His offensive lineman and little big man right there is being able to squeeze through the defensive line and pick up extra yardage.

Jeff Meyerriecks slams them to the turf today.

That's after Reggie Pascal has picked up about 11.

So first down and ten yards to go barking at the Jackson 23 yard line play action McDowell back looking has.

A man out there pass to Blake to Howard Touchdown fakes down Harrell Holland off the play action wide open at the five hauls it in And Fitzgerald has gone out front here on Jackson 27 to 9 so.

Talk about changing up right there's been the running the ball all this drive and all of a sudden he comes back with the pass offensive line, does a great job and he just gets behind him right there and runs on into the end zone.

On the drive to point.

After Pascal Villa Donald gets it back, Kent got away and the kick is good.

We have.

6 minutes, 30 seconds.

Remaining in the fourth quarter and Fitzgerald is on its way to the state final.

Looking pretty good right now.

They lead Jackson 28 to 9 with Jackson.

The Red Devils still have an explosive offense, an explosive player.

And John Greer.

And he's going to have to come back big as you see Terrell Holland scoring that touchdown once again.

Nice pass from MacDonald.

Nice touch.

Exactly.

And he got behind the defense backs and able to bring it down and it goes back to Coach Robby Pruitt.

It'd be interesting to see what he said at halftime.

And really, that's what a leader's all about.

He brings those kids and makes them believe.

And so these players have to do all those push ups, 28 of them.

Now, all those points are on the board.

It gets strenuous after a while.

So I stuck with football.

John Davis from Ellijay, Georgia, originally played four years with Georgia Tech's Yellowjackets, went on to the Buffalo Bills.

A great year with the Bills.

Lead kickoff comes down to Darnell Smith.

Smith still on.

His feet, gets out.

Across the 25 to the 26 yard line where he's knocked down by Erik Lewis.

The strong safety.

So it's first down ten for Jackson now market at the 28 yard line.

The red devils came.

In at 12 and one Fitzgerald led by Justin McDonald came in at 12 and one and you see Justin McDonald has done today.

Five of nine just on the touchdown pass here, hands off to McDaniels.

So Derrius McDaniels does not get much Quentin drivers.

Makes the stop for Fitzgerald.

So being 19 points down it's kind of surprising that they're running the ball it almost makes him feel like that something's wrong with Greer.

He's just not the last couple of passes he's thrown.

He's just really not been able to put any zip on it.

Thrown back to Justin McDonald for Fitzgerald a moment ago.

Only five completions all day, but he stole the ball just enough to keep Jackson's defense on a good job.

There was a pass put up and is complete.

With the football and headed for the end zone.

Touchdown for John Greer career up.

Roderick Shannon throw the football to him so if he can throw it for a touchdown he'll run down and catch it for a touchdown.

That touchdown pass covers 72 yards, got the game again, 28 to 15.

Like he was running off the sideline.

I don't know exactly what happened, but you'll see right there?

It looks like he's running off the sideline and they snap at the shell.

There he goes.

It's a wide open.

Sure, that is.

And it goes for 72 yards and now Brady Johnson on the try to point after and he nails it so.

We have 5 minutes 40 seconds remaining and all of a Jackson trying to climb back in.

Fitzgerald leads him 28 to 16.

He goes, that looks like it's a little boy right there to throw something off the field.

And once they stop the ball, he just streaks down the field and makes a nice catch right there and untouched in the end zone, Gay.

Went to sidelines with his knee pad, tossed that aside, and then on a streak pattern was wide open.

Broderick Shannon hit him.

So now with 540 left, you're down to scores, the onside kick if you're the Jackson Red Devils.

Well, I would say that you probably do, except Jackson hasn't really been able to stop Fitzgerald, and you don't want to give him the opportunity to get the ball around the 50 yard line.

I'd be surprised if they did that.

They might take the chance and maybe square that halfway down.

So Fitzgerald really can't get a good return on it.

And I tell you what, Fitzgerald has its hands team right up along the 50 and four more behind him.

They're expecting an onside kick.

Ali Coffey is deep to receive.

He's only at the 20 yard line.

Number 19, Brady Johnson had a 48 yard field goal in the first half.

The first points of the game, the onside kick drives.

And it takes a bounce rolling around, people diving all over, who comes up with it.

Fitzgerald, S.J.

Blunt, number 21.

And boy, I tell you what.

Robby Pruitt had to have his heart in his throat for a while.

Excellent onside kick as blunt as he comes up with it.

So the purple hurricane with the lead and the football first down ten yards to go at the 47 yard line.

I don't know if Jackson even saw that ball when it hit.

He kind of hit it of a different angle for an onside kick and it bounced off the pads of Fitzgerald and had an opportunity.

But S.J.

Blunt did a good job going up for the ball.

Each team has two timeouts remaining.

Fitzgerald with the lead over Jackson 28 to 16 purple hurricane first down ten at bay 47 and one of the offensive linemen for Fitzgerald jumped to count early so this will back them up.

Five Josh McDonald the left guard sorry.

John Hope I was going to say, all right, now is the time.

You don't want to make those type of penalties.

He gets himself in that long yardage situation.

He's going to be prior to the snap.

I'll start on the offense.

Five yard walk off, puts it back to the 42 yard line.

So it's going to be first down and 15 yards to go.

Mike Paris, the head coach of Jacksonville, once a western.

New Mexico University and no doubt going to tedious, Johnson fumbles the football and falls on the back of the.

37 yard line that ball was stripped away by Robert Williams the defensive end and Travis Johnson's narrowly averted disaster there.

Chuck, I was getting ready to say that.

That's one of the ways that Jackson's going to be able to get in the ballgame.

They're going to have to try to hold those guys up and strip it just like they did right there.

Had a chance to get his hand in there and strip the ball out and bounces are going to go your way sooner or later.

Now, that was a loss of five more yards.

So it's second down and 20 yards to go from the 37 on balance lines drawn to the right hand off one C.J blind for 140 45 5048 yard line for Fitzgerald C.J.

Blanch came back a bunch, but they're going.

To face a big third down here.

Michael Cash, one of the linebackers, had to make the stop.

Watch it again.

Nice cutback by C.J right there does a good job he was stopped going outside the corner that just cuts right back and finds an opening that looks like the linebacker right there over pursued and then enabled and you're right picked up about 15 yards and put him in a third and five situation.

Market at the Jackson 47 yard line.

Senior quarterback.

Justin McDonald.

Unbalanced line once again.

Now to Tracy Jay Blunt in trouble.

And he gets about a yard, maybe two to the 45.

Robert Williams makes a stop it's going to bring up fourth down and two and a punting situation for Fitzgerald.

You want to try to pin Jackson deep in their own territory.

3 minutes, 45 seconds left and we get a timeout called by Jackson.

So they're down to one time out.

Let's go down now to Jim Janaki.

Oh, standing by.

And Jim, we've been treated to some great football games here today.

You bet.

We have Chuck and JD earlier today in the semifinal, America's Beat Charlton County 2214.

Here's Franco Smith on the touchdown run Panthers advance to the championship game next weekend Back at Chuck and JD.

And in the first game today Jim Buford was the winner as they advanced 26 to 6.

So Buford in the single-A semifinals, five games on the day here.

We've got two more that follow this one and five more coming up tomorrow.

Smiley face.

And right now, things are great if you're a Fitzgerald Purple hurricane.

Jackson did a good job on that last defensive stand holding on.

They're going to punt right now.

This is where Fitzgerald, their punter, they don't want him to punt the ball out of the dome.

They just want to make sure they can get him inside the 20 yard line and let the defense come on the field and try to take over.

A huge punt coming up from Justin McDonald.

Shannon is deep to receive standing at his own ten.

They angle it away from Roderick Shannon and this one bounces inside the ten rolls out of bounds at the that was a great time by Justin MacDonald the senior for.

Fitzgerald Good job getting him inside the ten yard line now you would think that.

They market at the six yard line.

We'll go down to floor Florida, the stadium once again.

Here's Jon Nelson.

John.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Chuck and J.D.

talked to a couple of the players on the Fitzgerald offensive line and they said that they're a second half team, but they probably got caught up in the atmosphere of being here under the big top in the first half.

They also said that third time in the third quarter, it found out that Jackson couldn't take the pounding on the defensive side of the football and also that in no uncertain terms, they were giving up on defense.

Guys, back upstairs.

Well, there's 337 left and Fitzgerald is PIN Jackson deep in its own territory at the six yard line, you see the Red Devils trailing by 12.

They have the football.

And John Greer, a guy who can make things happen in a hurry.

Well, go out of the shotgun here.

Trips to the left, one to the right.

That's Orlando King.

Check.

This is a hard situation for your offensive line right now because you are backed up and you've really got to do a good job to give Gore as much possible time you can.

Greer and the Jackson Red Devils down to just one timeout.

Now.

And here we go from.

The six yard.

Line.

They're 94 yards away.

We're going to fire it over the middle, pass over the head of.

The intended receiver Orlando King at the 30 yard line and he was open that one just missed.

Another case of just throwing it over his head right there good time by the offensive lineman was able to step through his pass but he's just been, like you said earlier just a little bit off and throwing over the receivers.

So second down and ten yards to go block stops as you can see the ball at the six.

Yard line in the shotgun package.

This time plays left and right.

Greer steps up, fires passes complete to Rodrick Shannon at the 27, still on his feet, knocked out of.

Bounds on the far side of the field at the 32 yard line.

Rodrick Shannon Finally by Allie Coffey.

Nice pass and catch right there.

Shannon was able to get out of bounds and stop the clock.

Give him a first down right here, a good pass protection catches him going right across the middle.

Good catch.

He takes it away and tries to almost trips up.

It catches his balance and gets out of bounds.

So we have 320 remaining shotgun once again, two left to right Grier fires pass is complete for Orlando going out near midfield.

Orlando King is lined up in the slot position on the right side.

Zach Lucky, the middle linebacker got back to make the play so the market at the 50 yard line another first down for Jackson and here comes the Red Devils third down by 12 points.

We're out of the shotgun once again.

Turned to the top.

Two to the bottom.

BROOKS And he's loose at the 38 yard line and they're going to roll incomplete pass.

And John Greer got absolutely hammered.

Got a blitz coming off of the corner right there.

And he just with his back to him, you'll see right here, offensive line right there running back.

And this is his block and John just took a huge shot right there.

Incomplete pass, though.

So that was Arthur Ray Hollins who made that big time hit on John Greer.

You see him number 47.

So it's going to be second down and ten yards to go.

And Jackson dodges a bullet.

There is good call by the officials all shotgun.

Tactics once again.

Bring pressure up the middle and he throws it.

And the general direction of.

Orlando King as he's gone out of bounds.

So the ball will come back to midfield.

It'll be third down and ten yards to go, 2 minutes, 52 seconds left.

Now.

Again, Fitzgerald's defensive backs doing a fine job covering up Jackson's receivers.

And what happens is that is just running out of the pocket trying to make something happen.

And that's what great players do.

They try to get out and make something happen.

They get to this deep DBS for Fitzgerald, doing a great job.

You saw Coach Broad and Fitzgerald looking on his defensive play for his club here, third down and ten and the handoff now there's an end around taken.

Roderick Shannon he only gets about four yards.

Roderick Shannon gets knocked down by Holland.

Also over there was Joe Strange.

Trying to run a little misdirection right here.

But first Drills does a good job staying at home out here on the corner and plays and allows Shannon to pick up much yardage.

Maurice Driver was also there along with a scuffle.

So it brings up fourth down and seven and a game on the line here for.

Jackson.

Quality Fitzgerald 47 yard line on fourth and.

Seven to go.

Here's the end around Shannon got to go for the bundle hit as he releases it The pass is short that's intercepted picked up by Eric Lewis the strong safety takes it out for the 24 yard line and barring a miracle out, Fitzgerald will advance to the state.

Three eight Final Big Pick by Erik Lewis.

Shannon just couldn't get enough on that ball.

They run a little sweep around and around and we'll see right here.

And he was hit as he released it to Collins hit him as he released it, made him throw it short.

Erik Lewis did the rest.

And with only a minute, 56 left Fitzgerald's in pretty good shape.

They lead by 12.

Carlos Morgan being taken off the field in the wheelchair.

Handoff gone to throw it Tyler throw it big gainer out to the.

37 yard line John Greer had to make the stop you get a look at Eric Lewis.

It just made that pick.

That's a first down for Fitzgerald Jackson, down to its final out.

They've got one left and the clock is rolling.

We have a minute.

36 unbalanced line, strong to the left, split backs in the backfield.

As you can see.

Justin McDonald And we'll hand it off to Reggie Pascal, little guy.

He gets.

Back to the line of scrimmage and it's pretty much a moot point now Jack Gilroy.

Makes a stop for Jackson.

Starts the difference of the game in the second half as Fitzgerald's offensive line really picked up their intensity level, able to get Jackson first off the ball and get the ball in the end zone.

So they've done a fine job this second half.

And they had a big stop.

On fourth down deep in their own territory when Jackson went for it and he turned the ball over his basket once again.

4550 Reggie Pascal takes it back as he pass goes.

The Larry Fink finally knocked down by Clint Brown and Wes Ward, and that's all he wrote.

His 40.

Seconds left.

Now.

Reggie Pascal cracks it wide open and Fitzgerald will advance to the final game.

They will visit the winner of tomorrow's contest between Washington and Waynesboro.

Fitzgerald will move up to 13.

And one.

And a handoff by Tyler Pruitt tackles down to the 20 yard line.

Jackson Red Devils coach Mike Perez will finish the year at 12 and two and they have had an excellent season as well.

You see the matchup for the semi, the final game next weekend where Swain's going, Washington County will host.

But no matter what happens there Fitzgerald will be at the party is advanced with a 28 to 16 win over the Jackson Red Devils.

Their fans give them a standing O a lot of people up from Fitzgerald Georgia to watch the purple hurricane advance as they get a big win over Jackson's Red Devils.

As I said, a big stop in the fourth quarter on defense, couple of big plays on.

Offense in particular, a touchdown pass by Justin McDonald and got it done.

Back with our post-game wrap up.

Coming up, you see the final score and you're watching.

High school football on TV.

Back here at the Georgia Dome, Fitzgerald beats Jackson 28 to 16 to advance to the championship game.

Let's go downstairs to John Nelson.

Thanks to you here with Robby Prewitt.

You can officially take a breath now.

It was a tale of two halves out there.

Definitely.

Oh, I tell you, they got a great football team.

And we are you know, we made a couple of adjustments at halftime to help us out, but my heart goes out to them.

Coach did a great job with them, but I'm real proud of our kids, what they've done this year.

The three and four yard gains in the first half turn in the seven and eight yard gains in the second half, what was the difference?

Was it fatigue on their part or just conditioning on yours?

Well, I don't know.

We you know, we like I said, we changed a couple of blocking schemes.

I think they helped us a little bit.

And then, you know, it just was fortunate work that you have that goes sometimes it backfires and sometimes it works.

You know, it's not, you know, workhorse.

This is old hat for you down in Jacksonville, Florida.

And that part of the way for Florida football, but for Georgia football and for the folks in Fitzgerald, how do you explain to these folks that, we got a state title game next week?

Well, we just you know, they know, believe me, they've been following our kids real close and they're real proud of them.

And it's just been unbelievable.

Our kids, you know, I can't say enough about them.

They they work hard.

And, you know, we just got a bunch of overachievers.

You know, we don't have a standout player lead the side of the ball, but we've got a bunch of guys work good together saying.

How much of a challenge was this for you real quick?

Every year is a challenge.

You know, you don't ever know.

You just you light them up and practice hard work and whole season and see how far you can go.

All right.

Congratulations.

Robby Pruitt.

He's into the championship game next week.

Let's go back upstairs to Jim to knock you out.

All right, Johnny, thanks very much for John Nelson, Chuck Colson, John, I'm Jim Tanaka.

So stay tuned.

Coming up at the top of the hour, Sean Carroll, the quad, a semifinal game from the Georgia Dome.

This has been a presentation of TV recognized around the state as the leader in high school sports television.

Sit at the top of the hour, Georgia Public Television's broadcast of the Georgia High School Association.

2000 football semifinals has been made possible in by Georgia Natural Gas, Georgia's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, IBEW Local 613 and by South Rust Bank.