One Southwest Georgia high school football team is heading to the "ship."
After defeating Fellowship Christian with a score of 19-9, Fitzgerald will be defending their title in Atlanta on Friday. This is the Purple Hurricane's 20th consecutive win.
At noon, Fitzgerald will take on Thomson at Center Parc, in Atlanta.
The Purple Hurricanes have been practicing and taking it one day at a time to ensure they can secure the win at the finals.
Coach Pruitt says the emotions are high and the team has dedicated so much to prepare for this.
"This is why you do it so that you can be a champion uh and go out on top and we got that opportunity and so uh I think when I'm practicing this week and I'm watching our kids move around I can tell how much it means to them," said Pruitt.
Senior quarterback Sultan Cooper believes in the team and says it's full of hard-working players.
"This team, I love this team you know, they're the hardest working guys, the toughest guys I've ever been around, you know, when that fourth quarter comes, something different just turns on you know," said Cooper.
This is an opportunity to be grateful and make an impact says freshman runner back Victor Copeland.
"I started moving up on varsity, so it feels good to be in the situation that I am right now, getting playing time on varsity. I'm getting, like, an opportunity that nobody, like, mostly freshman don't get so," said Copeland.
Thomson has avenged its 2021 Class 3A quarterfinal loss to Appling County and reached the finals for the first time since 2016 in pursuit of their first title since 2002.
Here's a list of the complete semifinal scores and championship game matchups for the state:
(All championship games will be played at Center Parc in Atlanta)
Class 7A
Semifinals
Championship
Class 6A
Semifinals
Championship
Class 5A
Semifinals
Championship
Class 4A
Semifinals
Championship
Class 3A
Semifinals
Championship
Class 2A
Semifinals
Championship
Class A Division I
Semifinals
Championship
Class A Division II
Semifinals
Championship
(Championship games)
Class 4A
Class 3A
Class 2A
Class A