Dublin at Fitzgerald
First Round GHSA Playoffs
Date: 11/11/2016 7:30 p.m.
Location: Jaycee Stadium, Fitzgerald, Georgia
Series Record: Fitzgerald leads (11-9-1)
Last Meeting: 11/16/13 Fitzgerald 41, Dublin 21
Dublin Fighting Irish (8-2/4-2) (GHSA Region 3-AA)
Record Last Season: (6-4/2-4)
Head Coach: Roger Holmes, 15th Season (129-50-1)
Key Players: #1 Erik Roberson, WR/LB, Jr. (6-1/175); #3 Ramon Pittman, RB, Sr. (5-9/185); #8 Mylek Jones, TE/LB, Sr. (6-1/205); #10 Rodriquez Martin, QB, Jr. (5-8/150); #12 Israel Phillips, FB/LB, Sr. (5-9/210)
Notes: After not making the playoffs last season the Fighting Irish find themselves as the four seed out of Region 3-AA. Don’t be fooled by the seeding; Dublin is the only four seed in the GHSA-AA playoffs with eight wins. They are also the only four seed to beat a region champion, Washington County.
Holmes and his staff have a tough task ahead of them as they take on the No. 2-ranked team in the state in GHSA-AA. Fitzgerald has won ten of their last 11 games at Jaycee Stadium.
Offensively, the Fighting Irish are averaging 29.8 points per game. Their base offense is in the traditional Delaware Wing-T. They are led by senior tailback Ramon Pittman, who has rushed for just under 1,000 yards this season.
Also a threat to score is fellow senior Israel Phillips, who specializes in short-yardage situations. Dublin may not be a prolific passing team, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have threats at receiver as half of two-way standout Mylek Jones’ receptions have gone for touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, they are rendering 19.2 points per contest. If you take out their two losses, Dodge County and Southwest, the Irish are only giving up 14.5 points per game.
They will have to stop one of the top rushing attacks in the state of Georgia, regardless of classification, in order to pull off a first-round victory.
Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane (9-1/5-0) (GHSA Region 1-AA)
Record Last Season: (13-2/5-1) Lost in GHSA AA State Championship
Head Coach: Jason Strickland, 5th Season (50-13)
Key Players: #2 James Graham, QB, Jr. (6-1/175) (10+ offers); #3 Damien Devine, RB, So. (6-1/190); #6 Ethan Gordon, RB, So. (5-9/180); #8 Joshua Reliford, S, Sr. (5-11/180); #11 Willie Ross, CB, Sr. (6-1/180); #15 Montreil Harris, WR/ATH, Jr. (6-2/190) (4+ offers); #18 JD King, RB. Sr. (5-10/205) (Oklahoma State Commit); #76 Anthony Ransey, NG, Sr. (6-0/315); #82 Lecitus Smith, TE, Sr. (6-4/255) (Virginia Tech Commit); #88 Marlon Jackson, DE, Jr. (6-4/220)
Notes: Coach Strickland has led his team to a 22-3 record over the last two seasons, with a trip to the GHSA-AA State Championship game last season. Last week, the Canes knocked off Thomasville 33-20 to win the 1-AA region title.
This is one of the highest scoring offenses in the state, averaging a whopping 43.9 points and 445 yards of offense per game. The Canes have rushed for 3,044 yards in 10 games this season while averaging 6.8 yards per carry. They are led by senior tailback JD King, who has rushed for 1,303 yards and 17 scores. King is also a threat in the passing game having caught 14 passes for 316 yards and six scores.
King is not the only threat in the Wing-T offense run out of the pistol formation. Junior quarterback James Graham has accounted for 1,775 yards of offense and 27 touchdowns. Sophomore tailbacks Damien Devine and Ethan Gordon have combined for 709 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns while catching 30 passes for 439 yards and eight scores.
Two other important weapons are receiver Montreil Harris and giant tight end Lecitus Smith. The duo has combined for 17 catches for 405 yards and five scores. Harris has also returned three kicks for touchdowns.
Defensively the Canes are giving up just 15.7 points per game. They are led by senior defensive backs Joshua Reliford and Willie Ross. Reliford has racked up 110 tackles, eight TFLs and one INT while Ross has recorded 58 tackles, two TFLs and seven INTs.
Defensive end Marlon Jackson has really come on this year. The junior has 91 tackles, 17 TFLs and 11 sacks on the season. Another important defensive component this week in stopping the Irish Wing-T attack will be senior nose guard Anthony Ransey. This mammoth run-stopper has recorded 46 tackles, seven TFLs and one sack.
If Fitzgerald hopes to go back to the Georgia Dome in December, they must not take their first-round opponent lightly.
Special thanks go out to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association (ghsfha.org)
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