The Fannin County Rebel football team’s season came to an end Friday, November 19, when they fell to the Fitzgerald Hurricanes 28-14 in the the Sweet Sixteen round of the Georgia High School Association’s State Playoffs.
Fannin won the toss and elected to receive the ball as Fitzgerald kicked off and the game was underway.
Carter Mann had a great return to set Fannin up at the Canes’ 45 yard line. Seth Reece gained four yards on a quarterback keeper, followed by a nice pass to Carson Collis to set the Rebels up at the Cane’s 32 yard line. A few plays later the Rebels were in a fourth and one situation at Fitzgerald’s 23 yard line, but a false start pushed the Rebels back and forced a field goal attempt.
The Rebel’s field goal was blocked, and Fitzgerald scooped up the blocked punt and returned it for a 77 yard touchdown. After the extra point led Fannin 7-0 with 8:51 to go in the first quarter.
Fannin kept its composure though as they started their offensive drive from their own 44 yard line. The Rebel offensive line held up as Reece completed a pass to Corbin Davenport, but the drive stalled later as the Rebels were forced to punt.
Cason Owensby, Andrew Waldrep, Logan Long and the tough Fannin defense held the Canes, however, and forced a punt back to Fannin.
Both teams would punt one more time before Fannin found success through the air as Hayden Lynch and Collis had big time catches to eventually get the Rebels to the one yard line. Reece pounded it into the endzone for Fannin’s first score of the game.The extra point was blocked, however, as Fannin trailed Fitzgerald 7-6 with 2:06 to go in the first quarter.
Fannin started to click on both sides of the ball as the defense forced a punt and the Rebel offense started from their own 15 yard line. The Rebels made it all the way down to the Canes 18-yard line with help from big catches from Lynch and Davenport.
Reece threaded the needle on the next play and found Mann on an 18 yard rope to give the Rebels their first lead of the night. Fannin went for two and Sawyer Moreland came away with a nice grab from Reece to make it 14-7 Rebels with 9:50 to go in the second quarter.
After a punt from both teams, the Canes got the ball and started to generate offense. They eventually scored from 17 yards out, and the field goal was good to tie the game 14-14, where the score remained until halftime.
Fitzgerald got the ball to start the third quarter, but the Rebel defense held with help from Jeremy Tammen and Owensby. After the punt, Fannin took over, but an interception by the Canes set them up at mid field. The Rebel defense came through once again as they forced a turnover on downs on a big fourth and one play at the Rebels 10 yard line, to give Fannin the ball back.
The Rebels did not have a lot of room to work with, and were forced to punt back to the Canes.
Fitzgerald set up shop at Fannin’s 28 yard line as the third quarter ended with it tied 14-14. A few plays into the fourth quarter the Canes scored on a nine yard touchdown run and, after the extra point, went up 21-14 with 10:46 to go in the fourth.
The Rebels got the ball back, but a Fitzgerald interception gave the Canes the ball back at Fannin’s 42 yard line.
The Canes scored a few plays later on a 16 yard touchdown pass and, after the extra point, went up 28-14 over the Rebels.
Fannin could not generate offense the remainder of the game as the Hurricanes narrowly escaped with a 28-14 win.
The Rebels finished the season 10-2 overall, winning back-to-back region titles. The senior class of the football team finished as the all-time winningest class in school history with four state playoff appearances and going undefeated in Region 7AA.