The Fannin County Rebel football team’s historic season came to a close Friday, December 11, as the number seventh ranked team in Region AA, fell to the number one team, the Fitzgerald Hurricanes 48-14.
Electric described the atmosphere before the kickoff at 7:30 p.m. with both the Rebel stands and Canes stands full. As the Rebels walked out, the Canes met them at midfield for an exciting and high energy “good luck” exchange to each other.
The Canes won the toss and elected to receive the ball as Jack Kantner kicked off. Fitzgerald brought the ball to their own 40-yard line where they set up shop. Micah O’Neal and Dalton Ross had a couple of big stops on the drive, but the Canes erased the negative yardage with big gains as they power ran to the Rebels eight-yard line. The Canes punched it in from eight yards out on the next play and after the extra point led the Rebels 7-0 with 7:28 to go in the first quarter.
The Fitzgerald kickoff went into the endzone for a touchback as Luke Holloway and the Rebels set up shop at their own 20-yard line. Seth Reece broke off a five-yard run on the first play to get the ball to the 25-yard line, but a run by no gain and an incomplete pass later the Rebels were in fourth and five situation from their own 25 and were forced to punt. Fitzgerald brought Jalen Ingram’s punt to their own 43-yard line as their offense took the field. Cason Owensby had a big tackle for loss, setting the Canes up for second and 12 at their own 41-yard line. Fitzgerald managed to convert the second and long and go on to score on a one-yard touchdown run. After the good extra point, the Canes led 14-0 with 40 seconds to go in the first quarter.
The Rebels got the ball at their own 20-yard line after the touchback, but a false start set Fannin back to the 15-yard line. Seth Reece erased the penalty with a nice 14-yard gallop to make it second and one from the Fannin 29-yard line. After Holloway completed a pass for no gain to Ingram, the Rebels were flagged for a false start to make it third and six from the Rebels 24-yard line. Holloway’s pass on third down fell incomplete as Ingram punted the ball back to Fitzgerald. The Canes took over at their own 38-yard line, but huge stops by Fannin’s defensive line and McCay Turner put the Canes in a fourth and six situation where they punted back to Fannin. The Rebels could not move the sticks on their offensive possession as they punted back to the Canes and they took over at their own 38-yard line.
Mason bundy, Owensby and Reece had a big stop on first down, and Carson Collis snatched a Fitzgerald pass out of the air for a Rebel interception on the next play to give Fannin the ball at the Canes’ 31-yard line.
Holloway found Ingram for a nice 16-yard pass to move the chains to the 15-yard line. Reece powered through defenders on the next play for a three-yard run to put the ball at the 12-yard line. Speedy wideout Andre Bivens came up big on the next play, catching a seven-yard pass to put the Rebels at the five-yard line for a first and goal. Two plays later Reece punched it in the endzone on a two-yard touchdown run to put the Rebels on the board. After the extra point from Kantner, the Rebels sliced the Canes lead 14-7 with 4:42 to go in the second quarter.
Fitzgerald brought the Rebels kickoff out to their own 44-yard line where they scored a 56-yard touchdown run on the next play. After the extra point, the Canes led 21-7 with 3:52 to go in the second.
The Canes scored one more time in the second quarter on a 50-yard touchdown pass. Fannin got the ball and got within field goal range after a few big catches by Cohutta Hyde, but the kick was no good as the Canes went into the locker room with a 28-7 lead over Fannin. The Rebels got the ball to start the third quarter from their own 20-yard line as Fannin Head Coach Chad Cheatham drew up a brilliant trick play for the first play of the series. Holloway pitched the ball to Reece, who then was able to unload a 80-yard bomb to Hyde for a touchdown. After the extra point, the Canes led the Rebels 28-14 with 11:47 to go in the third quarter.
The Rebels attempted an onside kick but the Canes recovered at their own 48-yard line. Fitzgerald went to the ground and was able to move the sticks to the one-yard line where they punched it in on the next play. After the missed extra point, Fannin trailed 34-14 with 8:45 to go in the third.
The Canes scored one more time in the third quarter with 4:43 to go, and one time in the fourth to make it 48-14. The Rebels did not have an answer before time expired as they finished the season 11-1 overall and with a state quarterfinal appearance. This Rebels team is only the second team in Fannin County High School history to have finished the regular season undefeated, and make it to the quarterfinals. Rebel Head Coach Chad Cheatham said, “The seniors are the cornerstone for everthing. They started to believe as sophomores and you can not replace this group of guys.” Cheatham also gave credit and thanks to his coaching staff, as well as the rest of the team.