THOMASVILLE — Having to wait a day to find out its Class AA first round playoff opponent wasn't a concern for Thomasville.
In fact, coach Richie Marsh wasn’t worried at all about the Bulldogs’ draw after defeating No. 8 Fitzgerald 21-15 on Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium to earn Region 1-AA’s second seed.
“We don’t care,” Marsh said. “We don’t care. The way this thing started and the way it ended against the team that was pictured in to win it all when the year started, what else more can we ask for?
“We know the brackets are unbelievably tough. But to end the year with a winning record and a home playoff game, I’m blessed.”
A coin toss Saturday broke a three-way tie for first in Region 2-AA, giving Appling County the region title, Charlton County the second seed and sending MacIntosh County Academy to visit Thomasville on Friday. The Buccaneers lost 20-0 to Charlton County on Friday, costing MacIntosh County Academy the region title.
“All I know is the last time we went over there, it was my first game and they embarrassed us,” Marsh said of facing the Buccaneers. “It left a very bad taste in everybody’s mouth.”
If Thomasville (6-4, 6-1) gets past No. 3 MacIntosh County Academy, the Bulldogs’ playoff road could include trips to No. 4 Dublin and No. 1 Buford.
Thomasville rallied past Fitzgerald (8-2, 5-2) on Friday to earn that difficult draw, by making the most of its second-half opportunities, scoring on a 75-yard fumble return from Duanterrius Wilson and 61-yard run from Tyrone Williams. In the first half, though, the Bulldogs squandered a pair of scoring opportunities. Thomasville’s second drive ended on a Jeffrey Dyson fumble at the Fitzgerald 15, following a 48-yard drive — sparked by a 25-yard keeper from quarterback Charles Hayes on its first play.
After the Bulldogs tied the game at 8 midway through the second quarter, Thomasville again drove deep into Purple Hurricane territory. After a pass interference penalty kept the drive alive on a third-and-12, Freddrick Holton busted off a 51-yard run to move the Bulldogs down to the Fitzgerald 8. However, the drive stalled and Daniel Anders’ 21-yard field goal attempt was blocked with 1:24 left in the half. Still, Thomasville responded in the third quarter, as Williams’ scoring run came on the Bulldogs’ second play of the half.
“The offensive coaches got in there and made some great adjustments,” Marsh said. “They came out and made that play. They made that adjustment that spurted Tyrone out of there.
“That’s what I’m saying, the assistant coaches just did such an excellent job of making those adjustments and giving the kids a chance to make plays.”
Thomasville made plenty of defensive plays in the second half, too. In addition to Wilson’s fumble return, the Bulldogs twice picked off Kaleb Nobles in the final quarter — including a Jamarcez Carr interception inside the Thomasville 10 with less than a minute remaining to seal the win. The defensive plays helped the Bulldogs hold off the Purple Hurricane despite allowing 168 yards in the half.
“Anything is possible, that’s all I can say,” Wilson said about Thomasville’s defensive stands. “Anything is possible.”
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