TIFTON — Spring football saw time under the bright lights of Brodie Field Thursday evening when Tift County hosted the invading Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane.

Fitzgerald won the battle on the scoreboard, 28-24, with both teams giving everyone on the roster plenty of playing time.

Tift County took a 24-0 lead in the first half using its most experienced players.

Quarterback Mac Turner and running back Mike Jones led a drive from their own 20 inside the Fitzgerald 10. Rosendo Ramirez came in to boot a 30 field goal at 3:22, the only score of the first quarter.

Following a Purple Hurricane punt by Alex Martinez, Tift was soon in business again, this time for a bigger score.

Turner hit Tyler Ajiero with a pass to gain to the Fitzgerald 22. On the very next play, Turner connected with Caddy Curry for the game’s first touchdown at 8:09. Ramirez made the extra point.

A combined sack by Jalon Miller and Kadarius McDaniel halted Fitzgerald’s next possession and the Blue Devils changed quarterbacks when they went back on offense.

Weston Clamp, like Turner, found success through the air. Almost immediately, he hit Jameson Turner in stride for a long touchdown catch and run.

Both teams saw a drive stall, but the Devils found time to squeeze in one more score before the half.

At 1:04, Clamp lofted a pass to Tyler Ajiero in the front left corner of the south end zone. Ajiero lost his helmet on the play, but held on for the touchdown. Ramirez’s extra point kick meant a 24-0 lead at intermission.

Other first half highlights included pass rushes by Ricky Perry and a big quarterback hit by Deontae Overstreet on defense. Mac Turner had completions to Jameson Turner and Bricin Savage.

Fitzgerald came to life in the second half and took advantage of several turnovers to pull ahead.

The ‘Canes first got on the scoreboard at 3:41 in the third quarter on a pass from Justin Reliford to Martez Hannah. The drive began with a fumble recovery by Fitzgerald’s defense. Martinez kicked the extra point.

Down 24-7 entering the final quarter, Reliford cut Tift’s lead to 10 points on a 10-yard touchdown run at 7:24.

The Blue Devils’ lead dwindled to a single score five minutes later when new quarterback Dartavious Tomblin threw a touchdown pass to Demarion Dixon.

Fitzgerald’s defense, which had limited Tift’s young offense in the second half, scored the game’s final touchdown at 1:08 when Quantavious Pugh returned an interception approximately 35 yards.

Besides Tomblin and Reliford, Fitzgerald also used Kody Krause as a quarterback. Krause showed resembled Tim Tebow at times in the position, employing a jump pass on one occasion and using his body for several crushing runs.

Tift County was even more varied at the quarterback spot. Mac Turner had the start, with Clamp also seeing duty in the first half. Turner threw for one touchdown, Clamp, two. Others employed by the Devils were Gauge Domingue, Brendan Gray and Zachary Barber. Jones, DeLoach, Quay Clines and Chrishon Stephens were the squad’s main runners.