THOMASVILLE — The Thomasville Bulldogs and Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane are not just happy to be in the Class AA championship game on Friday at noon. They expected to be in this position and potentially make history.

Thomasville hasn’t won a state championship since 1988. Fitzgerald hasn’t claimed a state title since 1948. One long title drought will be extinguished when the two Region 1 giants collide for the second time this year.

“It’s kind of that catch-22; enjoy where you are, but also understand at Thomasville it’s expected. Your quarterfinal and semifinal type of runs where you’re playing during Thanksgiving, that should be normal,” Thomasville coach Zach Grage said. “We’re going to take up everybody and all the ball boys, filmers and trainers and get that experience in it. 

“But it’s a heck of a lot better experience with a ‘W’. If we just wanted the experience, we could have taken the group up last year and watched the playoff games or the state championship games. You still understand, we’re going to go up and enjoy it, stay in the best hotel we can find; we’re going to do everything first class like we do with any part of the program. But you also understand it’s a business trip. The bus ride back is a heck of a lot better if you finish the drill.”

Thomasville has advanced to the state semifinals twice during Grage’s tenure. But this is the Bulldogs’ first state title game appearance since 1993.

Fitzgerald is no stranger to championship environments. Fitzgerald lost in last year’s championship game to Callaway and has played for the state title three times since 2015. Tucker Pruitt is thankful his squad won’t have to make the trip to Thomasville for the rematch.

“I’m definitely glad it’s not at Veterans (Memorial Stadium),” he said. “That’s an awesome homefield advantage they’ve got, great atmosphere. They’ve been there throughout the whole entire playoff. We’ve been on the road, all except for the first round. That’s how the GHSA laid it out. We’ve got to go up (to Atlanta) and play. 

“We’re tickled pink that we get to play in the championship game against anybody. We’re just going to try to have the best Monday we can have; have the best Tuesday we can have and Wednesday, all throughout the rest of the week and get prepared to the best of our ability and go up there and let the chips fall where they fall.”