THOMASVILLE — A Region 1-AA champion will be crowned Friday night in Fitzgerald.

As expected, the Thomasville Bulldogs and Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane, the presumptive favorites to contend for the region title before the season, will play for region supremacy at Jaycee Stadium.

The winner claims bragging rights, a region title and the potential to host the first two rounds of the state playoffs. 

Thomasville coach Zach Grage is not sugarcoating the ramifications of this game when discussing it with his players this week.

“We’re not going to sit here and tell the kids, ‘it’s just another game,’ because it’s not,” Grage said. “That’s one of the biggest things I think we’re going to do with this group is never lie to them. We’re going to tell them exactly where we stand; what it means to the community, what it means to this season and the opportunity to host playoff games and put numbers up on the board, get your championship t-shirts and all the great things that come along with it.

“It is a big game, and it’s against a very good team.” 

The setting is reminiscent of 2017 when Thomasville played former region foe Brooks County with the region championship on the line.

“It reminds me of 2017, where you had the expectations and accolades heading into that season. I believe when we played we were 8-0 and they were 7-0, and it lived up to the billing,” Grage said. 

“I think this is another one where we’re both 7-1. We both lost to the 3-A state champion and runner-up from last year. We’ve taken care of business on both sides in the region to set this up and make it that important. I’m excited for our team. They do understand, it is 1-0 in the record books, but it means a little more than that.”

Thomasville defeated Brooks County 23-20 in 2017. What will happen Friday night?