TIFTON — The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane climbed the mountaintops last week and returned home with a quarterfinals win in the GHSA Class AA state tournament. Back on earth, the terrain is flatter, but the stakes are higher tonight. They go to Heard County tonight for the state semifinals. Kickoff time is 7:30 p.m.

Fitzgerald advanced here by dispatching Rabun County, 28-17, a cold and rainy game which head coach Tucker Pruitt said limited both teams.

“Tough environment,” he said.

The game was played at Tiger, Rabun’s hometown. Though the mountain air, long ride and crowd favored Rabun, the conditions tilted in Fitzgerald’s favor.

Mostly employing “our little single wing package,” Fitzgerald only attempted two passes (both missed). A pass-happy Rabun found footing difficult. A Damien Devine touchdown run to start the fourth quarter gave Fitzgerald a 28-9 lead.

“We found a way to win the game,” said Pruitt. He further admitted the game was not a pretty one because of the conditions.

Pruitt said his players in coverage kept Rabun pinned down.

Ethan Gordon ran for two scores, the latter going for 62 yards. Devine and Justin Reliford had the other two.

Devine appeared under center for Fitzgerald and is part of a three-man crew at quarterback with Reliford and Kody Krause.

“We kind of rotate,” said Pruitt. “It’s definitely by committee.”

The system is working. With the exception of a loss to Brooks County Oct. 26, no team has come within 11 points of the Hurricane since mid-September. They will definitely have a challenge in Heard County, however.

Though the Braves have been a tournament constant for the last 18 years, it is a sport and area that has taken time to develop. Heard County has never been to a state final. This is the second of its semifinal appearances, the other coming just a year ago.

Football itself had a late start.

Franklin and Centralhatchee combined in 1954 to form Heard County High, but football did not begin until 1972. Even then, it took five seasons for Heard to commit to a region schedule. The county remains small, with fewers than 12,000 residents. There isn’t even an inch of railroad tracks to be found within its borders.

What Heard missed out on in its early years, it has made up for as of late with football talent. Former quarterback Emory Jones is now at the University of Florida. Current free safety and all-around athlete Aaron Beasley has a verbal commitment to the University of Tennessee and defensive end Zaylin Wood is to play collegiately at Temple University.

Beasley is a difference-maker for the Braves. Pruitt said he was out early in the season, particularly a pair of games against Hapeville Charter and Rockmart. The latter was a particularly bad experience. Trailing 33-0 at halftime and with a lengthy lightning delay ahead of them, Heard opted not to wait out the storm and instead went home.

While Beasley makes a big difference, he is not the only difference.

“They’re talented everywhere you look,” said Pruitt.

Alijah Huzzie broke Jones’s single season record last week against Dublin, throwing for two touchdowns. He has 18 this season. Pruitt singled out LeQuincy Shepherd as being Huzzie’s big target. Shepherd has 622 receiving yards on the season and 11 touchdowns.

On the defensive side, Wood has 35 tackles for losses.

Pruitt sees similarities in Heard and Fitzgerald.

“Like us,” he said, “early in the season they weren’t very good.”

Fitzgerald started the year 3-2. Among the two losses was a 16-10 decision against Irwin County, their first loss to their arch-rival since 1999. Any doubts about the Purple Hurricane, however, have assuredly faded as the team has torn its way through the state tournament.

“We kept getting better,” he said.

They opened state with a 51-14 win over Harlem before following it with a 27-12 victory over Swainsboro and last week’s 28-17 win over Rabun. Pruitt pointed out that Heard will be the third straight region champion they have faced.

The winner of this semifinal will face either Rockmart (13-0) or Callaway (11-2) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in the championship. The game will be either Dec. 8 or Dec. 12, depending on how the Atlanta United fare in the Major League Soccer playoffs.