Class A Div. I Blog: Fitzgerald football remains unbeaten on the season

First-year head coach Wesley Tankersley has the undefeated Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane fighting to reach the top of Class A-Division 1, as the program is currently ranked second in the classification behind top-ranked and undefeated Worth County (4-0).

Tankersley, the 29th head coach in Fitzgerald program history, brings immense experience from his past coaching experiences to the Fitzgerald field. He was previously the head coach at Stephens County from 2018-2024, and helped lead the Indians to two region titles in 2022-23.

“So far this year the team had done well with moving on and overcoming setbacks when they are presented”, Tankersley said. “With our seniors, they help to lend a leading role with the team. We try to lead by actions; what our players do action wise makes every play count on the field.”

The Purple Hurricane has shown amazing performance on both sides of the ball so far this season, with a 48-0 shutout victory against Irwin County on Aug. 15 followed by a 30-7 victory against Crisp County on Aug. 29. Some notable players that have shown out so far include running back/defensive back Daniel Harris and quarterback/athlete Victor Copeland, a pair of seniors who have been a driving force for Fitzgerald.

On offense, Harris is averaging 20.7 yards per carry and has totaled six carries for 124 yards and a touchdown this season. Additionally, he has added one interception to his season stat sheet. Copeland, who has just four completions for 31 yards on the season, has been using his legs as well to make plays. The signal caller has totaled 23 carries for 264 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

“Daniel has been doing great on the defensive side,” said Tankersley when praising the pair. “Victor has been showing out where it is needed on our offensive side.”

Fitzgerald will face Brooks County this Friday, and ahead of the matchup Tankersley knows what he’ll be seeing on the other side of the field.

“Brooks County is a great program,” said Tankersley. “They have played great so far this season. To prepare, we have been playing with players all over the field and playing with full focus to make sure we do not have any mishaps.”

This matchup is going to test Fitzgerald’s ability to stay in its position circling the top of Class A-Division 1. Only time will tell if the performance will be enough to launch them into the top-ranked position in the classification.