TIFTON — Fitzgerald will close out its regular season with a big bang this Friday night. The Purple Hurricane (7-2) meet up with Brooks County (4-4) for a 7:30 p.m. football game at Jaycee Stadium.

“We need to win this week,” said Fitzgerald head coach Tucker Pruitt.

How big is this game for his team? Potentially massive.

Thomasville clinched the Region 1-AA title last week. Friday’s Brooks-Fitzgerald winner will finish No. 2 and earn a first round home game. The first round of state will pit them against a team from Region 3-AA. The likely four teams out of that division are Dublin, Bleckley County, Washington County and Dodge County. Dodge can’t win the crown, but it is still up for grabs among the other three.

If Fitzgerald finishes second, any of the four could be their opponent. The Hurricane edged Dodge earlier this year, 30-27. All four are strong teams and home field might be the only advantage they can get.

Pruitt still wishes his team had played better against Thomasville two weeks ago. Thomasville won 20-14. Had that score been reversed, they could have clinched the region championship this week. Second is the best they can do, however, and Pruitt is still worried about penalty yards.

“Penalties are a really big issue,” he said.

Limiting those against Brooks will be difficult. Despite a 4-4 mark, the Trojans have presented everyone with difficulties.

Brooks’ losses are among the state’s best. Thomasville (31-20) are now region champs. Dublin (49-35) is undefeated. Bainbridge (27-26) and Clinch County (38-14) are defending state championships in their respective classifications. The Trojans have beaten Mitchell County and Thomas County Central. Mitchell hasn’t lost to anybody else.

“We know they’re battle-tested,” Pruitt said. He said they played “probably the toughest schedule in AA.”

The Trojans can run and they can pass. Stats input by the team on MaxPreps show quarterback Ni’tavion Burrus with 12 passing touchdowns and six more rushing. “He’s their engine,” said Pruitt. “Anytime he’s on the field you hold your breath.”

Pruitt highlighted Omari Arnold and Devin Edwards, players who have rushed for seven touchdowns each. Passing touchdowns are more spread out. Willie Brown has caught four of them. Four other players have two each. The backfield is very active in pass-catching.

“They present a lot of problems on defense,” he said.

Brooks is coming off a bye. Two weeks ago, they defeated Early County by a 28-13 score. Fitzgerald is also coming off a game against Early. Theirs was by a 42-17 finish.

Fitzgerald turned what had been a close game into a blowout. They had a 21-7 lead at halftime, but Early cut that to 21-17 in the third quarter, said Pruitt. “It was much closer than the score,” he said.

This game will wind up Fitzgerald’s regular season. They will be off next week before heading into the state tournament. If Brooks loses Friday, they could still potentially finish out of the state tournament if Berrien were to pull an upset against them next week.