Sports

‘We are going to shock the world’

• Mitchell County may have been an afterthought in years past, but facing a Fitzgerald team that has never lost a game in Region 1-AA, the revived Eagles think they can pull off a historic upset tonight.

Paul Dehner Jr.

CAMILLA — On one end of the practice field, man-on-man blocking drills draw primal screams from wound-up lineman.

On the other, defenders fly from hash mark to hash mark, the paths finalizing at violent collisions with ball carriers. The meetings evoke head butts and high-fives from onlooking teammates.

Bouncing back and forth between the groups moves coach David Ward, exulting a string of motivational mantras through his upbeat Cajun drawl.

This may only be a mid-week practice for Mitchell County, but riding a 2-0 start to the season and sitting on the verge of what would be a monumental victory for this talented collection of underdogs, it has the feel of something more.

It more resembles the rising of a revolution.

And, in many ways for the Eagles, it is just that.

The traditional Region 1-AA also-ran believes it has shed its old image and lifted its expectations along with the number of players on the roster.

The excitement has grown to a fever pitch as the team racked up 85 points in two games and ascended to No. 5 in the Herald area poll. It comes to a peak tonight at 7:30 p.m. against state-ranked GHSA Class AA No. 5 Fitzgerald.

“That’s the first game of our region season, we got to set the tone,” receiver Charles Thomas said. “We want to send a message to everybody in the region that we aren’t the same Mitchell County. We are going to beat everybody this season. We are going to shock the world.”

And while that sounds more like an impersonation of Muhammad Ali, these Eagles believe for the first time in a long time, they have the power to throw a knockout punch.

Though it wouldn’t shock the world if they toppled Fitzgerald, it undeniably would shock Georgia high school football fans.

“Fitzgerald is supposed to be the big powerhouse,” Mitchell County tight end Nick Hodge said. “Everybody thinks we are going to lose. Even people in our school say we are going to lose.”

In this difficult region, all talk begins with Fitzgerald. Since joining 1-AA in 2004, the Purple Hurricanes are a perfect 22-0 in region play.

Fitzgerald is coming off a 10-1 season in which it was stunned in the first round of the playoffs by Bleckley County, but doesn’t appear to have lost a step. Fitzgerald has outscored its two opponents, 57-6, this year, including an efficient 41-6 destruction of Randolph-Clay last week.

“You can play a good game against them and get beat by 21 in the blink of an eye,” Ward said. “They don’t self-destruct. They are very disciplined. They play 48 minutes. I don’t see a whole lot of weaknesses.”

Odds indeed place the Eagles as heavy underdogs tonight, but the atmosphere has begun to turn in Camilla. Ward admits his team ran a step slower last season and couldn’t keep up with the Purple Hurricanes during 41-0 defeat on the road.

Watching his team excitedly burst through a spirited practice, he knows that has changed.

“Just take a look,” said Ward, motioning toward his defenders chasing down running backs. “We are flying to the ball. They are pissed off. They have been waiting for this all year.”

The anticipation stems from a core offensive group which appears to be blossoming. Led by Florence, college prospects Hodge and Thomas along with running back Kyron Stewart, the Eagles have shown an ability to move the ball both through the air and on the ground.

They have totaled more than 600 yards passing and 250 rushing this season while beating Pelham, 43-20, and Montgomery County, 44-6.

Those two teams are a combined 0-6 and, to be fair, the Eagles began last season with a similar 2-0 record and only captured one more victory the rest of the way.

Still, there’s no doubt the team has improved. Ward draws on an encouraging preseason scrimmage against Herald No. 1 Monroe as a moment when his team realized its capabilities.

“We kind of looked around and said, ‘Hey we are really good this year,’ ” Ward said. “I know we can be good. Emotionally, if we can keep handling the punches in the mouth and not get discouraged, not get intimidated, we can be good.”

But there is good — and then there is Fitzgerald. Mitchell County may have come a long way, but the bottom line remains: Nobody has ever beat the Purple Hurricanes in Region 1-AA play.

Tonight, the Eagles desire to prove they belong in the conversation.

They believe in themselves and believe they can win.

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