CLASS A - FITZGERALD (12-1)
Coach: Earl Wheby.
Besides Hargrove,
Fitzgerald had a good running back named Lamar Wynn. The quarterback
was Gene Pedrick. The receivers were Bobby Jolly and Billy White. Only
a few games got any print in the Atlanta paper. Hargrove had three TD's
in the 45-6 win over Class B Cordele at Fitzgerald on Nov. 19. Cordele
was undefeated entering the game. Hargrove scored on runs of 80, 1, and
50. Fitzgerald won the 2-A title with their 26-12 victory over Tifton
on Nov. 25. Next up was Thomasville in Albany on Dec. 3 for the South
Georgia championship. Thomasville scored early after recovering an
errant lateral on the one and led 6-0. Erwin Mitchell got the TD on a
sneak. Hargrove answered later in the first on a three-yard run and
kicked the PAT. The 7-6 score held the rest of the game. Hargrove added
two more TD's in the 20-19 win over Decatur in the state final. His two
PAT kicks were the difference in the game. He finished his career with
"over 400" points and went on to have a good career at UGA, lettering
in 50, 51, and 52.
Decatur had a hard road to the final.
Griffin upset them 7-6 at Decatur on Oct. 29 dropping the Bulldogs into
a tie with LaGrange for Region 4. The playoff was held at Grady on Nov.
29 with Decatur coming from behind in the fourth to win 7-6. The same
kicker who was the hero of the game (Butch Dowman) was the one who
missed two in the state final.
FITZGERALD 20, DECATUR 19
Date: Dec. 10, 1948
Site: Porter Stadium (Macon)
Coaches: Earl Wheby (Fitzgerald) and Charles Waller (Decatur)
SCORING
Decatur 7-6-0-6--19
Fitzgerald 0-0-7-13--20
First Quarter
Decatur – Norman Stone 35 run (Butch Dowman kick)
Second Quarter
Decatur – Stone 38 run (kick failed)
Third Quarter
Fitzgerald – Lauren Hargrove 13 from Lamar Wynn (Hargrove kick)
Fourth Quarter
Fitzgerald – Hargrove run (Hargrove kick)
Fitzgerald – Billy White 3 from Gene Pedrick (kick failed)
Decatur – Courts Redford 1 run (kick failed)
GAME SUMMARY
Fitzgerald staked Decatur to a 13-0 halftime lead, and then roared back to take
the state championship in exciting fashion. Leading on tie-breakers, Decatur
would have won the game with a tying extra point kick late in the fourth. Butch
Dowman missed the attempt.
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