Georgia 4-star DB signee Justice Fitzpatrick suffers major injury, watches team win seventh straight state title

MIAMI, Fla. — St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) continues to make its claim for the best program in Florida as the Raiders won their seventh consecutive state title on Thursday, defeating Lakeland 29-0. A significant contributor to the team’s success this season is two-way athlete Justice Fitzpatrick, who won a state title every year with the storied program.

“It’s definitely a great feeling winning states,” Fitzpatrick said after the game. “Even though I wasn’t out on the field, I was still able to watch my brothers come out here and dominate every single play. It’s really a rare thing to win a state championship every single year. I’m definitely blessed, and I’m thankful for it.”

The Georgia signee suffered an ACL injury in the state semifinal against Riverdale and was scheduled to have surgery last Friday. Fitzpatrick watched his team win the state championship on crutches on the sideline. The Bulldogs’ staff was extremely supportive once they learned of his injury.

“They said they are there for me throughout the process. They know what type of fighter I am. I’ve been through rough stuff before, and they are there for me no matter what. Once I recover, they know I’ll be ready to go, and they’ll help me speed up the process. I’ll be better than I was.”

Fitzpatrick, the seventh-ranked cornerback of the 2026 class, officially signed with the Bulldogs during the early signing period. He committed to UGA after his official visit to Athens in June. Miami and Ohio State were the two programs pushing the hardest to flip Fitzpatrick in the later stages of his recruiting process.

“It’s a great feeling. Finally putting pen to paper, making it official, getting that stress off my shoulders, their shoulders as well. Getting ready to go up there and work. It’s just great to see what they are doing now. It’s a reliever and a real happy moment.”

Just ahead of the 2025 regular season, Fitzpatrick suffered a knee and ankle sprain, causing him to miss seven games. His injury history has strengthened his faith, and he is confident that the adversity will strengthen his mental fortitude.

“It’s all part of the process. I have a large faith in God and Jesus. I think it’s another part of my testimony. A lot of people say God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. The more I go through stuff, the more I know I have a bigger purpose in life, after I get through this. Every single time I get knocked down, I’ll always get back up. The Bible says a strong man is someone who gets knocked down seven times and allows God to pick him up that eighth time. I’m never going to allow myself to be knocked down and not get up.”