Breaking News
Shop Ingles Markets ~ Love the Savings
If you see news happening, call 706-889-9700 or [email protected]
Follow FetchYourNews on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @FetchYourNews @FYNTV @TeamFYNSports
Don’t forget to follow all your local sports teams here! #TeamFYNSports Always highlighting and promoting young athletes in a positive way!
Cherokee Co N.C.
FYN TV Sunday Edition Chamber Cherokee NC Schools TeamFYNSports
Home / Murphy Bulldogs / Team FYN Sports

Murphy Lady Bulldogs break Cherokee’s 30-game streak

Murphy Bulldogs, Team FYN Sports January 28, 2018 , by

The Murphy Lady Bulldogs have been nothing short of legendary this season, but that’s nothing new for them.  Last year the varsity girls went 26-2, falling by only one point in the Elite 8 to the eventual state champions.

“I couldn’t ask for a better team.  They work extremely hard and do everything asked of them,” Murphy head coach Ray Gutierrez told TeamFYNSports last week.  This week was no exception.

The Lady Bulldogs (18-1, 7-0) kicked last week off with a 52-32 win on the road at Hayesville, followed by a 74-26 road win over Andrews.

At Hayesville, Jessica Beckner made herself at home inside the paint, and she defended her house.  She scored 15 points, but even more impressive was her 10 rebounds in the game.  Kaiya Pickens scored 13 points while teammate Haylie Thompson helped Beckner dominate the boards with eight rebounds.  Other notable performances on the stat sheet came from Murphy guard Aubrey Clapsaddle, who scored seven points with six scoring assists.  Clapsaddle had another great night managing the offense for the Lady Bulldogs.  Brianna Moore also had a great game offensively, assisting four times but also scoring four points of her own.

Jessica Beckner (15) pulls in a tough rebound while Sydni Addison (35) and Bri Moore (10) assist defensively in a game earlier this season. Photo by Jenni Dixon, TeamFYNSports.

Sydni Addison, the ball hawk of the night, had seven steals on defense, scored six points and pulled in seven rebounds.

At Andrews, Beckner stole the show.  She not only scored 19 points and hauled in 10 rebounds, but she also scored her 1,000th career point for Murphy High School.  “She is a tremendous student athlete and has worked extremely hard during her high school career,” coach Gutierrez said of his athlete’s outstanding achievement.
Beckner has received a full scholarship to play basketball at Young Harris College next season.
Aubrey Clapsaddle had another great night as well, scoring 11 points with five assists and five steals defensively.

 

 

How do you beat two great wins on the road?  You turn around and win two big games back-to-back at home.

How do you beat a 19-90 road win over Nantahala (Topton, NC)?  You hold them under 10 points of offense.

On Friday, Nantahala took a rough road trip down to Murphy only to leave with their lowest offensive performance of the season.  The Lady Bulldogs (wo)man-handled the Lady Hawks, coming away with a 77-8 home win, their 17th team victory of the season.  They knew Saturday night’s game would be a true test.

Following the huge win over Nantahala, the Braves of Cherokee High (then 10-4, 7-0), came to Murphy for the matchup the entire state of North Carolina has been waiting to see.

“Cherokee had won 30 straight regular season conference games,” coach Gutierrez said of their opponent.  “The gym was packed and both teams played their guts out.  It was a great atmosphere for a basketball game.”

The first quarter was a close one – much closer than many of the games Murphy has played this season – with the Lady Bulldogs holding only a 4-point margin over the Braves, 18-14.  The Lady Bulldogs, who average more than 60-points per game, were hitting their usual offensive numbers; but the Braves’ offense was up to the task early-on, making this game a true challenge for Murphy.

The ability of the Murphy Lady Bulldogs’ defense to collapse on the ball and apply pressure for four full quarters of basketball is a large part of their success this season. Photo by Jenni Dixon, TeamFYNSports.

By halftime, Murphy had extended their lead by only one point.  Trailing by five (43-38), the Braves were still in a dangerous position and neither team was a sure victor.  Sharpshooters Clapsaddle and Pickens refused to leave the game in anyone’s hands other than their own.  The two combined for 8-of-11 3-point attempts, combining for 31% of the total points for the Lady Bulldogs.

In the end, the Lady Bulldogs held on to defeat the Cherokee Braves 77-74, giving the Braves their first conference loss of the season (breaking a 30-game streak).

Clapsaddle scored 30 points, while Pickens had 14.  Beckner scored 12 points in the game while Thompson scored nine points, Bri Moore had six, Martin scored four points and Addison scored a basket for two.  Addison led the team with rebounds (8), while Beckner also pulled in eight boards, three offensively and five on defense.

Murphy hosts Andrews (1-12, 0-9) on Monday and Robbinsville (14-5, 6-3) on Tuesday, while Cherokee travels to Swain County on Tuesday and Rosman on Friday.  Robbinsville is 6-4 at home, one of those losses coming from Cherokee in overtime (53-47) on Dec 19; another home loss came from Murphy on Jan 2, 52-37.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

Leave a comment

Back to Top