Cherokee Braves will Host the Murphy Bulldogs for the Final Game of the 2023 Season

 

Ti-li-v-ni-ga – GATA

 

By Brandon Stephens

 

(Cherokee) – – Cherokee Braves Coach Tim Hawkins and Murphy Bulldog Coach Joseph Watson are firing up their teams for the last game of the regular season.  The Bulldogs over the years have had a four lettered mechanism to instill that fired up football-playing spirit, which is GATA.  Generally speaking, the future of tense of GATA in Bulldog parlance would be “Get After Them Agressively.”  GATA may be discussed later or after the game in past tense as “Got.” The Cherokee version of that notion is Ti-li-v-ni-ga, which might make a really neat five-syllabary version of the famed acronym for a t-shirt.  Regardless, the Braves are hosting the Bulldogs and GATA or Ti-li-v-ni-ga is what both teams need.

Braves –Ti-li-v-ni-ga 

Cherokee Braves are 5-and-4 to this point in the season and 1-and-3 in the Smoky Mountain Conference.  The Braves are coming off a 45-to-7 loss to Swain County last week in Bryson City.  The major objective for Braves will be stopping the run play from Senior Running Back Hunter Stalcup and Freshman Cameron Clem.  Stalcup has been burning up the field with almost 1200 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns.  Clem has almost half the yards but has been productive with either moving the Bulldogs to a good spot on the field to make future plays happen or running a touchdown, of which he has four on the season.  The Braves may be without a few players like Junior D-Tackle/O-Gard Josh Phillips, Junior Tight-End Luke Smith, Sophomore O-Tackle Chaske Raines, and Senior Linebacker Luke Climbingbear.  The remainder or the Braves in the trenches will have to pick up the slack.  That has been the calling card for the Braves this year, “Next Man Up.”  To get to this point, the Braves are making adjustments to account for players sidelined and have kept some conference games close.

The Braves offensive attack will depend on the continued good work of Senior Quarterback Michael Driver.  Driver is probably one of the best running backs for the Braves, but he has good skill at passing.  This year he has completed 50% of his passes (75 of 148) for more than 11-hundred yards, which isn’t bad. One option for the Braves may exercise is Jack (Jack-Jack) Teesateskie, the Sophomore QB that filled in for Driver while he was sidelined.  Teesateskie completed 53% of his passes (19 of 26), which included a touchdown toss.  The Braves will have good options with Mato Grant and Brandon Santiago to carry the ball, and possibly J’ron Lineberry.  The Braves offense may keep the Bulldogs on their toes with the many different possibilities to get the ball to Touchdown Town. Cherokee will need “Ti-li-v-ni-ga” up front from its offensive front line to block for the run.  Otherwise, Driver or Teesateskie will obviously need to go to the air.

Murphy – GATA

Murphy is rolling into tonight’s game 6-and-3 and 2-and-2 in the conference.  Another win will help the Bulldogs get a “more-better” position in the postseason play-offs next week.  Murphy’s defensive frontline will need to put pressure on Driver.  Stats are showing 66% of the time Cherokee will go with a run and 33% of the time the Braves go to a pass.  The Bulldogs have a healthy defensive attack with Kadence Leatherwood, Brody Orton, Will Joyner, Charlie Graves, Camden Breazeale, Aiden Adams, and Will Shore, the leading tacklers.

The Bulldogs offense should not vary too much.  The Wing-T set up will feature Stalcup, Clem, and Senior Trenton Rusell with Ryan Payne, Will Shore, and tall-man Zach Skogen on the wings.  Most of the same players mentioned in the defense will flip over to the trenches on the O-line to block.  Look for a Hunter “Rhinestone Cowboy” Stalcup run or screen pass, buck sweep, jet, or trap. 

This point in the season one has to reflect on how you made it to this point.  Murphy Quarterback Brady Grant gives us his thoughts about getting to this point in the season and getting ready for Cherokee.

Getting through the game with Andrews with a win and prepping for the last game with Cherokee is the major focus for Murphy Head Football Coach Joseph Watson.  However, you do keep an eye on the playoffs, the next season, is the balancing act for all football leadership, like Coach Watson.

The Cherokee Braves and Murphy will kick off the game tonight at Ray Kinsland Stadium at 7:30 PM.  Stay connected to Team FYN Sports for game updates and postgame wrap up.

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