It’s a Star-Spangled Rodeo for More than Stalcup

By Brandon Stephens

(Murphy) – – There is a reason a reference is made about Hunter Stalcup being the Rhinestone Cowboy. Stalcup has been rushing the ball so long; singing the same ole song (15 yards per carry and touchdown); he knows every crack in the football fields; he may even get cards and letters from people he don’t even know with congratulations with some making offers over the phone (to play college football).  This Rhinestone Cowboy finished the night with approximately 321 yards on 19 carries, 4 touchdowns, and an interception.  The Murphy (8-3, 3-2) meeting with Polk County (4-7, 3-3) turned into a star-spangled rodeo for more than Stalcup.  Freshman Running Back Cameron Clem, Freshman Lineman Jude Pinkerton, Sophomore Quarterback Brady Grant, and Junior Running Back Jonah Hedden are all dawgs that know how to be where the lights are shinin’ them as well.

The Polk County Wolverines are a dangerous team as the Murphy Bulldogs found out.  The pass opened up the offense whether it was a run or a toss sweep.  Wolverine Senior Quarterback Lawson Carter moved Polk County into good position several times during the game to threaten Murphy.  Carter’s accuracy was more than 50 percent, going 9 of 17 with 1 interception and tossing two touchdown passes.  He netted more than 115 yards of passing offense, which is the bread and butter for Polk County.  Carter is very effective as a runner, sometimes calling his own number and getting as many as 24 yards on carries, when he wasn’t handing off to Sophomore Running Back Lorenyzo Sanchez.  Antonio Simpson and Bryson Jones seemed to be his most effective receivers.

The Game

Polk County took the first possession and moved the ball on Lawson Carter’s passing to get to the Murphy 11 yard-line. Carter kept the ball to dash into Touchdown Town on an 11-yard carry.  Several games have started out with Murphy’s opponent scoring first.  The initial score didn’t bother the Bulldogs as Murphy shifted gears into high efficiency mode and used only three plays to go 59 yards and use :33 as Hunter “Rhinestone Cowboy” Stalcup rode out in this rodeo on a 48-yard sprint to the end zone.  Will Joyner nailed the Point After Touchdown (PAT) field goal.  Polk is determined to take back the lead and zeroed in on the end zone with a pass that was intercepted by Stalcup.  The next two possessions by Murphy and Polk either ended in punt by Murphy or turnover on downs by Polk to end the First Quarter, Murphy 7 Polk County 7.

The Second Quarter clock is drained down to 9:01 by Polk County who gave the ball back to Murphy was set their mind to score this possession.  Stalcup, Cameron Clem, Jonah Hedden, and Trenton Russell took turns running the ball down to the Wolverine 23 yard-line.  Clem (had 9 carries for 99 yards in the game) carried the ball the rest of the way to give Murphy the lead.  Will Joyner hit the PAT.  Polk went four-and-out to punt back to the Bulldogs.  The chain crew barely kept up with this Murphy possession as Hunter Stalcup burnt the field where he carried four of the five plays to take the Bulldogs 81 yards in 2:00 for touchdown.  Joyner nailed the PAT.  Prior to the end of the Second Quarter, Hunter Stalcup chalks up his third touchdown on a 16-yard carry.  The PAT is short from Joyner as the Wolverines get a hand on the ball.  Will Joyner, who has developed into a highly valued defensive player for the Bulldogs, has been suffering from a right leg injury to the shin area.  Joyner goes out of the game for the remainder of the night and will force Murphy to run for two-point conversions by Hunter Stalcup. The First Half ends Murphy 27 Polk County 7.

Murphy is in the driver’s seat for the game and is ready to roll for the second half.  The Bulldogs’ first possession ends in two plays on a fumble.  Polk County gets to the end zone through 8 plays that are cloaked with Murphy penalties.  Keaundrae Green takes the ball in on a 12-yard touchdown pass play and the PAT is hit by Logan Nodine.  Murphy wastes no time to build back the momentum and takes 8 plays to go 71 yards for an easy 15-yard touchdown carry by Hunter Stalcup for his last touchdown of the night.  Stalcup carries the 2-point conversion.  Murphy will eventually get a new possession after Polk is unable to get offense moving.  Hunter Stalcup will carry 4 of the 8 plays needed to get the Bulldogs to the Polk County 32 yard-line.  Appearing to look for a pass, Quarterback Brady Grant tucks the ball and runs 32 yards to Touchdown Town.  Stalcup carries the 2-point conversion.

Murphy fans are unable to stop cheering for the Polk County possession that follows the Brady Grant touchdown.  It wasn’t for the Wolverines moving the ball against the Bulldogs.  Polk County drifted too far and too deep into its own territory and needed to punt.  Freshman Jude Pinkerton may need a WETSU and a GATA shirt this week for blocking the punt and recovering the ball in the end zone for touchdown.  It capped off a night of stellar defensive for this young Bulldog.  Polk County Quarterback Lawson Carter should know the brand of Pinkerton’s cologne.  Jude had four sacks in addition to his touchdown play.  The Third Quarter ended Murphy 51 Polk County 14.

The ball game is in Murphy Bulldog control comes down to a way to melt the remaining 12:00 of play.  Polk County hits Keaundrae Green for a final touchdown pass.  A few exchanges of possession and some shifts from starters to substitutes bring the Bulldogs into one last shot at the end zone.  Murphy’s Jonah Hedden gets a 2-yard touchdown run.  The 2-point conversion is no good.  The final score is Murphy 57 Polk County 21.

Postgame

Passing and dangerous threats from well-tuned athletes are the key elements the Murphy Bulldogs prepared.  Last week’s season finale with Cherokee was a taste of the type of play Polk County presented.  Friday night’s game was physical and tough.  The Rhinestone Cowboy says this rodeo may have appeared like it was easy, but it was tough.

Good defense and exciting offensive plays filled the play-by-play for the meeting with Polk County.  There were aspects to tighten up like holding and personal foul penalties that haunted the Bulldogs.  Quarterback Brady Grant says the Bulldogs did exceptionally well to block, stop, and run.  Now there is more preparation for the next round.

Every ounce of push and gusto Murphy Head Coach Joseph Watson could give, along with the whole coaching staff, could be felt along the electric sideline for this game.  It paid off.  This week, the preparation is needed to get ready for a good Bishop McGuinness Villains, which should include a “big bus ride” to Kernersville.

The Murphy Bulldogs are the number 10 seed and will travel to Bishop McGuinness the number 7 seed.  Bishop McGuinness defeated the South Stokes Sauras 50-to-8.  The Villains are 6-and-5 after Friday night’s first round win.  Bishop McGuinness is a Catholic charter school located in Kernersville, which is close to the Greensboro/Winston-Salem area.  The team is led by Junior Quarterback Alex Waterfield who seems to do-it-all for the team.  Waterfield completes 60 percent of his passes, which is quite a lot (131 of 222).  He has passed for 1,480 yards and 18 touchdowns.  Waterfield likes to run and leads the Villains in rushing with 730 yards on 133 carries and 9 touchdowns.  The leading receiver is Miller Aho, a 6’1 Junior that has 650 yards on 57 receptions.  So more passing and possibly spread offense, what the Bulldogs encountered with Polk County.  Stay connected with Team FYN Sports for more details on this game and others through the Smoky Mountain Conference.  Tune into Inside the SMC Thursday night for more details.   The Road is ready…Stay Golden Bulldogs!

Stats from game are compiled by Team FYN Sports utilizing HUDL.  Research stats are collected from MaxPreps.  Photos are by Brandon Stephens

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