Murphy Bulldogs Look to Cut through Granite in the Third Round of the State Playoffs Against Mountain Airy – Granite Bears

Mountain Airy – – 2022 Defending State 1-A Football Champions on a 26-Game Win Streak
By Brandon Stephens

(Mount Airy) – – The Murphy Bulldogs (9-3, 3-2) will not whistle “Fishin’ Hole” (Theme to Andy Griffith
Show) on the way to Mountain Airy for Friday night’s football game with the Granite Bears. Yes, this is
the hometown to Andy Griffith, where there is a museum in the actor’s honor. Maybe there is an
investment firm located there named Smith, Barney, Andy, and Opie. The Mountain Airy (12-0, 6-0)
Granite Bears are all business and will probably have more than one bullet in their jacket pocket to fire
at the Bulldogs. One could imagine the frustration Mountain Airy has had for nearly 30 years with the
Smoky Mountain Conference. If the Bulldogs do not play all four quarters and act quickly, it will be a
Granite Bear spot for whistling like a fool.

Mountain Airy is on a 26-game winning streak that dates back to September 2022. The Granite
Bears lost their last game to East Surry 14-12 in late August of last season. That is significant since this
team has retain almost all of its starters from the championship season. During this win streak the
Granite Bears have only been scored on in double digits three times and shut out the opponent 15
times, 9 of those games during the 2023 season. A majority of the opponents this season did not finish
with winning records. Starmount (10-2) is the only team this season to score twice on Mount Airy in a
47-15 loss to the Granite Bears.

Mount Airy is loaded with standout players. The Granite Bears will have a spread look to their
offense with Senior Quarterback Ian Gallimore flanked by Running Backs Taeshon Martin and Tyler
Mason. Gallimore has completed 52 percent of his passes this season for 6 touchdowns (MaxPreps).
This is little need to pass when Senior Running Back Tyler Mason has rushed for 1,453 yards and 30
touchdowns, which is about 650 yards from his total last season. Mason has committed to Virginia Tech
and will play Running Back in the upcoming North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl. Sophomore
Running Back Taeshon Martin backs up Mason who has rushed for 1,060 yards and 13 touchdowns this
season.

There is a Dandy outside of the backfield, literally. There may be some quick pitches and jets
featuring Senior Tight End Deric Dandy and Senior Flanker Walker Stroup. Dandy will also play in the
Shrine Bowl and has committed to play at Virginia Tech. Stroup will play in the North Carolina East-West
All-Star Game.

Defense and the front lines are stacked with good players. The Granite Bear defense will have
50, sometimes 60 look, with a tremendous number of players in the box looking for a run play. The
weak side will have a strong “granite” figure in place with Sophomore Tackle Third Floyd who is 5’11 327
pounds. The front-line offensive guard, Senior Spencer Baldwin, may also look like he is chiseled out of
stone at 6’7 254 pounds.

This ball game will take every ounce of the Murphy Bulldogs’ best play. Rolling into this game,
Murphy is taking all of its play from the Bishop McGuinness game the face the Granite Bears according
to Quarterback Brady Grant.

Play in the trenches will be very important for the Murphy Bulldogs. It will not be business as
usual, but the assignment play will be paramount says Sophomore Lineman Janthony Gooden.

Preparation is the key to this week’s game according to Murphy Head Football Coach Joseph
Watson.

The Murphy Bulldogs will kick off the game with Mount Airy on Friday night (November 17 th ) at
7:30 PM at Wallace Shelton Stadium. Stay connected to Team FYN Sports for updates on the game
through our Facebook Page (https://facebook.com/TeamFYNSports).

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