Murphy Bulldogs End The 2023 Season In the Third Round of the State Playoffs

Mount Airy Extends Its Winning Streak to 27 games – Murphy Scores the Most Points of Any Other Team on the Granite Bears in 2023

By Brandon Stephens

 

(Mount Airy) – – The Murphy Bulldogs (9-4, 3-2) are the toughest opponent for the Mount Airy (13-0, 6-0) Granite Bears at this point in the season and dating back to the 2022 season.  The Bulldogs were able to score 26 points, the most of any team this season on The Granite Bears and showed a strong first half staying in step until the game started to get out of hand 36-to-19 (Mount Airy leading) at the halftime break.  Mount Airy outscored Murphy in the second half 28-7 to end the game 64-to-26.  Ashe County is the only other school to score a similar game with 29 points in a 51-to-29 contest in 2022.

The rushing game, the usual bread and butter for Murphy, is not the productive scheme in this game.  The Bulldogs went to the air with a passing game utilizing Sophomore Quarterback Brady Grant 17 times and completed 9 passes for 176 yards and 3 touchdowns.  The first touchdown was a halfback pass play using Senior Receiver Zach Skogen to launch an 8-yard touchdown pass to Grant rounding out Murphy’s scoring.  The rushing game was not productive with 39 carries for 133 yards among six players and limited Hunter Stalcup to 39 yards on 18 carries.

The Mount Airy Granite Bears are continuing to demonstrate great offensive efficiency.  Between the four players carrying the ball, there were 20 carries for 514 rushing yards.  Mount Airy did not pass as much or needed to pass to gain yards.  Senior Quarterback Ian Gallimore completed 4-of-6 passes for an additional 56 yards.  All of Mount Airy’s touchdowns were scored on rushing plays or defensive means.

The Game

Murphy is ready to play the game and brought some slick plays that out-foxed Mount Airy a time or two.  The Bulldogs won the coin toss and kicked to the Granite Bears.  When the kick landed about 10 yards up the field, Hunter Stalcup recovered the kick and Murphy actually had the opening offensive possession.  Both teams traded their initial possession on a punt until Mount Airy’s second full possession.  The Granite Bears drove the ball 83 yards on five plays in 2:41 getting Sophomore Running back Taeshon Martin to the end zone for the first touchdown.

Starting out the Second Quarter, Murphy bounced back with a 12-play drive where Skogen passed to Grant for the touchdown.  Mount Airy wasted no time scoring again on a short drive of over 54 yards to score Senior Running Back Tyler Mason.  Murphy was keeping the game tight with its next possession ending in 36-yard touchdown pass play to Sophomore Receiver Ryan Payne.  The Point After Touchdown (PAT) by Jerry Bui was no good.  Mount Airy was sitting at its 26 yard-line and moved the ball twice with Mason.  Mason’s second carry was a 55-yard touchdown carry.  The Bulldogs were unable to score and punted to the Granite Bears.  Mason made one 80-yard carry to touchdown town to begin its scoring campaign to put the Bulldogs away.  With great determination, the Bulldogs launched a 69-yard pass play to Payne for its next score, including a 2-point conversion run.  Mount Airy made one more touchdown series in the next possession scoring with Senior Running Back Mario Revels on a 58-yard carry.  After the PAT, the halftime score is Mount Airy 36 Murphy 19.

Fatigue is beginning to set in for both teams and may have been a little more evident for Murphy, who had a tougher time gaining yards and controlling the ball in the second half.  Murphy turned the ball over on downs to Mount Airy to start the second half, which resulted in a 6-play series that fed the ball exclusively to Tyler Mason for the first touchdown of the second half.  Murphy fumbled the ball and was picked up by Senior Linebacker Caleb Reid and returned for a touchdown.  Time began to run out of the third quarter, but not before the Granite Bears made a short 2-play possession to score Taeshon Martin on a 37-yard touchdown run.

Murphy is in control of the ball ending the Third Quarter and crossing into the Fourth Quarter when its final touchdown is made on a 28-yards passing play to Hunter Stalcup.  This would be the Bulldogs last score, including the PAT from Bui.  Murphy has one more attempt at scoring by successfully recovering an on-side kick-off.  The Bulldogs are moving the ball swiftly, including a 20-yard pass play completed to Kenyon Nichols.  Two plays later Murphy throws a Pick-6 interception to Taeshon Martin that is returned 90 yards to Touchdown Town for the final score of the night.  The final score Mount Airy 64 Murphy 26.

Good Season for Murphy

The season ends for Murphy in the third round of the state playoffs with a 9-and-4 record.  There are a few games the Bulldogs might want to have a “re-do” like the Robbinsville or the Swain game where some plays didn’t go according to play or a slip in the play made a significant difference in the game.  The team found ways to get the best out of itself and developed assets and weapons for getting through tough games, especially with younger players.  Players like Sophomore Defensive End Camden Breazeale and Freshman Jude Pinkerton made their mark defensively.  Through a season ending injury, Murphy discovered a new and capable kicker in Jerry Bui.  Senior Kicker and Linebacker Will Joyner summed up the 2023 season as a good one that builds for a promising season in 2024.

Murphy Head Football Coach Joseph Watson says the pride the Bulldogs had in their winning season came from a good group of seniors and team play.

The Mount Airy Granite Bears will advance to the quarterfinals or fourth round of the state playoffs with a game against the Eastern Randolph Wildcats on Black Friday, November 24^th.