It has been decades since the Andrews and Murphy football teams played a regular-season game with this much on the line. Friday night’s game at Murphy will be for the Smoky Mountain Conference title, the first time the two teams have met with the conference title on the line since 1967.
Both teams are 4-0 in conference play, though their respective seasons have gone through different paths. After returning 10 starters from last year, the Wildcats are 9-0 and winning by an average of 32.3 points per game. No team has been able to put four quarters together against Andrews this season.
Seniors Isaac Weaver (1,050 offensive yards, 19 touchdowns) and Austin Martin (896, 14 TD) lead the best backfield in the conference. Sophomore Eli Aguilar (566, 7 TD) has been a good option as a shifty back who can weave around defenders.
Andrews offense has taken another step thanks to the development of senior quarterback Donovan Bateman (921 passing yards, 187 rushing yards, 13 TD), who can move the ball with both his arms and legs. Senior Cole Anderson (441 receiving yards, 5 TD) is the conference’s leading receiver, and Weaver is another receiving threat after getting the cast off his right hand last week.
On defense, junior Dalton Rose (38 tackles, 5 sacks), senior Taylor Waldroup (26 tackles) and junior Tyler West (17) stand out on the defensive line, with both Austin (43) and Drew Martin (41) and senior Andy Tatham (27) able to fill running lanes and set the edge at linebacker. The Wildcats also have 18 interceptions this year, including eight from Weaver.
A win would give Andrews its seventh conference title since 1960, and first since 1983. It would also be another title for a senior class that has been winners since they started playing, reaching the Cracker Bowl at every level and winning the SMC junior varsity title as freshmen. After snapping a 40-year losing streak against Murphy last year, a win would give Andrews back-to-back wins over the Bulldogs for the first time since they won three straight against Murphy from 1963-65.
The Bulldogs enter the game 7-2 overall, though it hasn’t been a smooth road to get there. All-conference running back/linebacker Ty Laney broke his leg in a 34-28 win at South Pittsburg, Tenn., on Sept. 9, then all-conference senior tight end/defensive end Will Johnson suffered a season-ending knee injury a week later in a 56-30 loss at Fannin County, Ga.
Several players have had to step into new roles since, and Murphy has not lost since getting crushed in Blue Ridge. The Bulldogs have looked dominant in wins over Cherokee (49-14) and Robbinsville (48-16), but came close to beating themselves in wins over Hayesville (21-14) and Swain County (20-14).
When Murphy’s offense is clicking, it’s hard to stop. With Laney going down, junior Hunter Stalcup (1,493 offensive yards, 22 TD) has carried the load running the ball, and he’s a threat to score every time he gets in the open field.
Senior quarterback Cole Laney (1,136 passing yards, 15 TD) has come into his own as the season has gone on. Senior Cam Grooms (407 receiving yards, 6 TD) keeps defenses honest with his speed at wide receiver. The success wouldn’t happen without a strong offensive line, featuring four seniors.
The Bulldogs’ defense struggled early in the season, but has given up just 58 points in conference play. Senior linebacker John Ledford (77 tackles) and sophomore linebacker Kadence Leatherwood (68) lead the team in tackles, while senior Mason Thrasher (54 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 4 sacks) and sophomore Brayden Killian (46) have been disruptive on the defensive line. Players like Stalcup (56), sophomore Jonah Hedden (45) and senior Mason Cook (44) have a nose for the ball as well.
Murphy is seeking its 25th conference title since 1960 and first since 2018. It would be the first for the Bulldogs’ senior class, despite them winning a state championship as sophomores in 2020-21. That year, the Bulldogs finished second to Robbinsville before beating the Black Knights in the 1A West Regional Final.