Murphy – After a tough first four games of the season, Murphy football needed a game like Friday night against New Faith Christian Academy.
The Titans, a first year program, were a last-minute add to the schedule after not being able to make a date work with Union County, Ga. The Bulldogs took advantage, putting on a running clock for the entire second half in a 42-0 win.
“We did what we wanted to do,” head coach Joseph Watson said. “Executed offensively, obviously held them off the scoreboard defensively. We did exactly what we needed to do.”
After a lopsided first half at Fannin County, Ga., last week, Watson said his team tried to get back to basics in practice this week. That included trying to set the tone physically from the opening kickoff after the Rebels won that battle.
On Friday night, Murphy’s hits had more pop in them than during previous games. The defense did a good job preventing the few athletes New Faith Christian had from making big plays.
“We always say the most physical teams win,” senior quarterback Cole Laney said.
The Bulldogs (3-2 overall) scored on six of their seven first-half drives, running just 22 plays to do so. Hunter Stalcup had both a running and receiving touchdown to bump his total to 10 through the team’s first five games. Laney had a good throwing night, passing for 111 yards and three touchdowns.
“Cole played way better,” Watson said. “He started off kinda hot. That helped us out and got us rolling.”
It took Murphy just four plays to score on the opening drive, as Laney hit Stalcup in the left corner of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown, then Stalcup ran in the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead with 10:13 to go in the quarter. New Faith Christian (0-3) was stopped on fourth down trying to go for it inside their own 20, and Stalcup had a 13-yard touchdown run on the next play before another two-point conversion run that gave Murphy a 16-0 lead.
Will Joyner tacked on a 28-yard field goal with 3:50 to go in the quarter, which was the Bulldogs first field goal in two seasons. Murphy’s next drive ended at the Titans 6 yard line, only for Mason Cook and Mason Thrasher to team up to tackle New Faith Christian’s Jekari Anderson in the end zone for a safety two plays later.
Murphy found the end zone again in two plays following the safety punt, with Laney connecting with Dozer Mashburn for a 21-yard touchdown with 9:17 to go in the quarter. The Titans then botched a punt, giving Murphy the ball at the New Faith Christian 5 yard line. Jonah Hedden crossed the goal line on the next play for a touchdown and 35-0 lead.
Trenton Russell came up with an interception to stop the Titans next drive with 3:01 to go in the quarter. The Bulldogs capitalized with another touchdown, as Laney found Dominick Rummler for a 58-yard catch and run.
The second half went by quickly with a running clock, allowing Murphy to get its second string some playing time. Though the offense didn’t score, sophomore Ryan Morrow did have an interception in the fourth quarter.
Watson knew his team would face a tough non-conference slate, and it ended up being a brutal start to the season after seniors Ty Laney and Will Johnson went down with injuries. Those are two players the Bulldogs can’t really replace.
The challenging schedule, along with the unfortunate injury luck, have led to some resilience, which Murphy will need next week when it starts Smoky Mountain Conference play against Cherokee (1-4) on Homecoming night this Friday. Last year, Murphy just got past the Braves, with senior quarterback Don Bradley running wild on the Bulldogs’ defense before a Hunter Laney interception late in the fourth quarter sealed a 29-28 win.
“Cherokee’s always gonna play us hard,” Cole Laney said. “They always do. We had a great game with them last year, and I don’t expect anything less from them this year.”