Misenheimer – The Murphy High School boys soccer team traveled to Misenheimer for their first round matchup against Gray Stone Day in the 1A N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs.
The No. 17 seed Bulldogs lost 3-1 to No. 16 seed Gray Stone Day Knight after they scored three first half goals to build a large lead early in the match.
After amassing an early three-goal lead, the Dogs fought hard in the second half to keep it that way. The Dogs got a late penalty kick and Tyler Payne buried it in the bottom left corner to put them on the board.
Unfortunately, it was too late and the Dogs fell 3-1 to the Knights.
This was the Dogs’ first loss since Sept. 23 when they fell 2-1 to Hayesville on the road. The Dogs went on to finish the regular season with eight wins and a tie against Blue Ridge Early College on Oct. 14. The loss to Grey Stone Day was also the first time they had lost by two or more goals since they fell to Tuscola 4-0 on Aug. 28.
The Dogs concluded their 2024 campaign with a 11-9-1 overall record and they went 10-3-1 in the Smoky Mountain conference.
The Bulldogs were not the only SMC team to lose in the first round of the playoffs, as all four of the SMC teams that made the playoffs lost in the first round.
Highlands—the No. 9 seed and SMC Champions—lost to No. 24 seeded Uwharrie Charter 4-1. The No. 20 seed Swain County lost 8-0 to No. 13 seeded Mount Airy. No. 28 seed Hayesville fell to No. 5 seed Piedmont Community Charter 9-0.