Murphy – It was deja vu for Murphy football Friday night. Just like two weeks ago against Fannin County, Ga., the Bulldogs led Hayesville 21-14 and needed one more stop, with the Yellow Jackets pinned deep in their own territory.
The Yellow Jackets had just over three minutes to go 87 yards, and picked up chunks quickly. Tate Roberts found Isaac Chandler for a 13-yard gain, then scrambled to pick up 19 more. Then he hit Michael Mauney on the left sideline, and Mauney broke a few tackles for a 30-yard gain to move the ball to the Bulldogs’ 25-yard line. But after Tre Graves ran for three yards, Murphy got the final stop.
Roberts’ second-down pass was almost intercepted, then Camden Breazeale sacked him on third down. Roberts’ desperation fourth-down pass was nowhere near a receiver, and the Bulldogs could finally go into victory formation.
It was Murphy’s 18th straight win over Hayesville, with the last Yellow Jackets’ win coming in 2006.
“Our kids were hungry to make a play on the last drive,” Bulldogs head coach Joseph Watson said. “And we had a good sack, and then a ball in the end zone we almost had an interception on. Our kids wanted to make a play and were going to the ball to make a play.”
It was the exact same score as Murphy’s (5-1 overall, 1-0 Smoky Mountain Conference) win in Hayesville (4-2, 0-1) last year, though Watson said this was a much different game. Last year, the Bulldogs were sloppy and made too many mistakes, while this year was a physical battle.
Hayesville, which has switched to a Wing-T offense, punched Murphy in the mouth on the first drive, going 74 yards in just nine plays. Graves’ eight-yard touchdown run gave Hayesville a 6-0 lead with 6:29 to go in the first quarter. It was the only scoring drive all night that started in a team’s own territory.
Murphy struck first with 9:14 left in the second quarter, as Hunter Stalcup ran for a 29-yard touchdown just one play after a shanked Yellow Jackets punt. Ryan Payne ended Hayesville’s next drive by intercepting a double pass by Jacob Jones, giving the Bulldogs the ball at the Yellow Jackets 45. Murphy capitalized, with freshman Cameron Clem running for a one-yard touchdown after his 19-yard run by multiple defenders on the previous play.
Just when the Bulldogs felt like they were taking control, Jones returned a muffed kickoff return to his own 45-yard line, and 15 more yards were tacked on for a Murphy unsportsmanlike conduct foul. Hayesville took advantage, with Taylor McClure’s one-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion run tying the game at 14 with 3:01 to go in the second quarter.
The Yellow Jackets followed that by forcing a Murphy punt, and they were in great position to score again after Graves returned the punt to the Bulldogs 23-yard line. However, Chandler’s 25-yard field goal went wide left as time expired in the second quarter.
A great kickoff return by Payne put Murphy in Hayesville territory to start the second half. Stalcup finished the 45-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, with Will Joyner’s extra point putting Murphy up 21-14 with 8:54 to go in the third quarter.
From there, the Bulldogs’ defense held strong. Hayesville had more yards through Murphy penalties in the third quarter (30) than it did on its own (7).
Led by Ricky Queen, who stepped in at nose tackle with usual starter Aiden Adams going down with a right knee injury in the second quarter, the Bulldogs stuffed Hayesville’s running game, then set Breazeale loose to wreak havoc on passing downs. Murphy stuffed McClure on fourth down to end the third quarter after he recovered a fumble in Bulldogs territory on the previous drive, then Breazeale came up with a strip sack before helping the defense get one last stop.
“We all get along and that helps a lot,” Queen said of the defense. “We really just mesh together to get along, and we’re all on the same page.”
Murphy knows it will have to be better when it welcomes Robbinsville (5-1, 1-0) this Friday. Ten penalties, two fumbles and a slow start out of the gate won’t cut it.
Outside of a loss to private school power Rabun Gap, Ga., the Black Knights have looked every bit like the projected conference favorite they were entering the season, outscoring opponents 175-36 in their five wins.
“It’s a hard-fought game, and every team in this league is going to give everybody their best shot.” Watson said. “Like I say every time, this is the toughest conference in the state.”